5/27/2018 Monk Seal Dailies: ( part 2 ) Lesley's Ka'ena Point Update from Saturday and Sunday

It's a 2 in1 today - had a long day yesterday than had to cross the island to go to a graduation. One of my "human pups" graduated from High School. What a proud and emotional moment to see those pups up on stage than as they finished the ceremony down on the field they are already young adults spreading their wings and ready to fledge their nests. My best wishes to all of them !

I will star off introducing "Puna" (aka PO4 D28) - mom RN58 "Luana"

Puna – a water spring

I had been monitoring mom for month and daily in the weeks previous to her giving birth. On that Sunday morning I was down at dawn to check on her and stayed there for a couple of hours. Came up to the house to charge all my batteries (phone & camera) and to have a late breakfast.

I got back down to the beach, I heard the little bark behind mom, when I first set eye on this little guy he still had placenta liquid on his body and shortly after was washed twice by waves and taken down a couple of meters by the backwash. He put those long flippers to work and made his way back up to mom.

Sat. 26th:

I went down to the playpen to check on them RN58 "Luana" & PO4 "Puna" D28 were on the waterline getting ready for a nursing session. During the day they went back and forth to check on them there were several nursing and swimming session.

RL42 "Leia" & PO5 D22 were sleeping every time I saw them but in different spots - I missed all the swimming and nursing sessions, but got a cute milk nose shot.

Out at Ka'ena Pt I saw RW02 "PVKauai" down on the reef Runway - he has chosen the exact locations for several days, if I hadn't seen him on other beaches or in the water you would have thought that he hasn't moved an inch. I called him in to the Hotline

A lot of outreach was done, it's a long weekend and we have a BIG influx of visitors and campers everywhere.

Thank you DOCARE for all the back up you have given us today

Sun. 27th:

Kimo (L) & I went up do land & water support for the HUI NALO paddling club on their 3 days round the island. Kimo did the water part from Haleiwa to the entrance of the Ka'ena Pt Park - I did land.

Back home I went down to spend a couple of hours watching RN58 "Luana" & PO4 "Puna" D29 they were moving around a lot and had a long deep water session.

"Puna" is doing 1 minute to 1.5 minutes dives

RL42 "Leia" & PO5 D23  - kid had it's belly up to the sky for a longtime but still can confirm it's sex. Photo documentation was in the 3 digits!! but that bleach is in the way. Suspense is ongoing.

Hui Nalo land team saw a seal swimming on shore near Army beach - I've checked the beaches but no one hauled out.

Aloha 

Leia RL42 & PO5 Day 22

 Luana RN58 & PO4 Puna Day 28