I guess that counts as winter storms…

Looking south from the Lighthouse.

We got some spicy winds and the temperature dropped out from January 30 – February 5th. With the storms came the California Sea Lions en masse: going from 58 the previous count to 168. The Jetty must be much nicer than wherever their feeding grounds are.

Temperature trends for the week.

Wind data in Km/hour. A little spicy.

I am pretty impressed with the tourism operators that visit Race Rocks: I would have assumed anything over 35 knots would make for a bad day to visit, but we maxed out with 6 tourism vessels visiting the Sea Lions and Birds of Race Rocks, even during the worse day of winds we got this week. We also got a visit by Fisheries and Oceans Canada, doing a patrol of the Ecological Preserve and ensuring the tourism vessels didn’t disturb the Sea Lions.

Wind and current working against each other can make for some lumpy wildlife viewing.

First time I’ve ever seen Sombrio Point visit Race Rocks.

Time to hide from the wind and waves.

As for Race Rocks proper things have been pretty chill. There isn’t much of a stockpile of firewood, so we’ve been scavenging any bits of wood on the island to keep warm when the winds blowing. Hopefully warm weather is coming, or we’d take some evil North wind to deliver us some new fire wood.

Scrounging for any wood to keep things from freezing.

Mammals:

• Stellar Sea lions: 70
• California Sea lion: 168
• Harbour Seal: 22
• Sea Otter: 1 (Ollie?)

Birds

• Gulls: 55
• Cormorants: 30
• Eagle: 4 Adult, 5 Juvenile
• Turnstones: 14
• Canada Geese: 8 – 4 breeding pairs trying to hunker down
• Oystercatcher: 25
• Pigeon Guillemots: 45

Boats

• Tourism: 6
• Private: 0
• Government: 1

Cheeky California Sea Lion showing me he doesn’t care the generator is running.

The calm before winter storms hit.

While everyone on South Vancouver Island talks about impending snow, we’re basking in the beautiful weather and enjoying a rare moment of quiet. It looks like the California Sea Lions haul-out here for the bad weather, but when it gets really nice for an extended period of time the California Sea Lions seem to go for a wander.

We’ve had a couple Humpback Whales feeding just off of Race Rocks, and lots of Whale Watching Boats coming by. Counting the Harbour Seals can be tricky, but when the tide drops the Rock Sausages find a comfy place to have a nap until the water comes back up.

Orca Spirit Adventures getting some up-close portraits of the Steller Sea Lions.

Harbour Seals hanging out for a quick nap at low tide.

We’ve had a female Elephant Seal coming ashore off-and on throughout the week. She seems to come ashore at night, and travel around the island calling for other seals, then retreating back into the ocean in the late morning. At first I was really excited thinking she might be pregnant, but it seems she is not here to stay, just looking for the other seals.

With all the grass nice and green, this handsome female Elephant Seal is ready for a comfy nap.

Grass not comfy enough for a nap? How about a quick launch from the jetty.

Mammals:

• Stellar Sea lions: 80
• California Sea lion: 58
• Harbour Seal: 20
• Elephant Seal: 1
• Humpback Whale: 2

Birds

• Gulls: 60
• Cormorants: 50
• Eagle: 2 Adult, 4 Juvenile
• Turnstones: 20
• Canada Geese: 3
• Oystercatcher: 20

I love watching these beefy Steller Sea Lions wiggle their way up the rocks.

Any time there’s a bit a weather, the whole gang is gonna post up on the jetty.

Meanwhile on South Rocks the Steller Pile has aggregated into one large handout.

Woke up to frost on the ground this morning. Weather is still clear skies and light north wind.

Roughly 50 ancient murrelets fishing off the jetty this morning.

Tourism boats: 2

Frost!

This warm weather means that there are still lots of plants blooming out here

Classic confused Crocus’

This spell of calm, clear weather continues.

Usual chores today: check energy system, clean pathways, generally tidy up outside knowing that this weather can’t last forever.

Tourism vessels: 2

Private vessel: 1

A sailing ship called VEnturosa passed through the reserve today. AIS says she’s 33m and was bound for Victoria.

Clear skies. Light wind. Great sunset.

Tourism vessels: 2

My future-firewood pile is growing. If a good log comes through I sometimes tie it to the shore and try to work it up higher with the tides over the course of a couple days. Otherwise, I can buck it up into human-scaled lengths and move it to the pile.

Pile of future-firewood

This one is a keeper for sure.

I make a point to go up the tower every day. Currently working towards 3 consecutive trips up the tower without it feeling like my heart is going to explode. Fitness in small places requires some creativity.

Been doing chores. This week has no precipitation forecasted so I let the stack of logs dry a little and then split it and got it stacked in the basement. Although it’s warm now but I’m sure winter will hit us at some point so it’s nice to have a good supply of wood. ALso lets us use much less dielse for the furnace in the house.