Family

Hawaiian Monk Seal Pays a Visit

“Get out of bed. Take a walk on the beach,” a quiet voice whispered in the depths of morning slumber. I pulled up the cotton sheet, rolled over onto my left side and went back to sleep. Less than thirty minutes later, I felt the nudge again. “Get up. Throw on some shorts and take a walk on the beach.” I thought Gerald was awake, so I touched his shoulder. He opened his sleepy eyes and said, “What is it?” “Let’s go for a walk. Right now…..to watch the sunrise,” I urged. Minutes later, we rolled out of bed, grabbed our glasses, and headed out the door. As we were digging our feet into the soft, salty sand leaving a path of footsteps behind, suddenly there appeared some commotion slightly beyond the shoreline in the ocean. We turned our sights to discover the oldest known marine mammal on the earth: the Hawaiian Monk Seal! With each wave, she “surfed”, then waddled onto the beach as if totally exhausted. At first we thought she was stranded and wishing to return to the sea. Not so. It was evident she was an expectant mother. It was also evident she had survived dangerous shark attacks by the scar tissue on her dark blackish-silver back and the jaw imprint left on her lighter-colored belly. Definitely shark. Her left eye also indicated she was blind in that eye. I squatted down to get a better look at her. “Hey there”, I said softly. “Are you okay?” She raised her head, before lowering it again, and then proceeded to bury her face in the sand. By this time, two more couples approached and explained a little more about this critically endangered species. 
This is her story (as posted on a beach sign): 

“Aloha, Kākou! My name is K13. I am an adult female Hawaiian Monk Seal, one of an estimated 1300 of us left. In December 2011, I was attacked by a shark. Eventually, I healed on my own. I was already pregnant at the time so on April 29, 2012, I gave birth to a healthy female pup. Then on April 15, 2015, I gave birth again to another female pup. I nursed her for 6 weeks, but then I had to leave because Monk Seals don’t eat while nursing. I was very skinny, hungry, and running out of milk. My pup was fine. She probably put on about 200 pounds in 6 weeks, just on my milk. I am blind in my left eye. I have a shark bite scar on my left side and I have a, so far, benign lump on my lower back. I am otherwise healthy. Mahalo!”
When two volunteer members of the NOAA PIFSC (National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center) arrived, they placed a fence around her, keeping bystanders at a distance of 150 feet away. They also gave us more information since they remained “On Watch” for the rest of the day. We learned Hawaiian Monk Seals are a rare breed, with DNA over 13 million years old. Being nocturnal, she had been awake all night eating food along the coral reef. Now it was her bedtime. She would sleep all day on the beach. She is currently pregnant and due sometime in March. Less than 1300 remain. There are fewer Hawaiian Monk Seals in the wild than there are giant pandas. Its Hawaiian name is “ilio-holo-i-ka-uaua” meaning “the dog that runs in rough waters”. Monk Seals got their name from being solitary, like monks, and having loose skin around their neck, which looks like a monk’s cowl. Once the pup is born, the mother seal will nurse for 5-6 weeks constantly, without eating, and then she turns it loose. She will lose hundreds of pounds during this time. Because the pup does not learn how to hunt, it often eats the bait on a fishing hook causing it to swallow the sharp object. Thus, several pups have needed to have a fishing hook surgically removed. What an extraordinary story! As we walked away, we realized this was truly an eye-opening experience we would long remember. 

Surf Shop is Hidden Treasure 

Ambrose’s Kapuna Surf Gallery is a bright yellow-painted building with chipped edges and white-wash streaks that sits at an intersection on the edge of Kuhio Highway. It’s typical weather-worn entrance has doors propped open to catch a glimpse of area art pieces hanging throughout. We ducked inside to get a break from the noonday sun and catch a cross-breeze. A lean, mellow man with seasoned eyes sat behind the counter with fingers wrapped busily in untangling a wad of knotted fishing string. “I’m using this to sew stitches in a hat I’m making from dried coconut palm bark,” he volunteered. With that he stood up, walked over to a makeshift coat rack and pulled down a primitive looking wide-brimmed fisherman’s hat with an open top. “Here, try it on”, he said without leaving me a choice. “This is a first attempt at saving my old hat that has seen better days.” Without a will of my own, I complied a few seconds longer than I felt comfortable and then removed it. “I didn’t have the confidence to attempt sewing a top on it then”, he continued. “This time will be different,” he said as he took it from me and placed it on his own head. I shoved all thoughts of his disheveled thinning scalp from my mind. He handed me a piece of palm bark as his fingers brushed up and down the surface. “Here. Feel it. This stuff is durable and waterproof. It’ll be perfect when it’s done.” I nodded my head in agreement and wished him good luck. He smiled a coffee-stained grin and turned his attention back to the discarded fishing net. I had to admire him for recycling the knotted nylon mess and perhaps saving the ocean floor from one more piece of debris. Later, we heard through the grapevine this man is practically the “surfboard whisperer”. Like magic, he can repair dings, cracks, and shatters in any damaged surfboard. The guy is a master at restoration. Stepping across the threshold on that hot sunny day was like stepping into a treasure trove. 

Take a Walk on Hanalei Pier

The scenic view on the North Shore of Kauai is right out of a Hollywood movie. And that film is the 1957 Rodgers and Hammerstein classic, “South Pacific”. The Hanalei Pier was originally built in 1892, when it was used to transport taro and rice to Honolulu. Made of wood at that time, it became too difficult to maintain the pier in a tropical climate. Thus, it was replaced with a concrete finger deck and a framed shed roof in the 1940s until Hurricane Iniki damaged the 340-foot pier beyond use in 1992. Today, the local history and its iconic charm continue to lure curiosity seekers as well as vacationers and beach lovers. Hanalei Bay is the largest on the island of Kauai with its 2-mile long crescent moon and white sandy beach. Known to natives as Black Pot Beach, it can be seen littered with avid fisherman, energetic surfers, carefree picnickers, and leisurely landlubbers. We mustn’t forget the romantic lovebirds who stroll to the end of the pier, gaze into each other’s eyes, share a wet kiss, and then snap a Selfie against the opulent aqua-blue waters. Hanalei Pier does Hollywood proud. 

Invasion of the Boat People

A couple times a week the beach is inundated with tourists when a luxury cruise ship pulls into Nawiliwili Harbor and docks for a short period of time. Hoards of beach lovers pour down the gang plank to enjoy the pebbly soft beach of Kalapaki Bay. With colorful towels, bamboo mats, swim fins, and boogie boards in tow, families stake a claim along the shoreline to gather and sunbathe. Within minutes children squeal with laughter, splashing each other and running away. A slender middle-aged European man stands with feet firmly planted squinting out to sea. As if deep in thought, he raises a cigarette to his lips and takes a long drag before flicking the ash into the wind. Loose strands of black hair fall across his wrinkled brow causing him to pivot a half turn and then back again. Over his shoulder, an energetic group of millennials mark off the sand and choose sides for a pickup game of soccer. Shouting in an unfamiliar language, they slap each other on the back before aggressively kicking, chasing, and passing the ball back and forth toward the goal. So much activity. So much joy. This is how to spend a day in paradise. After awhile, short toots from the bridge of the huge vessel signal it’s time to head back. Beach towels are rolled up, soccer games disperse, umbrellas are left vacant, and the sand is brushed away as flip flops are slid into place. The boarding process begins for passengers to depart “Fantasy Island” and return to sea until we meet again. 

If Chihuahuas Could Talk

Just like people, I suspect not every dog automatically loves the beach. Take a chihuahua, for instance. Typically, they enjoy being cuddled, carried around in the crook of a young lady’s arm, or nestled in a canvas bag above the crosswalk of heavy footsteps. While rambling barefoot along the oceanfront this morning, I passed a gal sunbathing on a blue striped towel. She didn’t seem to mind reclining close to the shoreline beyond the reach of crashing waves. Like a sleep number bed, the sandy beach conformed to her body shape. The Winter sun was brightly shining. Although the temperature was rising, the cooling sea breezes felt refreshing. About six feet away the tiny brown dog was sitting with a look of displeasure on its face. One paw was raised above the beach as if to keep the fine, loose grains from getting between its toes. It slowly turned in my direction, blinked its eyes, and shifted uncomfortably as though a few light brownish pebbles had already lodged into the derrière folds of its short fur bottom. I could practically read the chihuahua’s thoughts:”This is ridiculous!”

“How much longer are we going to be here?”

“I’m thirsty and this ocean water tastes like salt.”

“I have sand in my ears.”

“I have sand between my toes.”

“I have sand in my butt cheeks.”

“And I want to go home!”

If only chihuahuas could talk.