5-15-2014 - Lesley's Windward/TBR Monitoring

On our Monday Windward/TBR monitoring, Diane & I documented and reported to NOAA a wound on RF20 "Meli's" muzzle.  

On Tuesday, volunteer Carola went for a shift and only RK82 "La'akea" was seen at Kaihalulu Beach (Elbow Beach section)

Yesterday Diane & I monitored TBR again. Diane spend a couple of hours in the early morning and I relieved her after a NSOEC meeting in Hauula. We met on the path between rain showers that went on for part of the morning, she had hiked all the way to Kanaka'ilio Beach (2nd Beach/Marconi Rd direction) and was skunked.


When I arrived @ Kaihalulu Beach (Elbow Beach section) at about 10:30 AM,  RK82 "La'akea" was just hauling out.

She slept for an hour or so till little sister RF20 "Meli" arrived. She first checked the beach from ashore and came straight in her elder sisters direction.

"Meli" tried to go to sleep but by now "La'akea" was wide awake and there wasn't a chance she'd let the little one go to sleep. She went up to "Meli", with her muzzle kept teasing her. They both went down to the water and into the waves for a long swim, splash, playing session in now a common spot just behind the big reef. That went on for way over an hour.
The day warmed up after the rain stopped and the sun came out. The beach turned into a sauna, they didn't mind it one bit, they hauled out and went to sleep side-by-side.

Due to the Full Moon, the early morning low tide was VERY low followed by a VERY high one. This last one started as the girls hauled out to sleep. They were first getting splashed, wet, then soaked and after being tumbled by a set "Meli" moved further up. "La'akea" got a little restless. She tried getting her sister's attention but wasn't successful. She went into the water for a while she rolled in the shallow then went out for a swim to her favorite spot. While observing her, a  beach goer and I were having a Q&A session outreach. To his delight, she caught something, tore it up and ate it. Soon after she hauled out a little further away from her sister.

After another hour of observing, I left them sleeping like rocks to go to the volunteer meeting in town.

Finally, today I was able to observe NO external object on "Meli's" muzzle wound, meaning there was no fishing hook visible on the outside. It seems that she put her nose were she wasn't supposed to. The wound looks like a bite that tore a piece of flesh on the top left side of her muzzle leaving a little piece dangling and a second puka on the bottom of her lower lip.  The wound is not bothering her or limiting her in any way. 

After the rain stopped there was a non stop flow of visitors - unusual for that time of day and middle of the week. I did outreach with aprox 33 people.  Aloha,  Lesley

Little Sister sneaking up on La'akea

 Time to play!

 Kids having fun!