| Daily Seawater Temperature and Density Record Shore Station | |||||
| Time Zone: PDT | |||||
| Station Race Rocks Lightstation | |||||
| Month: _____________ | January | Year: 2012 | |||
| ObserverLester B. Pearson College of the Pacific | |||||
| Date | Time | Sea Temp. °C |
Jar Temp. °C |
Hydro- meter No. | Observed Density |
| 1 | 4PM | 7.4 | 7.7 | 10,802 | 242.0000 |
| 2 | 4:30PM | 7.3 | 7.7 | 10,802 | 244.0000 |
| 3 | 11AM | 7.3 | 7.6 | 10,802 | 244.0000 |
| 4 | 11AM | 7.4 | 7.7 | 10,802 | 240.0000 |
| 5 | 11AM | 7.3 | 7.5 | 10,802 | 238.0000 |
| 6 | 1PM | 7.4 | 7.5 | 10,802 | 239.0000 |
| 7 | 1:20PM | 7.4 | 7.5 | 10,802 | 239.0000 |
| 8 | 1:30PM | 7.5 | 7.7 | 10,802 | 242.0000 |
| 9 | 2:30PM | 7.0 | 7.4 | 10,802 | 242.0000 |
| 10 | 3:30PM | 6.7 | 7.0 | 10,802 | 241.0000 |
| 11 | 4PM | 6.8 | 7.4 | 10,802 | 244.0000 |
| 12 | 4:20PM | 6.7 | 7.0 | 10,802 | 243.0000 |
| 13 | N/A | N/A | N/A | 10,802 | |
| 14 | 5PM | 6.2 | 6.7 | 10,802 | 243.0000 |
| 15 | 9:30AM | 6.3 | 6.7 | 10,802 | 244.0000 |
| 16 | N/A | N/A | N/A | 10,802 | |
| 17 | N/A | N/A | N/A | 10,802 | |
| 18 | N/A | N/A | N/A | 10,802 | |
| 19 | 10AM | 5.4 | 5.6 | 10,802 | 244.0000 |
| 20 | 12PM | 6.0 | 6.4 | 10,802 | 243.0000 |
| 21 | 2PM | 6.8 | 7.1 | 10,802 | 243.0000 |
| 22 | N/A | N/A | N/A | 10,802 | |
| 23 | 1PM | 6.8 | 7.5 | 10,802 | 245.0000 |
| 24 | 1:30PM | 6.6 | 7.1 | 10,802 | 245.0000 |
| 25 | 2:30PM | 6.8 | 7.3 | 10,802 | 246.0000 |
| 26 | 3:PM | 6.7 | 7.0 | 10,802 | 246.0000 |
| 27 | 7PM | 6.4 | 6.8 | 10,802 | 244.0000 |
| 28 | 8PM | 6.4 | 6.8 | 10,802 | 244.0000 |
| 29 | 9:30AM | 6.6 | 7.0 | 10,802 | 243.0000 |
| 30 | 10AM | 6.7 | 7.0 | 10,802 | 243.0000 |
| 31 | 10:30AM | 6.7 | 7.0 | 10,802 | 242.0000 |
| Mean* | * | 6.8 | 7.1 | 242.8077 | |
| Recorded by Race Rocks Marine Protected Area Guardian | |||||
Monthly Archives: January 2012
Lil’ Fatso
The baby elephant seal is growing at an astounding rate. He has become a fat little sausage of a seal with lots of energy, awareness, and determination. Dad has steamrolled him a few times but he is pretty adept at wiggling out of the way and I have witnessed him take a few snaps at the “Lawn-master”, who has proceeded to back off. Spunky little dude! Mom is going into heat and Mystery getting a bit more aggressive now. I guess I am the closest thing to a rival here. I’ll post some impressive shots of him very soon!
Wet Westerlies
The winds have died after last nights’s Westerly 60 knot gales. All the remains is a massive groundswell sweeping up Jaun de Fuca Strait, remnant and reminder of the power of the wind. I replaced the wind instrument on our ground weather station. It seems to be working fine now. Today I will sweep off the boat ramp of debris left from the big Sou’Easter a few days ago. For now the rain has moved in and I think I’ll bake muffins!
The young male e-seal has been spending most of his time by the boat house. He goes down the ramp for a dip a few times a day. He is clearly drawn here by the scent of the female but Misery has put the fear into him from their first bloody encounter. 
Winter’s Chilly Lash
Strong Northeasterly winds have buffeted the island for the last 4 days bringing snow, hail and breaking waves over the jetty. The Steller Sea Lions returned to their perch on the South Rocks last night, perhaps now that the worst of the cold has passed. The Phocids (the family name for seals; in our case Harbour and Elephant) seem pretty much immune to the cold. Phocids are able to divert blood flow to their blubber layer to help control their temperatures.
photos 1,3,4: Helene Cyr
Squall the newborn elephant seal seems to be doing well. His fur is thick, I suppose to make up for his lack of blubber. I refer to it as a male but since true seals have retractable nipples, internal testicles and an internal penis sheath for streamlining it is difficult to determine gender. He sure is cute though…
Two adult males engaging in vocalization threat displays….. Big Nose wins!
Stormy Weather
Today it is just plain nasty outside with 35 knot nor’easterlies and blowing snow. No sign of the sea lions but the elephant seal family appears to be enduring the storm well. After a few days of poor feeding the pup and mom appear to have figured out their responsibilities and now the pup seems to be nursing vigourously. Misery, the father, is behaving well so far..
Below are some shots of Bertha and Squall, as well as the undisputed king of this island Misery of Race Rocks. Also the sub-adult male showed up last night. Does he have a name?
Newborn!
I was right about that fat female being pregnant. A few minutes ago she (with Mysery adding some weight to her abdomen) squeezed out a beautiful and seemingly healthy pup! Some of the students witnessed it first-hand! They told me Mysery was getting very close. I observed him snuffling the pup and wanting to be very involved in the experience. He certainly poses a threat because of his size but he seemed to bear the little pup no ill will. Perhaps it is his progeny. The pup picked the nastiest day of the month to be born with strong winds, snow and hail squalls. It will be a long and cold first night, and hopefully a long and fruitful life. I suggest he be named Squall in memory of this auspicious day.
For more info on the Elephants of Race Rocks please see:
Where do Sea Lions go?
This morning the 30 Stellar’s (Eumetopias jubatus) that have been dwelling on South Rocks have gone. Is it a coincidence that a Westerly gale began early this morning? Are they escaping the weather? Did they all choose to go hunting at the same time? Did something scare them away in the night? Is the cooler weather encouraging them to find warmer waters further up the Salish Sea perhaps on the log booms near Nanaimo (it is snowing as I write this…)? I will keep a sharp watch out for when they return.
Yesterday evening 6 student arrived for the weekend but if this weather continues we may be conducting classes here Monday morning!
Animal Census Jan 2012
Air Breathing Animal Census of Race Rocks Jan 2012
Stellar Sea Lions: 30
Elephant Seals: 6-7
Harbour Seals: 50
Bald Eagles: 5-15
Brandt’s Cormorants: 50
Glaucous-Winged Gull: 100
Herring Gull: 30
Black Turnstones: 50
Song Sparrow: 6
Peregrine Flacon: 1
Killdeer: 4
Dunlin: 2
Sandpiper: 6
Harlequin Ducks: 20
Human: 1
A Second Tagged Juvenile E-Seal
Looks like X 948. The animal is in good shape up on the lawn near the student house but did get a bit too close to the island’s king, thus the blood… No worries though, just a scratch.
Tagged juvenile E-Seal
There are six E-seals on the island today. The big bull Misery, Bertha, a seemingly very pregnant large female with a distinct scar on her belly, and four youngsters resting uncomfortably on the rubble beach near the engine room.
The scruffy pup closest in the picture has a green hind flipper tag. The number appears to be #6355. I will look for info about from where and whence it cometh
Over 60 black oystercatchers (Haematopus bachmani) are on the rocks on the south perimeter of the big island.Never have I seen a flock like this! Usually a person is lucky to see 10 together at a time. Along with the Haemas are about 40 Blackheaded Turnstones (Arenaria melanocephala).
2 divers in the water at West Rock. An Italian student and her friend are out for 3 days, as is another guest who is a professional photographer. I will try and get some good pics of the seals from her…