Aloha! Meet Chester
http://www.hawaiianstylemagazine.com/article/articles/179/1/Aloha-Meet-Chester/Page1.html
By Susan Benay
Published on 02/1/2008
It was a total surprise when Chester arrived unannounced on a secluded section of Windward Oahu’s Kailua Beach on January 1, 2008 to begin his cycle of molting while lying on the warm sands.
It was a total surprise when Chester arrived unannounced on a secluded section of Windward Oahu’s Kailua Beach on January 1, 2008 to begin his cycle of molting while lying on the warm sands. The appearance of Chester, a rare Hawaiian monk seal of approximately 13 years and so-named because of the marks on his chest, immediately created an excited buzz around this small beach town. No one could recall seeing a monk seal in Kailua for maybe 60 years.
The Hawaiian name for monk seals is Ilio-holo-i-ka-uaua. Hawaiian monk seals are exceedingly rare being the most endangered seals in US with less than 1200 still in existence. A NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) gentleman that had stopped by to observe Chester told me that a person could go their whole life and never have the good fortune to see a monk seal even for a moment let alone for a several-week cycle of molting!
I saw Chester for the first time during my morning sunrise walk on the beach. It was love at first sight! He was so beautiful nestled half-sleeping on the golden sand as waves lapped quietly at the shore. I watched him from a good distance so as to not disturb him. It is important to totally leave monk seals alone at all times and observe them from afar. When I would photograph him, I would use my Canon telephoto lens that would allow for close-up shots from a long distance away.
Throughout January, I would visit Chester at different times of the day taking pictures documenting his progress in molting as well as clicking images that would capture his uniquely wonderful ‘personality’. In the beginning he had a full fur coat that was rich sable brown in color (along with sand on his face and body!) as you see in this early morning photo. As days passed, he began shedding his old fur coat in patches revealing a lovely new undercoat of an almost silvery grey shade growing in. It was fascinating to watch the change.
Chester leads a solitary monk seal’s lifestyle, however, his presence brought a community together in affection and care for him. Community volunteers stationed themselves around him to provide 24-hour protection so that he wouldn’t be disturbed during his cycle of molting. They also generously offered educational information on monk seals and their habitat. I learned a lot from them.
As I stood for hours on end taking pictures and marveling at Chester, many folks would come by. They too fell in love with him. People liked to gather just beyond the yellow-taped parameters that outlined Chester’s disturbance-free zone watching him and talking about how neat he was and how lucky they were to see him. They talked story about him and other monk seals they had seen. Through their conversations and observations, they educated one another about monk seals. They brought their children, visiting guests, families and friends to ‘meet’ Chester. They spoke enthusiastically of how awesome Hawaii’s natural environs were with its native animals and plants and how there should be a strong focus on protecting and preserving them. Chester’s very presence inspired these conversations. Just by being himself, quietly basking in the island sun while molting on this small piece of beach, he became an ambassador of good will for positive change in a really large way for the preservation of not only his species, but for all of Hawaii’s natural environs.
We all knew that he would be leaving soon to go back to his solitary life in the beautiful Hawaiian waters eating fishies and swimming free. His molting was almost complete. On this island in the middle of the vast Pacific Ocean we were so happy to have met Chester. Our lives were so enriched!
The last time I saw Chester was at the end of January at sunset. He left the beach going head first into the surf swimming friskily out to sea. He seemed to have a new sense of life and vigor with his new fur coat. As he swam towards the horizon, his head popped out of the water a few times and I took some last photographs. He looked like such a free spirit back in his natural home of water again. I felt a real sense of joy for him.
I will always treasure my memories and photographs of him.
Aloha Chester and Mahalo for your beautiful ‘visit’ to Kailua! Journey Well!
Susan Benay © 1.25.08 All Rights Reserved
Susan Benay
It was a total surprise when Chester arrived unannounced on a secluded section of Windward Oahu’s Kailua Beach on January 1, 2008 to begin his cycle of molting while lying on the warm sands. A Hawaiian Monk Seal and Ambassador of Good Will
It was a total surprise when Chester arrived unannounced on a secluded section of Windward Oahu’s Kailua Beach on January 1, 2008 to begin his cycle of molting while lying on the warm sands. The appearance of Chester, a rare Hawaiian monk seal of approximately 13 years and so-named because of the marks on his chest, immediately created an excited buzz around this small beach town. No one could recall seeing a monk seal in Kailua for maybe 60 years.
The Hawaiian name for monk seals is Ilio-holo-i-ka-uaua. Hawaiian monk seals are exceedingly rare being the most endangered seals in US with less than 1200 still in existence. A NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) gentleman that had stopped by to observe Chester told me that a person could go their whole life and never have the good fortune to see a monk seal even for a moment let alone for a several-week cycle of molting!
I saw Chester for the first time during my morning sunrise walk on the beach. It was love at first sight! He was so beautiful nestled half-sleeping on the golden sand as waves lapped quietly at the shore. I watched him from a good distance so as to not disturb him. It is important to totally leave monk seals alone at all times and observe them from afar. When I would photograph him, I would use my Canon telephoto lens that would allow for close-up shots from a long distance away.
Throughout January, I would visit Chester at different times of the day taking pictures documenting his progress in molting as well as clicking images that would capture his uniquely wonderful ‘personality’. In the beginning he had a full fur coat that was rich sable brown in color (along with sand on his face and body!) as you see in this early morning photo. As days passed, he began shedding his old fur coat in patches revealing a lovely new undercoat of an almost silvery grey shade growing in. It was fascinating to watch the change.
Chester leads a solitary monk seal’s lifestyle, however, his presence brought a community together in affection and care for him. Community volunteers stationed themselves around him to provide 24-hour protection so that he wouldn’t be disturbed during his cycle of molting. They also generously offered educational information on monk seals and their habitat. I learned a lot from them.
As I stood for hours on end taking pictures and marveling at Chester, many folks would come by. They too fell in love with him. People liked to gather just beyond the yellow-taped parameters that outlined Chester’s disturbance-free zone watching him and talking about how neat he was and how lucky they were to see him. They talked story about him and other monk seals they had seen. Through their conversations and observations, they educated one another about monk seals. They brought their children, visiting guests, families and friends to ‘meet’ Chester. They spoke enthusiastically of how awesome Hawaii’s natural environs were with its native animals and plants and how there should be a strong focus on protecting and preserving them. Chester’s very presence inspired these conversations. Just by being himself, quietly basking in the island sun while molting on this small piece of beach, he became an ambassador of good will for positive change in a really large way for the preservation of not only his species, but for all of Hawaii’s natural environs.
We all knew that he would be leaving soon to go back to his solitary life in the beautiful Hawaiian waters eating fishies and swimming free. His molting was almost complete. On this island in the middle of the vast Pacific Ocean we were so happy to have met Chester. Our lives were so enriched!
The last time I saw Chester was at the end of January at sunset. He left the beach going head first into the surf swimming friskily out to sea. He seemed to have a new sense of life and vigor with his new fur coat. As he swam towards the horizon, his head popped out of the water a few times and I took some last photographs. He looked like such a free spirit back in his natural home of water again. I felt a real sense of joy for him.
I will always treasure my memories and photographs of him.
Aloha Chester and Mahalo for your beautiful ‘visit’ to Kailua! Journey Well!
Susan Benay © 1.25.08 All Rights Reserved