Trig Island

I visited Trig Island this afternoon with Mark and Shawn, 2 of the seal researchers. Trig is only a couple miles to the east of Tern Island and is less than 1/2 the size of Tern. It is a coral sand island that is only a few feet above the tides and is washed over regularly by winter storms. It has no vegetation except for 1 small spreading plant that will be washed away this winter. Trig has 3 nesting bird species, Laysan Albatross, Black-footed Albatross, and Masked Booby. Today it also had dozens of Green Sea Turtles hauled out on the sand and a handful of Hawaiian Monk Seals. Trig is only a couple miles to the east of Tern but we must have traveled twice that distance following the twisting channel through the coral heads to approach the island. It was a wet ride over traveling against the wind and the chop, but drier coming back downwind. I'm always happy to see new parts of the atoll and to see a new view of Tern Island.