10/19/2021 (part 2) Tuesday Lesley's Ka'ena Update and A Little History Lesson

 

It was a very pleasant day in the park.

There were 5 sightings:

- R330 Squinty overnighted up high in the bushes and I didn't see him on my daybreak check. When I headed out, I saw a seal that I thought had hauled out, it turned out to be Squinty moving down the beach towards the water. He spent the day there and was still there at sunset

RW02 PVKauai and KG54 Huaka'i were on opposite sides of a beach sleeping. While we were there PVKauai woke up, entered the water and swam away. On our second check on Huaka'i she had left.

Found RO40 Ka'ena sleeping on some reefs in his green coat.

Later we saw from far a small young seal freshly hauling out on some reefs. It was RL98 Lina.

(A Little History Lesson)

Now some story from way back in 2008, pup season started: we had 2 pups born on the NorthShore and NO official volunteer group. We scrambled friends, friends of friends, their cousins and neighbors and managed to get the first volunteer group going HMSRTO. We watched over the pups day and sometimes night due to one of the locations. 

The pups were RW22 "Kolohe" (mom RK28 KC") and RW18 "Hoku" (mom R5AY Honey Girl). We had first picked Kolohe's nickname as Hoku. He was born on the Mokule'ia stretch and was our little shinny star. "Hoku" was born on the opposite side of Northshore on a beach that had access thru a private property. 

When the owners of the house were offered to nickname the pup they chose "Hoku". Phones went crazy. The Mokule'ia crew was totally cool in changing this pup's nickname to rascal according to his personality, so "Kolohe" it was.

We lost "Hoku" way to early. "Kolohe" did many disappearing acts over the years, did inter island trips but always came home. Two months ago, he spent the day here in front, I hadn't seen much of him because he chose the West side with Aunty Barbara but he came by every now and then. I sat on the beach and recapped time spent with him, long rainy days at the pup site, their translocation day as a pup, the excitement in calling DB to let him know everytime with sighted him. I used to live in Hawaii Kai and drove out here daily. Little did I know that I'd end up living out here !

Our "Kolohe" is a special seal, like they all are. Praying for him and the team that's taking care of him. He is in great and capable hands