After finishing up my Ocean Awareness volunteer training at Sharks Cove with Malama-Pupukea, I then began my adventure heading out to High Rock. It's a long ride in and I arrived close to the refuge at approximately 1240. A little sign attached to this old post was flapping in the wind and caught my eye. It was a really cool seal sign, maybe an old one?
I felt obligated to fix the sign as it was ready to fly into the wind. I was lucky enough to be able to jury rig it with tie wraps that I had carried in my backpack. I then scanned the beaches towards the refuge side of High Rock with no sightings of the seal with the hook. I did not cross this point towards the refuge only to fix the sign. I then headed towards High Rock putting out vibrations to Ua Malie in hopes she would be there this time!
It was pretty windy with stormy waters and rain approaching. It was a bit of a trek to reach High Rock pushing the seal mobile thru some deep sand. And low and behold when I reached the top of the hill....Bingo on first look guess who I found, Ua Malie! I have searched for her numerous times at that location with no luck. Just stories from fisherman and locals of when she was there or that I had just missed her.
As far away as I was from her, she still knew I was there! Lifting her head sniffng into the air. I could just sense her thinking, oh no human approaching! I was at least 150 ft away if not more and hiding low in the rocky brush but she knew I was there.
Ua Malie gave her famous tail flip shot for the camera. I did not want to get any closer to zero in on the tag but I did see with the binoculars the T11 tag. She looks so green, but very happy and peaceful with nobody there bother her. In one of the pictures I took, I was wondering if her nose looked normal?
It was the first time I was out there when there was nobody there. Last time so many campers and fisherman. There was only two very, very, drunk local guys in a white truck Bobo and Sage who had seen Ua Maile before. Talking to them was a trip in itself....I talked story with them for while had a few good laughs and left them a seal card with number to call if they see her again.
On a lower tide Ua Malie has been known to be in the pool below her in the picture. It's a bit of a climb up to where she is from the water. Usually the flat reef is exposed between High Rock and the pool where she is in the picture. She has been known to be in the flats playing around, according to Gani a fisherman I had spoke with before.
Ua Malie looked so peaceful. As she rolled over I was thinking "Now that's the Ua Malie that I know" in all her cuteness, just adorable! Will her transmitter patch mark ever go away?
I decided to leave Ua Malie and go in search of the hooked seal just incase it too might be hiding in the crevasses towards Kahuku Point. Other pictures attached are views looking back towards the Refuge at the other beaches Ua Malie had been spotted at. There is plenty marine debris on those beaches. I will make and effort to collect a few bags each time I go out there.
Well, no hooked seal to be found and one more look at Ua Malie before I head out. It was hard to leave her but there came the rain. She was so worth getting soaked for! It was totally raining and Ua Malie was still snoozing and I'm was soaked! I heading out at 1445.
The seal mobile does it again! And of course the purple hiking boots!
Another great sealing day in paradise,
aloha for now kelly girl:)
Pictures:
1) My adventure began at aprox 1240 head out to High Rock
2) I arrived close to the refuge and saw this little seal sign flapping in the wind.
3) I felt obligated to fix the sign and was lucky enough to be able to jury rig it with tie wraps.
4) I scanned the beaches towards the refuge side.
5) More scanning of beaches on the Refuge side of High Rock
6) I did not cross this point towards the refuge only to fix the sign.
7) Heading towards High Rock putting out vibrations to Ua Malie in hopes she would be there this time!
8) I was pretty wind stormy waters with rain approaching.
9) A bit of a trek to go to reach High Rock pushing the seal mobile thru some deep sand.
10) Bingo on first look guess who I found.11JUN2011 Ua Malie at High Rock
11) As far away as I was she still knew I was there! I hated that she was aware that I was there. But better for her to sense someone approaching.
12) I was atleast 150 ft away and hide low in the rocky brush but she knew I was there.
13) I know your not going to be able to read this tag but I did not want to get any closer. I know it is Ua Malie.
14) Looking back towards the Refuge at the other beaches Ua Malie had been spotted at. Plenty marine debris.
15) Tail shot! Still not close enough for a good read! 11JUN2011 Ua Malie at High Rock
16) Ua Malie at High Rock 11JUN2011
17) No matter how hard I tried to hide she knew ai was there. 11JUN2011 Ua Malie at High Rock
18) She looks so green but very happy and peaceful with nobody to bother her. 11JUN2011 Ua Malie at High Rock
19) On a more lower tide she has been know to be in the pool below. It's a bit of a climb to up where she is from the water.
20) Usually the flat reef is exposed and drier between Ua Malie and High Rock. She has been know to be in the flats.
21) Peaceful 11JUN2011 Ua Malie at High Rock
22) Now that's the Ua Malie that I know. 11JUN2011
23) Just adorable. It's hard to leave but here comes the rain. 11JUN2011 Ua Malie at High Rock
24) Too Cute! 11JUN2011 Ua Malie at High Rock
25) Her transmitter patch. Will that ever go away.
26) 11JUN2011 Ua Malie at High Rock
27) Does her nose look normal.
28) More Ua Malie at High Rock
29) and more Ua Malie at High Rock
30) Leaving Ua Malie to search the rest of the area in hopes of finding the seal with the hook.
31) One more look before I head out. It totaly raining and I'm soaked!
32) The seal mobile does it again! And of course the purple hiking boots!
