07/18/2022 Monday's Dailies

Todays dailies are brought to you by Marilyn, photographer Leighton, and Team R&B💕.

Leighton sent photos of Rocky and PO8 from today. Seems he caught them during their snoozing time as there wasn't much going on except cuteness.  Who doesn't love seeing pup photos.

Marilyn viewed Rabbit Island from about 12:55 to 2:35 and there

were eight real seals on island.

On the Lanikai side of LPB were three seals:

RL12 Aukai and her pup PO7, there were two nursing sessions. However they were mostly in snooze mode during her observations.  They moved further up the beach when the tide came up. Pup is growing and today is day 41.

Not far from them was a rock that really really looked like a seal. Marilyn did not realize it was a rock until well into her viewing session.  I completely understand as I have spent much of my time looking at the very rare Rabbit Island seal rocks.

Next was a U/A: adult size, older coat, not sure about tags or sex. Marilyn would guess this to be adult male RG32.

Just down from the 1BS was little weaner RQ76 among the waterfront rocks. She didn't do much today, but it was good to see her.  

Between 1BS and 2BS was RP24 Mohala: juvenile size, light female belly, two tags, NBs on her front flippers. Marilyn saw her flipper bleaches on several occasions. She seem to be about 70% molted. 

Since this isn't a catastrophic molt its hard to be sure.

Near the Middle Cliff was the A/F: adult to subadult size, older coat and about 10% molted on her upper chest, and two red tags.

Between Middle Cliff and 3BS was RL47 Kamakana: subadult size, two red tags. Marilyn never saw his belly but could see both his applied bleaches.

About 30 feet Makapuu of the 3BS was RK37 Huia: subadult size, newly molted light gray belly, two red tags, nb on lower left side.

Team R&B had an uneventful morning searching for seals at many of their hot spots. Surf was still big and skies were clear and it was hot.

Finally late morning they spotted a seal swimming, bobbing up and down along the shore. It passed the snorkelers and a visitor actually ran down the beach to catch up, but jokes on them the seal never hauled out.

Team R&B followed the seal and about a mile away, the seal made a

turn into a small cove, looked and then left.  They then went to an area where they see seals and waited. Bingo! They see the seal coming, its a male with a red tag. He hauls out and they weren't familiar with him, they noticed he had a natural bleach on his hind flipper. Then they realize it was Holokai RG40. They don't often see him around these parts so they were stoked!

Team R&B headed over to the bay hoping to find at least one more seal.  While sitting and waiting they watched the big waves, but spent time feeling sad thinking about Benny and all the seals we've lost over

the years. It's hard to let them go when watching them for so many years and learning their characteristics and quirks.

They turned to the left, like they had done several times in the last hour, and there resting in the rocks was a green seal. They waited for confirmation and there was RL20 who finally showed his tag.  RL20 Kalua has yet another small hook. Its very small and he is fine!

Rocky and PO8 on Day 9

Rabbit Island

Holokai RG40

RL20 Kalua