Chapter VIII: Kure- The end of the Road

Okay, some days there is so little going on that it is hard to think of something to write about. Other days, though, there is so much you don't know where to begin. Today was one of those days. Let me warn you in advance...this story involves craft making, fires on board, long hot treks across deserted beaches, and a solid right upper cut and a bloody lip.


The first order of business today was building stretcher nets. Most of the remaining team gathered together to try to finish 4 nets that are going to be used to transport the weaned seals that we will be moving from French Frigate Shoals to Nihoa Island in a week. The requires taking some cargo netting and attaching it to a couple of wood poles and lacing line along the poles to keep the net in place. Apparently, everyone other than myself was adept at this task. We were able to get most of the nets done prior to being rained out. The final crafting of the nets will take place in the next couple of days.


As Kure grew closer and closer, we started to get prepared for going to Green Island, the largest of the two islets in the atoll. Suddenly the air was split with a shrieking of the alarm bell...FIRE!! To be more accurate the air was first split with an announcement that this was just a drill. So, we all drop what we are doing and head up to our muster location so Chad can account for all of us. Then we stand and wait while the crew battles a fake fire.


We barely have enough time catch our breath after the fire drill before the alarms are ringing again...ABANDON SHIP! For this drill, we each have to grab long pants, a hat, our life vest, and our survival suit. Then we meet at a pre-assigend lifeboat and wait. New people on board have to practice putting on their survival suit which looks like a bright red Gumby suit. I have provided a photo of Colleen donning her suit. She looks pretty excited huh? I think her suit is about 3 sizes too large.

Finally at 1430 we arrive at Kure Atoll. Our mission at Kure is to pickup Jessie L. who has been doing monk seal work on the islands since May. Jessie is going to be joining Jason, Kathleen and Marie at Pearl and Hermes for a month or so. We were also dropping off Daniel who was going to be joining the group of researchers working for the State. While on the island we were planning on tagging any seals that had lost flipper tags over the years. The flipper tags are important for us to be able to easily identify and monitor the seals.



While we were headed into the island we were escorted by three spinner dolphins. I tried to take pictures but it was just way too choppy. We landed at Green Island and were greeted by many happy campers. After long hellos and sharing of stories it was business time. Kehau lead us in a chant to ask for wisdom from the islands and our experience. Then we started walking the beach looking for any seals that might need tagging. It was at this point that things kind of started going downhill.

The first seal we found was KSO8, an adult male that was born in 1993. Chad was restraining the head, I was grabbing the pectoral flippers, and Jason was holding the flippers while Jessie tagged it. Everything went smoothly, but we could only get 1 of 2 flipper tags in him.

The second seal was YG10, an adult female that was born at French Frigate Shoals and relocated to Kure in 1990. This capture was not as smooth. YG10 is adept at avoiding capture. At one point near the end of our attempt, she snaked around the net and nipped Chad...well it was more like she tried to swallow his elbow. Needless to say, we ended that attempt. Nicely done YG10.

Our last seal for the day was KD11 and adult female that was absolutely ENORMOUS. Jason was in charge of the net and head restraint, Chad pectoral flippers, and I was handling the rear flippers. We got her in the net and restrained and things were going pretty smoothly. Near the end of the tagging she started to fight a bit. As we were releasing her, she kicked out hard and smacked Jessie across the jaw with her rear flippers. Unbelievable Jessie took the hit without hitting the ground...that it a pretty strong hit coming from a 400+ seal. KD11 was let go without injury, but Jessie received a fat bloody lip and sore jaw for her efforts.

I think today belonged to the seals.

We called it a day after that and headed back to the small boats for the ride back to the Sette. A little bruised and battered but looking forward to doing it all again tomorrow.
Here is a picture of me with our coxswain Bruce.



Scientist of the Day: Jessie L.

Jessie has worked with the monk seal program for 4 years and when she isn't leading the fieldcamps at Pearl and Hermes or Kure, she is heading up our logistics.

When Jessie was asked what she wanted the most after 92 days at Kure Atoll her response was...a hot bath.

Jessie's favorite sound is the plaintive whimper an albatross chick makes when it is begging for food.

The first book Jessie remembers getting from the Library is Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell.