Monday, September 30

Hello Honu...

Saturday we explored Poipu Beach Park and  were blessed to spend some time snorkeling with a couple of beautiful honu (green sea turtles) as they fed in the lagoon area. What a treat!!

Thursday, September 26

Just keep paddling...

 just gotta keep paddling...
 
 
Hanalei Bay--real ocean paddling!!
yes, I know it's flat water, but I'm still learning :)

Tuesday, September 24

Sunday with Sam...

 
This past sunday started out normal but ended with me realizing how quickly your life can change.
 
My monk seal mentor Mary, called me to join her and check on Sam, (aka RT12), he was napping on Aliomanu Beach. Sam is in the final stages of his molt (annual shedding of his outer layer of skin and fur.) This is a rather stressful time for the seal, they don't eat, don't feel well and just wanna rest. So we go out to ensure that they are left undisturbed.  As Mary and I sat under this tree observing Sam we were sharing monk seal stories and experiences when we heard a woman yell from the house behind us...."is that guy okay?? He just flipped his kayak in those large waves!!"
This is where Mary and I were sitting. You can see the waves break to the left side of this photos. This would be the area where the young man got dumped out of his kayak--with NO lifejacket!!
We came out from under the tree to see the young man clinging to the kayak as it thrashed around in a vertical position in  the waves. Mary who knows the east side of Kauai like the back of her hand called 911 and I kept an eye on him through my binoculars. It was heart breaking to watch as he clung to that kayak for his life.  I really didn't think this was going to end well.
 
Meanwhile Sam continued to stretch
 
and catch a few rays
 
After nearly 45 minutes of watching this unfold...
Kauai Fire and Ocean rescue arrived and two of our brave lifeguards paddled and kayaked out into the surf to rescue this young man.
 
 
I truly believe that God puts us in places we need to be at the right time.
Sunday was one of those days...
A woman from Texas who saw the man struggling
2 monk seal volunteers--one who knew the area and could instruct rescue as to how to get there,
the other who kept watch with binoculars that are normally used to monitor monk seals.
rescue personal who do their job SO well, and
SAM, yes Sam, a little monk seal who was just resting on that beach.
That seal brought a whole bunch of folks together in just the right time and place.
Some may say this was luck, I think it was all God's plan.
 
 
The young man was battered and exhausted, but alive!!
He attended his friend's wedding on Monday at a beach house just
yards from where he struggled for his life in the waves.



Thursday, September 19

I'm going to call him SAM...

 
I'd like you to meet RT12--well that's his science name.
 I'm going to call him SAM!!
 
more about SAM in the upcoming days.

Sunday, September 15

What have I been doing????

The past two weeks have been rather hectic and I have neglected my blogging posts, but hope things will taper a bit and allow me more time to post.  So what have I been up too??? 

First, I got a part time job ( more about that another time) Lets just say this gal is learning some new computer skills and the only thing I don't do at my new position is FLY THE PLANE!!!  Gotcha wondering now don't I???
Second, I am finding myself putting in a lot hours at my volunteer jobs! This past week I had the opportunity to respond to 3 Monk Seal calls ( cute little buggers) and  helping with beach cleanup. Who knew rope and nets entangled in the rocks could be so darn tough to remove. Yes, it's true and an exhausting job,but so worthwhile. 
Lastly, R and I have discovered a love for standup paddling (SUP) and I have found abdominal muscles that I didn't know existed. We ended the weekend with a tough SUP workout on the Hanalei River and  a beautiful sunset over Bali Hai. 
Tomorrow's a new day...go do something good!!

Friday, September 6

Hugs and Kisses Virtual Pawty....


Today we're joining our buddy BENNY for "Hug and Kisses Day". 
Benny has the cancer sickies and he's fighting like a Frenchie for his life. He is strong and reminds us to hug up on our humans and vise versa everyday cuz you just don't know what tomorrow will bring.

Here are a couple of my favorite photos....
When at the beach mom uses my bum as her pillow(so this is my bum hug)  BOL...
 
Mom loves it when I give her KISSES!!
 
The last photo is my all time favorite....
 I just love getting hugs from my momma.
 
Benny, thanks for the HUG Fest!!
 
Stay strong buddy and beat that ugly cancer.
 
*gracie*
 
p.s. Schatzie is not a snuggle bug like me, so no cuddle pictures of her :(
She doesn't know what she's missing!!! *wink,wink*

Thursday, September 5

Pups on the Beach...

While out collecting ocean debris yesterday I found these two cute pups. They were enjoying the sun and sand while their peeps were surfing.  I was hoping to get a shot of them watching their peeps surfing, but they had other ideas.
 I plopped down in the sand and they decided to join me.
 
 such sweeties
 
and this is how I left them.
 
To these two....this is Life on the Beach!!

Tuesday, September 3

Trash and Treasures....

I continue to do beach clean up at one of the local beaches.
 
Think I have now "rescued" over 15 marine floats.
 
 collected 20, five gallon buckets of misc. plastic
 
 1 green Army man.
 
 Admired sand castles, or what was left of them
 
a wheel, a piece of astro turf, a float with ears and a cute purple bucket.
 
Took your suggestions for decorating my bucket....
 
 duct tape and stickers!!


 
 and lastly, some beautiful sea glass that I hope will become jewelry.

Monday, September 2

Monk Seal Monday....Scoop on Poop!!


Seems poop was of particular interest to Hailey and Zaphod and their Lady , Francesca Villa and Blueberry's Mom.  So I'll give ya a little scoop on the poop.



Fortunately for you, I wasn't able to find any of my "poop" photos, but let me tell you the science folks consider collecting monk seal poop to be like finding gold. Poop is golden!! It is, because it tells the science folks what the story of the monk seal's diet.  Recent findings show that seals eat approximately 15lbs of seafood a day . Their diet consist of reef fish, octopus(tako), eels, lobsters, crabs and squid. Seals seem to prefer yummies found in holes or under rocks and not eating the popular gamefish that swim in open water.  It's a amazing what the poop tells, with this info we learn to what depths the seals go to obtain their lunch.
Collecting the poo can be somewhat challenging as the science folks like it fresh--better to determine the type of fish digested.  Now collecting fresh poo is tricky, as we CAN NOT disturb a seal in any way to collect the "gold" so, most of the time it's just luck  that you come upon a fresh specimen!!That's why it's such a rare find. Poo is poo and yes it stinks, of course it's worse when it's fresh.   If we do find a specimen we bag it, then bag it again and it's sent to the Pacific Island Fisheries Science Center on Oahu. The fun begins there when an eager intern digs into the bag and determines what the seal has been munching on by studying all the little fish bones in the poo.  Let me tell ya those folks get really excited when the poop arrives!!
So there you have the scoop on seal poop.

(Wonder if my good friend Barbara on Oahu might have some photos to share???  Oh Barbara!!!)

Next time I'll address KB's questions on monk seal pups and the Lady's interest in what is impacting the seal population.

Got questions, be sure to leave a comment on this post!!

Seal ya next Monday.