They Call Me The Monk Seal Whisperer

WRITTEN BY Andrew Corley

On my first dive back from a trip to Thailand I couldn’t have had a better way to be welcomed back to Oahu! We tied up at the 90′ LCU wreck and dropped in on one of the juvenile resident white-tips sleeping under the wreck. Outside of the wreck we came acoss a well camoflaged day octopus who came out to play with us.

On our second dive we went to the wall to see who was hanging out at the Sea Cave. Sooo glad we did because a critically endangered Hawaiian Monk Seal (# N19), was there and ready to play. As we swam under the archway, N19 came down and played with our bubbles and curiously looked at the O-rings blown by our new intructors Davy and Kendal. She swam up to just about all of the divers to say hello and smile for the cameras. After spending just about the whole dive inside of the cave, we ventured out to cruise the wall and I looked back to see the Monk Seal come out of the cave after us as if to say, “Why are you guys leaving? I want to play more!” (See the video below!) An amazing way to be welcomed back to the islands. Thanks to all who came out today, it was truly a pleasure to share such an experience with you guys.