Uno y Dos at Cove Tres today
Feb/04/18 06:47 AM
Just when we thought things were getting very predictable at Cove 3 these days, volunteers got a jolt mid-afternoon today.
Uno did her usual appearance just after high tide early this morning. John and First Responder Robin taped off the cove just before Uno showed up. There was quite a bit of activity on the sidewalk above the beach - several races were being run and a hydration station was set up right in her field of view. We felt having that extra 6 feet of quiet zone behind the metal railing might make Uno feel more secure coming ashore.
Once on the beach, Uno settled in for a long winter's nap. Scheduler Arden lined up volunteers in shifts until late. First Responders David and Dana drove down and Robin took off for Lakewood to deliver a dead weaner for necropsy by WDFW’s Marine Mammal Investigations Unit.
So, things were cruising along as usual until about 2 pm when we spotted another little seal swimming close in to the beach. We were all stunned when a thin, beautifully marked weaner crawled out of the Bay and onto the multi-colored pebbles (photo below), just a short distance from where Uno was snoozing in the sun.
Quickly dubbed Dos, this small weaner was quite thin and lethargic - in desperate need of some rest. The "humpy" back seen in the photo is a good visual indication that this one has some respiratory issues, confirmed by coughing and other behavior. Pretty much all weaner seals this time of year are battling respiratory complications, some worse than others; undisrupted rest is a crucial part of overcoming these challenges, which can certainly be life-threatening.
Uno was not at all thrilled by the appearance of this intruder. About half an hour later, Uno opted to crawl over the rocks to escape into the cove, rather than take the direct, unobstructed route to the water.
Dos managed to get a little rest for the next few hours, but was fighting an incoming tide - so continually was having to move. Just as darkness was falling and we were stressing about the safety of him being on the beach tonight, the tide lapped over him and he reluctantly swam off into the pink and blue shimmering waters.
There were lots of people out and about throughout the day. Kelsey, Kristen, John, Jimi, Betsy, Libby, Melinda, Buzz, Jessica and 7th grade daughter Sylvia, David and Dana did a tremendous job educating the public about our two gorgeous visitors. Huge thanks to all of you!
