MARINE LIFE DISTURBANCE: If you are checking out camera 1 or the remote camera today, you probably noticed that the middle island was full of sea lions this morning and was completely empty by noon. The Department of National Defence is doing their blasting exercises today again over at Bentinck Island . They will be doing the same tomorrow. A rather tragic occurance that happens every fall. Eventually the Northern Sea Lions (endangered species) and the Californian Sea Lions just move out of the Race Rocks area. There is a video on the marine mammals archive page that shows the effect of the Oct 7 blast. We have recorded todays events, (so far seven blasts) and will have it up in the archives also in a few days. In the meantime, look at the before and after pictures taken from the sitezap robotic camera just before and after noon today. This will appear in a file at http://www.racerocks.com/racerock/marmam/sealion/dndblastnov7.htm
Good Evening
TEMPERATURE: Max. 10.2 ºC »» Min. 8.7 ºC »» Reset 8.7 ºC »» Rain 4.0 mm
posted by Garry Fletcher at 12:55 PM
Monthly Archives: November 2002
Sea lion Behaviour after DND Blasting at Bentinck Island
Two videos are presented here showing the effect of DND blasting on Bentinck Island on the sea lions at Race Rocks. The first is from October 7 and the second was done by student s on the project week on November 8, 2002, (not Oct 7 as stated in this draft version of the video) . The students from Lester Pearson College who were out for a project week were able to catch the images of the impact of these blasts on the first day from the science centre window and on the second day from the top of the light tower. In the tower, they interviewed Mike Demarchi of LGL who is currently doing a $50,000 contract for the Department of National Defence to monitor the impact of these blasts and to compare them with other disturbances at Race Rocks.
See also before and after images of effects of blasting on sea lion behaviour
See the index of Human Effects on Animal Behaviour at Race Rocks
The following pictures were taken on November 7,2002 from the site zap camera at Race Rocks. The top set of pictures was taken at 9:30 AM . The DND started blasting at 11:00 . The bottom set of pictures were taken at 12:00 noon, after 5 blasts when most of the sealions had jumped off the rocks, They remained off the rocks mid afternoon.
 Image from before a blast |
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 and then the Image from after the blast |
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DND Blasting disturbs sea lions.
On November 7, 2002, the DND were still doing their demolition blasting exercises at Bentinck Island. (not Oct 7 as stated in this draft version of the video) The students from Lester Pearson College who were out for a project week were able to catch the images of the impact of these blasts on the first day from the science centre window and on the second day from the top of the light tower. In the tower, they interviewed Mike Demarchi of LGL who is currently doing a $50,000 contract for the Department of National Defence to monitor the impact of these blasts and to compare them with other disturbances at Race Rocks. (Click on audio icon below) Click the arrow on the left in the bar below for
THE INTERVIEW WITH MIKE DEMARCHI
by Jeremias Prassl (LBPC yr29)
Before and After images of DND Blasting effects
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| You may see the complete report here. Note in particular, the discussion of the results concerning the effects of blasting on the behaviour of sea lions. |
Before and After DND blasting at Bentinck Island
- The following pictures were taken on November 7,2002 from the site zap camera at Race Rocks. The top picture was taken at 9:30 AM . The DND started blasting at 11:00 .
- The bottom set of pictures were taken at 12:00 noon, after 5 blasts when most of the sealions had jumped off the rocks, They remained off the rocks mid afternoon until evening.
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- 9:30 AM . The DND started blasting at Bentinck Island at 11:00
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- 12:00 noon, after 5 explosions at Bentinck Island
group of Orca approaching from west
Good evening
Temperature: Max. 9.1 ºC »» Min. 7.1 ºC »» Reset 8.7 ºC »» Rain 3.4 mm
Today only three whalewatchers passed by, the weather starts
becoming worse. During our salinity check waves were high
enough to wash over the docks.Just after 13:00 spotted a group of Orca approaching from the west, there were 2 Ecotour boats in the area at the time and they identified these Orca as the L pod with 1 calf. The group was very spread out and travelled in a northeasterly direction along the southern boundary of Gr. Race and although the weather conditions were not the best did see a few breaching.The Orca were probably feeding as they spent about an hour in the area.
posted by Race Rocks Relief at 7:49 PM
Temperature: Max. 9.1 ºC »» Min. 7.1 ºC »» Reset 8.7 ºC »» Rain 3.4 mm
Today only three whalewatchers passed by, the weather starts
becoming worse. During our salinity check waves were high
enough to wash over the docks.Just after 13:00 spotted a group of Orca approaching from the west, there were 2 Ecotour boats in the area at the time and they identified these Orca as the L pod with 1 calf. The group was very spread out and travelled in a northeasterly direction along the southern boundary of Gr. Race and although the weather conditions were not the best did see a few breaching.The Orca were probably feeding as they spent about an hour in the area.
posted by Race Rocks Relief at 7:49 PM
Good Morning
WEATHER: Sky Overcast»» Vis. 10 Miles »» Wind East 4 Knots »» Sea Rippled / Choppy
We’re expecting a storm at some time in the next day or two.
posted by Race Rocks Relief at 8:40 AM
WEATHER: Sky Overcast»» Vis. 10 Miles »» Wind East 4 Knots »» Sea Rippled / Choppy
We’re expecting a storm at some time in the next day or two.
posted by Race Rocks Relief at 8:40 AM
Daily Duties at Race Rocks for students
This video was produced in 2002 when Mike and Carol Slater were ecoguardians at Race Rocks . When students would go out for a project week, after training from Mike, they would be responsible for the daily duties at Race Rocks. This was before the era of alternate energy at Race Rocks and the upgrading of many of the weather measurements, so is now somewhat of a recording of history.
Written, and video by Rosie, Ahmad, and Jeremias.:
“During our project week at Race Rocks, Mike Slater, the Race Rocks Marine Protected Area Guardian asked us if we could make a video explaining the daily duties necessary to maintain the facility. Students who are relieving on the island during Mike’s absence will be able to use this data as a guide for performing their duties, as well as providing a useful information resource for students visiting the island.
These duties include two daily engine checks, a salinity check one hour before high tide, and keeping a record of the days weather, as well as explaining the functions and instructions for testing machinery located on the island.”
End of Project week
Good Evening
TEMPERATURE: Max. 9.1 ºC »» Min. 7.3 ºC »» Reset 8.5 ºC »» Rain 1.9 mm
MARINE LIFE:Still seeing fish balls but they are small and not as frequent as in the past weeks. Daily visitors are the usual gulls, Starlings,Crows,Black Turnstones, Surf Birds, Cormorants,Sparrows, Harlequin Ducks,a group of about 30 Black Oyster Catchers and the geese-usually 6 but every couple of days the 7th joins the group for at least part of the day. The Sealion population is still fairly low for this time of year as many of them have left the area since the last series of blasting on Bentinck Island.
HUMAN INTERACTION: Chris in with 2nd Nature to return Rosie, Ahmad and Jeremias to Campus. Garry out in 2nd Nature with guests also 4 Ecotour boats and 2 pleasurecraft through today.
posted by Carol or Mike S at 6:19 PM
TEMPERATURE: Max. 9.1 ºC »» Min. 7.3 ºC »» Reset 8.5 ºC »» Rain 1.9 mm
MARINE LIFE:Still seeing fish balls but they are small and not as frequent as in the past weeks. Daily visitors are the usual gulls, Starlings,Crows,Black Turnstones, Surf Birds, Cormorants,Sparrows, Harlequin Ducks,a group of about 30 Black Oyster Catchers and the geese-usually 6 but every couple of days the 7th joins the group for at least part of the day. The Sealion population is still fairly low for this time of year as many of them have left the area since the last series of blasting on Bentinck Island.
HUMAN INTERACTION: Chris in with 2nd Nature to return Rosie, Ahmad and Jeremias to Campus. Garry out in 2nd Nature with guests also 4 Ecotour boats and 2 pleasurecraft through today.
posted by Carol or Mike S at 6:19 PM
Good morning
WEATHER: Sky Overcast »» Vis. 10 Miles »» Wind North 11 Knots »» Sea Choppy
Goodbye RR, thanks for our marvellous project week.
posted by Race Rocks Relief at 7:48 AM
WEATHER: Sky Overcast »» Vis. 10 Miles »» Wind North 11 Knots »» Sea Choppy
Goodbye RR, thanks for our marvellous project week.
posted by Race Rocks Relief at 7:48 AM
Good Evening
Temperature: Max. 9.1 ºC »» Min. 7.1 ºC »» Reset 8.0 ºC
Rainfall: 9.0mm
Our last evening on the island has arrived, we’ll spend it editing
the rest of our projects.
posted by Race Rocks Relief at 7:47 AM
Temperature: Max. 9.1 ºC »» Min. 7.1 ºC »» Reset 8.0 ºC
Rainfall: 9.0mm
Our last evening on the island has arrived, we’ll spend it editing
the rest of our projects.
posted by Race Rocks Relief at 7:47 AM
whalewatchers at close range
Monday, November 04, 2002
Good evening
Temperature: Max. 8.4 ºC »» Min. 4.0 ºC »» Reset 6.9 ºC
In the late afternoon Garry stopped by for a short
check on the RR Project Week Team (Ahmad, Rosie, Jeremias) and
camera 1. About 7 Whalewatchers came by only in the afternoon,
one of them came very close to the docks and stayed there for
about 10 minutes.
posted by Race Rocks Relief at 6:08 PM
Temperature: Max. 8.4 ºC »» Min. 4.0 ºC »» Reset 6.9 ºC
In the late afternoon Garry stopped by for a short
check on the RR Project Week Team (Ahmad, Rosie, Jeremias) and
camera 1. About 7 Whalewatchers came by only in the afternoon,
one of them came very close to the docks and stayed there for
about 10 minutes.
posted by Race Rocks Relief at 6:08 PM
Good Morning
WEATHER: Sky Part Cloudy »» Vis. 10 Miles »» Wind North East 9 Knots »» Sea Rippled
posted by Carol or Mike S at 7:24 AM
WEATHER: Sky Part Cloudy »» Vis. 10 Miles »» Wind North East 9 Knots »» Sea Rippled
posted by Carol or Mike S at 7:24 AM
Animal census
Good Evening
TEMPERATURE: Max. 8.9 ºC »» Min. 3.9 ºC »» Reset 6.5 ºC
MARINE LIFE: The population of Sealions is still low, was hoping the animals that left after the last session of blasting at DND would return but guess it is just too stressful for them. We counted 26 California, 7 Northern sealions hauled out along the north shore of Gr. Race, 27 Californias, 18 Northern on North Rocks and and 78 ( 27 Northern ) hauled out on the Middle Rocks.
HUMAN INTERACTION: Chris in Hyaku with students and supplies for week’s stay ‘on the rock’. There were 5 ecotour boats, 1 pleasurecraft and 1 sailboat through today.posted by Carol or Mike S at 7:13 PM
TEMPERATURE: Max. 8.9 ºC »» Min. 3.9 ºC »» Reset 6.5 ºC
MARINE LIFE: The population of Sealions is still low, was hoping the animals that left after the last session of blasting at DND would return but guess it is just too stressful for them. We counted 26 California, 7 Northern sealions hauled out along the north shore of Gr. Race, 27 Californias, 18 Northern on North Rocks and and 78 ( 27 Northern ) hauled out on the Middle Rocks.
HUMAN INTERACTION: Chris in Hyaku with students and supplies for week’s stay ‘on the rock’. There were 5 ecotour boats, 1 pleasurecraft and 1 sailboat through today.posted by Carol or Mike S at 7:13 PM
Good Morning
WEATHER: Sky Clear »» Vis. 15 Miles »» Wind North East 5 Knots »» Sea Rippled
posted by Carol or Mike S at 7:20 AM
WEATHER: Sky Clear »» Vis. 15 Miles »» Wind North East 5 Knots »» Sea Rippled
posted by Carol or Mike S at 7:20 AM
Sealions that seemed to be ‘fishing’ together,
Good Evening
TEMPERATURE: Max. 9.5 ºC »» Min. 3.9 ºC »» Reset 6.8 ºC
MARINE LIFE: Watched a group of 5 or 6 Northern Sealions that seemed to be ‘fishing’ together, since most of the action took place under the water it is only conjecture but 4 good sized fish were brought to the surface within seconds. Other marine animals are known to work together to corral fish so it is not too surprising that sealions might as well. There are still fish balls but are small and short lived with fewer birds.
HUMAN INTERACTION: There were 14 Ecotour boats,1 research boat( the Drifter) 3 sail boats, 1 Dive Charter and 2 pleasurecraft in the MPA today.
posted by Carol or Mike S at 6:03 PM
TEMPERATURE: Max. 9.5 ºC »» Min. 3.9 ºC »» Reset 6.8 ºC
MARINE LIFE: Watched a group of 5 or 6 Northern Sealions that seemed to be ‘fishing’ together, since most of the action took place under the water it is only conjecture but 4 good sized fish were brought to the surface within seconds. Other marine animals are known to work together to corral fish so it is not too surprising that sealions might as well. There are still fish balls but are small and short lived with fewer birds.
HUMAN INTERACTION: There were 14 Ecotour boats,1 research boat( the Drifter) 3 sail boats, 1 Dive Charter and 2 pleasurecraft in the MPA today.
posted by Carol or Mike S at 6:03 PM
Good Morning
WEATHER: Sky Part Cloudy »» Vis. 15 Miles »» Wind North East 7 Knots »» Sea Rippled
posted by Carol or Mike S at 6:47 AM
WEATHER: Sky Part Cloudy »» Vis. 15 Miles »» Wind North East 7 Knots »» Sea Rippled
posted by Carol or Mike S at 6:47 AM