3/26/2018 Monk Seal Dailies:

Today's dailies are brought to you by Gayle and Lesley. I'm going to assume Team Billand got skunked today.  So I am going to combine Lesley's full Ka'ena Point Update and Gayle's Eastside Update all together. ( we'll see how this works).

Gayle called the hotline at 9:40 am when she found Right Spot R016  by the Keiki pool. There were lots of people out today so she sat with Right Spot but by 11:40 or so she left the area.  A bit later she did try to come up onto the sand area but she wasn't happy so Gayle wasn't surprised she left that section. She waited for her by the other end closer to the pier. Right Spot and a volunteer appeared (separately :-) about 12:15. When Gayle returned at 17:40 to sit with her, but that didn't happen, she was gone.


Gayle went to Lanai Lookout and she got lucky, because she got parking :-), when she arrived volunteer Andrew was onsite. Initially Kolohe was being difficult but he turned so they could get a good look at his natural bleach for a positive ID.  

Lastly Gayle spotted three critters on Rabbit Island and many many birds.

AND now for Lesley's Update:

Another absolutely gorgeous day in Hawaii Nei Started of with a pod of whales as I walked down the driveway.

Then just as I drove to the top of the hill, I looked down and saw that familiar shape down at 10Mnts Beach. RN58 "Luana" was just hauling out. She was very alert till she settled, looking very healthy.

My next stop was to retrieve the left over of the ghost spaghetti net that I attacked yesterday. Kait had arrived after I left and with the help of a fisherman they hauled the nets up and left them to be picked up. I only had one net to get off an outer reef and load the back of the UTV.

Then I went out to the NARS, there were lots of visitors and big families gathering. I first saw R353 (F) near Ka'ena's Pool she was well hidden in some boulders. Her neck CC wound has lost it's flap and is healing very well.

Down on Main Beach I found a zoo, many people of all ages were playing in the water to the left of Main Pool. In Main Pool on the center Reef Island RR70 "RIP" & RO40 "Ka'ena" were sleeping and just behind them RN14 "Molokai" was also out cold.

I never asked the families to leave, just started talking to them about the seals, with the kids I drew an imaginary line they wouldn't go past then we played volume buttons turning our ears. I worked perfectly. The adults realized the "work" I was doing, thanked me and moved everyone to Back Beach for the rest of their stay.

The seals never even blinked !!

All seals were in the same positions when I left, R353 was still in her nook and RN58 "Luana" was still on the beach. On one of her pics you can see that part of her body is buried in the sand..

before & after

 ghost nets

 R353

 Luana

 RIP

 Ka'ena and Rip

 Rip Ka'ena & RN14