MonkSealMania.blogspot.com: 10/15/2017 Monk Seal Dailies:

Sunday, October 15, 2017

10/15/2017 Monk Seal Dailies:

Today's Dailies are brought to you by Marilyn, Team Billand and Gayle.

Marilyn did her usual Sunday morning check of the Hawaii Kai spots and her only find at 08:53 am was Right Spot (R016), who apparently overnighted at Sandy Beach. As of this morning she appears to be 60% molted, she has large chunks of skin and fur hanging off her. A zone had been erected with signs and police caution tape.

Mrs. Whisperer spent some time at Makai Pier with gusty winds, rising tide and surf the conditions were not ideal. At 11:29 she spotted one and then a second seal about 50 years east of the first blue sign. The larger male who still appears to have a brown coat was identified as Kea (RN46) by his natural white bleaches on his front flippers and smaller bleach on one of the toes of his right rear flipper. Marilyn was unable to ID the juvenile and couldn't confirm it's sex, so it will be reported as a U/J.

Team Billand spotted two seals on the rocks at Maili, both were resting next to each other peacefully. The seals were ID'd as RH48 Lei Ola still with a hook and RK72 Kekoa Alii. On a recheck of the area Barb did some outreach/education to a couple of boys who were going fishing. Team Billand noted a seal foraging in the shallows and he was ID'd as Ka'ale RH32. He made his way over the rocks and found Lei Ola and Kekoa, Barbara noted watching Ka'ale foraging reminded her of his Mom Nihoa.

Team Billand got a call about a seal haul out so off to white plains they went. There she was RO28 Pohaku high up on shore resting with ropes and signs out per the lifeguards. But the real surprise was the folks staying in the cabin were old time volunteers and great family The Sparks. Barb and Brenda spent time talking and catching up, of course remembering our mentor.

Gayle found right spot roped off this morning by the police (they used the yellow tape for the zone). She checked this afternoon she missed Right Spot swim away by a couple of minutes, she departed at 13:00 from the east end of Sandy's swam for a little bit but by 15:00 she reappeared in the middle of Sandys. She looks about 70% molted (nothing like a good swim to remove layers of peeling fur).

Right Spot layers of skin peeling off