Chapter Ia: A slight diversion (or…Wow, the timing really sucks…)

Welcome aboard the NOAA Research Vessel Oscar Elton Sette (OES from now on). The OES is a 220+ ft chunk of steel that is carrying our research team to the remote Northwestern Hawaiian Islands to undertake some monk seal research. But I am getting ahead of myself already. The story starts on the Big Island…some 2 years ago.

One sunny day a couple of years ago, a young female seal was born on the north side of the Big Island near Hilo. The mother gave birth to her pup at the mouth of a river and spent most of the 6 week nursing period swimming with her pup in the fresh water. The river is great because it offers protection from large predators but carries the threat of Leptospira, a bacteria that can cause problems for mammals. So as soon as the pup was weaned from mom, we caught her, flipper tagged her for identification (her new name then became RO42) and we moved her east to a bay where her half-brother was known to inhabit. Over time she moved towards areas of greater human density and developed a penchant for interacting with people. This is bad for both people and seals. So, when the interactions became too much we had to move her again, this time to the Volcanoes National Park on the east side of the island. She happily lived there for several weeks before exploring south, eventually finding humans again.

Now, jump forward a year or so from that point and the interactions have intensified. Despite our efforts to relocate RO42 and educate the public about how to best behave around seals to avoid encouraging this behavior, we were faced with having to move her again. But of course, the need to move her couldn’t come at a worse time.

The lead up to a research cruise is always a hectic time. Scientists running around trying to make sure they packed all the gear they need, enough food to eat, plenty of books to read, enough toilet paper and sunscreen etc. etc. It is a complex dance with multiple people doing their own thing and not listening to anyone. If you had a chance to witness it first hand you would be surprised anyone makes it back from the field at all. Yet somehow, this rag tag band of scientists pulls it together time and time again. But it is CHAOS incarnate, so throwing in a monk seal emergency 2 days before departure tends to throw everyone for a loop.


A team of people were needed to fly to the Big Island to try to find RO42, assess the situation, and potentially grab her for a relocation to somewhere away from people and near seals to help break her of her bad habits. It sounds so simple. So, with a cruise departing in just 2 days the monk seal team comes up with a plan. Several people from the cruise will head over Tuesday with other members and find RO42, the OES will depart as scheduled on Wednesday. The team, with seal in hand, will rendezvous with the ship at 0700 Thursday morning. The seal will be dropped off at a new location and the ship will continue on to the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.

“The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry.” Robert Burns

Late Tuesday night the crack seal team walked from the GO! Jet and into the humid vog filled air that covered Kailua-Kona. The team consisted of Jason B., Kathleen G., Darin P., Bob B., Nicole D. and myself. The necessary equipment was gathered, a plan was hatched, and we all went to bed for an early morning start.

Stay tuned for the next exciting installment...I took a sea sickness pill and now need to nap.