09/04/2021 Saturday Monk Seal Dailies

Today's dailies are brought to you by Marilyn, Lesley, Melody and Team R&B💕.  Lesley's Ka'ena update is part two of the dailies.

Marilyn did Ka'ena point with Lesley this morning and made it to the pier.  She only viewed Rabbit Island for about an hour when the rain showers came. There were three seals on island during her observation.

High on LPB were two seals. U/M: adult to subadult size, new coat, medium gray male belly and two tags. U/F: adult size, newer coat, light female belly and lots of sand.  Near SRI was an U/J: juvenile size, old coat, and a fair amount of green and two tags. Marilyn wasn't sure about its sex.

Team R&B decided to get out early and head over to tracks to check on what ever seal might be there. When they arrived there was R3CX Nalu on the beach, also was a kid pulling up all the sticks that were put in place to protect him. The Dad came by and told him to put them back and the kid did (sort of). Then Dad started yelling sea lion sounds to get a reaction, but Nalu just slept.  Just when you thought Dad had some common sense.  

Team R&B put out more sticks, hoping people would get the message. It appears Nalu may molt soon, but only he knows and lets hope he goes somewhere else to do it.  They hung out for a bit, as a couple dogs came by, then a few of the campers.  When Team R&B left they did not return knowing this 3 day weekend will be a zoo.

They decided to hike out to Ka'ena West, there were lots of tourist out. They finally found one seal snoozing on the rocks below. It was a male, and looked really familiar. Sure enough he flipped over showing his tags, and that's when they realized it was RH32 Ka'ale.  He far from his usual haul outs, maybe he's heading to Lesley to molt.  He certainly pigged out enough at the bay.

Melody got a text last evening that a seal hauled out at Kaimana Beach. So of course she was up and at

'em early morning to check. Unfortunately the seal had already left. It was described as a very big green seal, leaving Melody to wonder who it could be.  A little after 9, Kaiwi RK96 hauled out. She came in slowly and stayed at the waters edge for a very long time.  When the tide cam in, Kaiwi moved a little. One of the cones that was placed with a sign was taken by the tide and floated around a bit before Melody could get to it.  Melody headed out mid afternoon and Kaiwi was still snoozing peacefully and undisturbed.

Rabbit Island

R3CX Nalu

Kaale RH32

Kaiwi RK96

09/04/2021 (part 2 ) Saturday Lesley's Ka'ena Update

 Marilyn and I did the monitoring together today. It was another windy blustery day definitely not good for fishing.

Our seals were out and about.

RL98 Lina overnighted again and spent the day on the beach. Her molt is passed the 50%

RL74 Kami and RG28 Lefty were sleeping nose to nose on a small beach. It was nice to see Lefty, kid is still very GREEN

RO40 Ka'ena was sleeping at the end of the Runway till he was washed off by the waves. Shortly after we saw a siwm by at the point most likely it was him

RH76 Kala was back today. She overnighted, made her way down to the waterline were she remained.

RP30 Puka showed up and was moving to higher grounds to get some rest. He found a nice rock to hug.

We were about to wrap up and on a last look we spotted RW02 PVKauai sleeping away on an empty beach.

Hopefully, the weekend will go on quiet and peaceful - Be Safe 

09/03/2021 Friday Monk Seal Dailies

Today's dailies are brought to you by Lesley and Team R&B💕.   Lesley's Ka'ena update is part two of today's dailies .

Team R&B started their day at tracks lot. There was on seal on shore and three signs put up by a good Samaritan. They picked up some sticks to add to the zone. There was Nalu R3CX who had just hauled out just after 7 am. They thanked the woman who had put up the signs.  Nalu kept looking at the ocean, but there wasn't anything out there.  Then there was a group of young girls (tourists) came by and walked passed the zone. The woman who had put up the signs, kindly asked them to leave the seal alone, she explained the seal came up to rest. Woooo Hoooo  we got another posse member!  

Team R&B went off to search the bay. They saw two seals one close to the end of the jetty and the other hung closer to the shore.  The little green seal out end the of the jetty was RL20 Kalua.  The seal closer in was Kaale RH32.  There was only one boat and a handful of fishers today.

Team R&B got a call from an old friend that a seal was at KoOlina. So they hurried over! There on shore to the right was the lovely RH92 Nalani (long time no see). They were thrilled to see her. Nalani is good condition, no new wounds, she is looking pretty.  They saw her facial scar on right side, scar on right fore flipper and red tag H93.  Security had put a zone up. Team R&B stayed for a while and then headed out. 

They headed back to the tracks to check on Nalu. When they arrived there was another seal near R3CX. It was R407 Kawika, no tags, scare on left eye, looking green. Both were in the make-shift zone. It was very nice they cooperated. 

Next they went back to the bay and there was Kaale RH32 still foraging on the outside with another seal, but it wasn't RL20. They kept watching and determined it looked like Benny RE74.  Now that was a surprise.  

At another location and their last find they spotted a seal among a lot of people on shore. It was RL42 Leia. She was aware of the people on shore passing her by.

Team R&B came across a couple of jack asses today..... one kine is cute the other not so cute.

R3CX Nalu

RL20 Kalua

RH32 Kaale

RH92 Kalani

Nalu on recheck

R407 Kawika

Kawika and Nalu

Benny RE74

Kaale

RL42 Leia

09/03/2021 Friday (part 2) Lesley's Ka'ena Update

It was a "Happy WindsDay" kind of day.

Early the park was full of fisherman before noon there was only a handful left. All I spoke to said it was way too windy to fish and even to hang around.

That didn't bother our dear Hawaiian Monk Seals

RN58 Luana was on a nice sandy beach. On my afternoon check she had relocated, but was still on a sandy beach

RL98 Lina overnighted and spent the day braving the sand slashing her. Her molt is ~45%

RW02 PVKauai was swimming around the point, he settled in a pool and 10 minutes

later RO40 Ka'ena showed up. They had loud words. They both have healing wounds on their muzzles. I was pleased that they didn't "go for each other". PVKauai's wound was very red before Ka'ena arrived. They both went to deeper waters. PVKauai left, I didn't see him again. I short while after I left, I spotted Ka'ena passing the Runway and heading to his pools. 3 fishermen were on the reefs of Ka'ena's Pool, I whistled to them, pointed to the seal and they moved back fast. He came up to the entrance and turned away. We had a good laugh.

Next I was documenting RL74 Kami when Ka'ena showed up. She didn't think twice and started "escalating" boulders to get away. They both settled and went to sleep.

More tomorrow - please be safe out there