Journal: We were on our way to paddleboard when Alex spotted this monk seal hauled out on the beach. We hustled out to get a photo, not realizing that there was absolutely no rush—when we passed by again, about an hour later, the seal was still lying there, looking as if it hadn’t moved an inch.
Postcard:
Monk seal: Monachus schauinslandi, an endangered species of earless seal in the Phocidae family that is endemic to the Hawaiian Islands. It’s the only seal native to Hawaii, and is called “monk” because of its solitary habits, like some monks.