Dream Trip 2009

Great Travel Moment

The Hawaiian Monk seal is an endangered and endemic species to the islands. Ancient and solitary, the Hawaiian people refer to the animal as `ilio-holo-i-ka-uaua, meaning 'dog running in rough seas'. The seals humble at their agility in water. Although fighting, these seals seem to move with each other poetically, almost as though dancers. They form arches in the negative space between them and hold their fore-flippers in elegance. Deep rumbling sounds send vibrations through the sand as the older seal roars. I remember this moment vividly, as I sat on the shoreline, watching powerful cycles in nature powerlessly. I savor this image because it reminds me of how enthralled I feel watching the raw beauty of wild animals. This photograph moves me still to recognize our responsibility to provide healthy habitat for our majestic kin.