Monk Seal!

A couple weeks ago in class, Roxanne asked me if I had seen the seal on the way home from school the other day (she has to make the long drive up Kamehameha highway just like me). And unfortunately I hadn't! Apparently there was a seal who had beached up on shore. Well, this made me think about my attitude because usually when I am driving to or home from school, I am in constant road rage because of the tourists going 30 miles per hour and stopping every mile to take a picture. So I miss out on enjoying the beauty of Hawaii and apparently seeing seals. So I decided that I should quit hating on the tourists and be grateful that so many people are coming to where I get to drive on a daily basis. And to take the time and truly appreciate where I am and what I get to see. I do not know how long my new attitude will last but so far so good. I have really started to notice once again, just how beautiful this road is. And this week as I was driving up to school, I saw a seal on the shore! And even though I knew it would probably make me late for class, I stopped and took pictures. I thought, "When will I ever have this opportunity again, to pass a seal on the side of the road." And I have never seen a wild seal before. I have only seen them at the zoo or at sea parks.

It was fun to take the time and take pictures. The seal was huge. Unfortunately there was someone babysitting her so I could not go up as close as I wanted to, but I did find out that this particular beached seal was pregnant and that these Hawaiian Monk Seals are actually extremely endangered... which is why once they have one who beaches, they call in a babysitter to make sure that no one harms the seal. I think it is so cool that I can be driving up to school and just on the side of the road, is not only the crystal clear blue ocean, but a live seal just chillin' on the beach! Here are some pics!