MonkSealMania.blogspot.com: 8-30-2013 DB's Dailies: Kea@AD, Right Spot & Benny @ Blowhole&SB, Buster@SB, M&M@KCG, Ka'ena@KP, Rocky@Kaimana Beach,Waikiki

Friday, August 30, 2013

8-30-2013 DB's Dailies: Kea@AD, Right Spot & Benny @ Blowhole&SB, Buster@SB, M&M@KCG, Ka'ena@KP, Rocky@Kaimana Beach,Waikiki

At 0550 I found Kea (RN46) at the rock flats, 200 yds east of the wall. He was in his favorite nook. During the course of the morning he would continue to move east, spending time at his birth spot, and the tide pool at that location , 250 ft east of the wall. He would move another 30 ft or so east before beginning to move back to the west in a leisurely manner. His westward travels would end when he hauled out 150 ft east of the wall. I erected a new SPZ and according to the log he snoozed away the rest of the day there. Angel, the 1-4 shift reported a green seal head bobbing my at 1345. He saw Kea but did not stop. She lost him at the surf site. There is no doubt in my mind whatsoever that it was Benny. I’ll fill you in on the rest of the story shortly. I did the first and last shifts today, with lots of action in between. Thank you Kathy for relieving me on the last shift, and also to Gayle for above and beyond work with the rest of today’s cast.

After my morning shift I went to Blowhole Lookout at 1019, and found Benny (RE74) and Right Spot (R016) still foraging there.

At 1335 a Sandy Beach lifeguard called with the report of an animal hauling out to the east end of the beach. When I arrived I found nobody, but Buster was at the top of my list. I decided to go to the Blowhole Lookout again to get a better overview of Sandys and to check on the foragers. Immediately on arrival I could see that Benny & Right Spot were now on the beach at Sandys at the extreme , Blowhole end. I quickly went to Sandy Beach, and by the time I got to the location a full body contact, teeth, hair & eyeballs battle was on between Buster & Benny, with Right Spot just trying to stay out of the way. The war went on , nearly non stop from 1200 until 1235, when to my complete surprise Buster won the day, and Benny departed. In my mind that didn’t seem possible, but I’m thinkin’ that after 3 days with Irma, and 3 days with Right Spot, the boy either got (or didn’t get) what he came for, and it was time to move on. Benny made life hell the rest of the day, attempting haul outs at multiple Sandy Beach locations, but the adoring hordes just wouldn’t allow that. He departed for a while (that is when Angel saw him, but then returned to Sandy Beach to haul out at two different spots in the afternoon, required a cordon for each haul out. Thankfully, he departed for good (or at least I hope so) at 1557. Thank you to Gayle for ending the day with Buster & Right Spot, still at the west end of Sandy Beach.

Team Billand reported M&M (R020) at Kalaeloa Campground at 0719.

At 1125 Barbara called from the end of the world with the report of Ka’ena (RO40), with his N9 bleach at Ka’ena Point.

At 1304 Ocean Safety called with the report of an animal at Kaimana Beach in Waikiki. When I called Tati she advised that "N11" had been there since 1155 and that Karen Rohter had responded only to arrive just a woman was running Rocky off. I thought that was the end of that, but Ocean Safety called at 1703 to advise that Rocky had left but had returned and had been there all afternoon, with no SPZ. I contacted Tati. I have no further word. I’m guessing that my 1304 call might well have been the return of Rocky but ????

Speaking of Rocky, morning email from Colleen brought news that she had apparently been at the Hale Koa last night. Colleen and Todd responded.

Buster and Benny having a go at it