At Hawaiian Paddle Sports we know very well that there is no such thing as a routine work day. Weather conditions, marine life and our cliental are three things that are constantly changing… for better or worse. We never know what a day in Maui Hawaii will bring but we can pretty much always count of finding Green Hawaiian Sea Turtles, lots of Tropical Fish and for most days sunny skies with warm weather on our Maui Kayak Tours. Sure every once in a while it rains, or is cloudy. But you know what they say “no rain, no rainbows”. We’ve learned to take the good with the bad and our bad Maui days are usually still considered pretty good for most of our guests. Then there are days like March 23rd of 2013! Days like these don’t happen very often and we tend to remember them for quite sometime.
Chelsea was leading a private maui kayak tour when she saw something floating in the water… “is it a turtle” she thought at first but it was much too big. “Hmmm, it sure is odd that someone would be snorkeling alone way out here” was her next thought. As she paddled her kayak closer she lit up with excitement realizing it was a rare Hawaiian Monk Seal. Monk seals are critically endangered and there are only estimated to be 1,300 of them left in the world. So it is a special treat when we come across them on our Maui kayak tours, hawaiian outrigger canoe tours, Stand Up Padddleboard Lessons or see them molting on the beach before our private Surf Lessons.
As with any marine mammal such as spinner dolphins, bottle nose dolphins, humpback whales, monk seals or others we try to limit our time interacting with them so we don’t alter their natural behaviors. Also it is important to note that monk seals are an endangered species and thus protected by the endangered species act which makes it illegal to kill, capture or harass a protected animal.
Visit the Monk Seal Foundations Responsible Viewing Guidelines for more details. As part of commitment to being responsible ocean guests we work closely with the Monk Seal Foundation and NOAA Monk Seal Team. We always report Monk Seal sightings and regularly send them useful photos and videos so they can identify and monitor seals.
Check out the video link here:
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The Hawaiian name for a Hawaiian Monk Seal is: ‘Ilio-holo-i-ka-uaua, or “dog that runs in rough water”
To book your private Maui Kayak Tour please visit: Maui Kayak Tour
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81 Halekuai St., Kihei, HI 96753
