5/8/2010 DB Dailes

When I got to Makai Pier for my first look at Rabbit Island at 0656, I found Kolohe just hauling out to the far left end of the beach. He would remain there all day.

When I headed back for my 2nd look, from the Makapuu Overview I found Buster and Duke together at Rocky Right Beach, at the right end of the island. From the pier they were just barely visible until later when the tide forced them higher on the beach. It was a warm&fuzzy moment to realize that it was big bro & little bro together. Duke would remain there all day. Buster would depart sometime prior to 1142, which is when I found his swimming head just off shore of Kolohe's location. He would haul out to join Kolohe at 1143 and remain there the rest of the day.

Team Billand reported Irma at Wind Sock, Kalaeloa Beach at 0912. She would relocate with the rising tide , and haul out again just down the beach to the west, near the bunkers at 1039.

While doing my morning Monk Seal CIA analyses, I happened on to a 5-6-10 shot of our boy Kermit, snoozin' at Poipu Beach , on Kauai.

Buster and Duke

Buster and Kolohe

Kermit

Irma

5/7/2010 DB Dailies

At 0632, from the Makapuu Overview I found what would prove to be M38, Kolohe and an U/M all together 100 ft left of 1BS, on Rabbit Island. They were only partially visible from Makai Pier at 0639.

When I got back to the pier at 0905 a spat was in progress between M38 and the U/M. The action was over in seconds, with the U/M rolling into the water and departing. I had no opportunity for an ID. I did not see him again today. My guess would be Buster, since RIP or Mojo would have given M38 a better battle, but that is only my opinion.  M38 would enter the water at 0923, and I did not see him again today.

On my initial pan of the beach at 0905 I found Duke at the right end of the beach, at Rocky Right Beach (RRB), where he remained by himself all day. Speaking of Duke, today is his 1st birthday !!

Team Billand checked in at 1049 with the report of Irma foraging in the Kalealoa Campgrounds area. They had gotten an earlier call from one of their White Plains surfer posse, that a large animal had attempted unsuccessfully to haul out at WP. Chances are excellent that it too was Irma. Eventually our chubby friend hauled out to Wind Sock at 1221.

M38

Kolohe

Irma carrying an extra load

Happy Birthday Baby Duke!

5/6/2010 DB Dailies

My first pass through the SE Quadrant was a bust, however when I got back to the Makapuu Overview (MO) at 0914, I found what would later prove to be M38, Duke and Kolohe, all frolicking in the shore break at 1BS. When I got down to Makai Pier at 0924 I could only get occasional glimpse of them. At 0940, M38 hauled out by himself at mid Middle Cliff, and at 1011 Duke and Kolohe hauled out together 100 ft left of 1BS at the left end of the beach.

I had an appointment from 1100 to 1130. When I got back to MP at 1130 I found that M38 had relocated and was now with the boys at the left end. They snoozed away the afternoon together.

Team Billand called at 0705 to advise that one of their White Plains posse had reported an animal there. When they arrived there was nobody, but photo evidence suggested 2AW. 

At 1042 I got a call from posse member Al, of "Al's Bench" fame (that's the last bench at Kalaeloa Campground, closest to the WP perimeter fence. He said he had an animal there. When Team Billand arrived at 1112, they confirmed 2AW, further supporting the probability of 2AW having been the earlier WP call.

Barbara called at 1332 reporting that they had recieved a Dera call about N3 at the Nimitz cottages. When they arrived at 1426 they confirmed the Irma ID, however she at Wind Sock, and not the cottages, further down the beach.

Duke and Kolohe

Kolohe, Duke and M38

2AW

5/6/2010 Irma and One of her Guardians

5/5/2010 MIDWEEK

Aloha Good People!

Don't throw that MIDWEEK out just yet... make sure you look on page 32 article " Meeting 'The Seal Whisperer'" hmmmmmm wonder who they talking about?  I am proud to call him my friend. DB you da best! xoxoxo da blog lady

5/5/2010 DB Dailies

My day began at 0500 with a call from metal detector posse member, Otto, reporting a large animal on the main beach at Sandy Beach. When I arrived at 0510 I found Lona, and cordoned her off. COSTCO posse member, Momi, called at 0836 to advise that Lona was just departing. She apparently left of her own volition. Despite multiple Lona Quest runs through the SE Quadrant, I did not see her again today.

On my 2nd look at Rabbit Island from the Makapuu Overview (MO) at 0813 I found what would prove to be Kolohe, and 50 ft to his right, Duke, at Rocky Right Beach (RRB) at the right end of RI. Neither had been visible from MP on my first RI check.   At 1128 , M38 hauled out to the water front rocks, 100 ft right of 3BS. All would remain at those locations all the rest of the day.  Team Billand called at 0730 to report that Irma was at Wind Sock, Kalaeloa Beach. They called at 1600 to advise that she was still there.

Lastly, My #3 son, Buster (RV08) turns 5 today. Today he becomes a man !!!!!

M38

Lona looking very wide... baby on board

5/5/2010 Irma resting and Buster's 5th Birthday

Buster your a man now... be nice to your women.

5/5/2010 The iKermit Back On-line

What Kermit has been up to for the last 2 or so weeks. He is back on Kauai...maybe headed our way. Ignore the greenline that is his old track. Yellow dots are locations.

Looks like Kermit been putting in some miles... quite the traveling man. Wow! Wonder why he snoozes so much when he gets home. ~donna~

5/4/2010 Irma

Aloha Blog Lady and Seal Whisperer,

Got a call from Dera our new hottie on the hotline, about 9:00 or so. Was in town working but I made it out to Barbers Point about 1:00PM. Treked around the point and then started back towards the campgrounds and saw about 5 people in the beach in the "hand to the head stance" looking at the water. Usually a very good sign there is a critter doing something. Anyway, headed that way and Irma was in the water. Was able to get the very nice people to move off to the side and back and she eventually decided to haul her beautiful self out. That was good because the water photos were not the best for ID.

Just wanted you to have a couple of Irma photos from today. This cute Hawaiian couple was very interested in her and I explained that we "believed" she was preggie. The young lady laughed and said there was no doubt about her tummy. Here is the picture of the two ladies with babies in their bellies.

Mahalo,

Dana

5/4/2010 DB Dailies

Despite the fact there hasn't been an animal at Hanauma Bay since 8-1-09 (Ewa Girl), I dutifully check every single day. Today was just another day in the routine, until 0619 as I panned down the beach from left to right from up on top. To my shock and awe, as I got the the area of the beach fronting the turn around at the bottom of the driveway to to beach, I found a phat chick on the beach. When I got down to the bottom at 0622 I could immediately see that it was Lona (R017). Here F2 bleach, as well as her right side CC and left side natural bleach , were immediately apparent. This was her first ever haul out to Hanauma Bay. In the first millisecond my reaction was " Oh Crrrrrrrap !!!!!!!... in the second millisecond I realized... It's Tuesday.......Hanauma Bay is close today.... WHEW !!!! I coned her off and put up a "Colleen Sign", and advised HB personnel.

The peace and quiet would not last however. At 0918 HB posse member Jeanine called to advise that Lona had departed. Tree trimmers were working in the area and she decided to vacate the place, even before they got close. Despite multiple Lona Quest runs through the SE Quadrant, I did not find her again.

On my first look at Rabbit Island at 0739, I found Sadie cruisin' in the Morning Glory, 30 ft left of 1BS. At 0747, what would prove to be Mojo, hauled out the far left end of the beach. Eventually, they would connect. When I got back to Makai Pier at 0900 I found them together just hauling out after a swim/play session at the right end of the beach. They were in the process of playing on the beach. They would soon settle down and both remained there the rest of the day. It was good to see my 2nd born again. He has been hangin' with those Molokai chicks for quite a while now.

As part of my Lona Quest, I did a 2nd Spitting Cave check at 1500. There had been no one there on the morning check, but this time around I found Kolohe doing 7 minute dives.

A morning telephone conversation with Dera, brought news of an animal fronting the Nimitz Beach cottages at 0807. I never heard another word until 1449 when first Dera and then Dana Jones called to advise that the animal was Irma, and after a foraging episode she had hauled out again at Wind Sock, just down the beach from the cottages.

In an effort to clean up some of yesterday's news, I spoke with Sub posse member , Doug at the Sub Barn at Makai Pier when I arrived this morning. He said that he saw Duke at the right end of the beach yesterday,on an afternoon kayak paddle to RI, but he got back to the pier after I'd departed. There is a rubble cove at the right end of the beach that I call, Rocky Right Beach, which is impossible for me to see from any of my vantage points. Duke was probably there all day, and I just couldn't see him.

Sadie and Mojo

Kolohe

Lona

5/4/2010 Lona

5/3/2010 DB Dailies

The one and only Rabbit Island resident today was Sadie. I found her cruisin' in the Morning Glory, 30 ft left of 1BS, at 0656. She would move down to cool off at noon, and remained there the rest of the day. The rain, and heavy duty VOG made visibility nearly impossible.

At 1050 I recieved a call from DOCARE Officer John Silberstein, saying that he'd gotten word today about a "dead Monk Seal pup" having been seen at Hale O'Lona Harbor on Molokai on Saturday, by a race participant. I called Schofield and Dera at 1056. Dera called at 1326 to advise that a DOCARE Officer on Molokai confirmed that it was , in fact, a dead shark !!!!!

No Mere Mortal would have attempted a trek to the end of the world in yesterday's conditions, but lo and behold I recieved Ka'ena Point shots from the Kendall Expedition after the dailies had gone out. I found the shots this morning. They spent the day with Kerby and Ka'ena.

My #1 son, RIP (the original Rabbit Island Pup...RIP), turned 7 today. Irma and I are sooooo proud of him !!

Sadie

Kerby and Kaena

Happy 7th B Day RIP.... They grow up so fast.

5/2/2010 DB Dailies

Life in the SE Quadrant was wet,wet,wet ! Rabbit Island observations were barely possible during short breaks in the zero visibility, but I saw enough to know that there was nobody there today.

A 1253 call from Tracy reported that RI37 was once again at Shark's Cove today, and that Todd White was responding. Check Todd's blog http://www.northshoremonks.blogspot.comfor/ today's shots. If you saw the D#1 shots of her wound you will be amazed at her healing powers.

Barbara called at 1414 to report an animal at Makaha. Her pup , Jenn was responding. A subsequent call from Barbara advised that Dana Jones had reported that one of her posse had responded and confirmed that it was N3, Irma. There are no photos at this writing.

Posse member , Mark Cunningham, called from Kawela Bay, North Shore, at 1628 with the report of "N6", Right Spot fronting 57-469 Kam Hwy.

WHAT??? no pictures? Sorry this just won't do... *smiles* Here are the photos of I37 that Todd took this afternoon... a little small seems he was having camera problems and had to use his cell phone.

5/1/2010 DB Dailies

No wind...hot, hot, hot and severe heat distortion all made observations from Makai Pier and photography a challenge. The Rabbit Island cast for today was Duke at the Morning Glory 30 ft left of 1BS, and Buster, 100 ft left of 1BS. There was never any interaction at all. Buster entered the water at 1042, and hauled out again to the far left end of the beach at 1209. That was all the Rabbit Island excitement.

At 1208, Mary from Iroquois Point called with the excited report of any animal on their beach. It's been a while. It was at the "Shooting Range" end of their beach, and their personnel were taping it off. She called back at 1244 to confirm that it was "V02", (aka 4DF). This adult, Kauai , female was last reported by Jenn in Waialua on 4-27-10. Mary took photos but I haven't gotten anything as of this writing.

Buster

Duke