Monthly Archives: November 2015

9 divers rescued after boat capsized

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The boat was sighted overturned, approximately 300 meters south of the main island. 9 divers were clinging onto their boat for over an hour. Victoria Coast Guard responded promptly as did a tour boat in the area (Springtide). Eventually the 9 were reached to safety, with one in hypothermic state.

See TC Article: Nine DIvers rescued after boat capsizes near Race Rocks http://www.timescolonist.com/news/local/nine-scuba-divers-rescued-in-rough-seas-off-race-rocks-1.2111723

Ecological Happenings

Rough sea conditions and winds up to 31 kts. Swells of up to 8ft @ Jordan River

Marine Vessels

One tour boat (Springtide) and one dive boat. Eventually the tour boat was involved in the rescue of the dive boat and its 9 divers.

Visitors

9 passengers from the tour boat Springtide were offloaded at RR docks, to make room for Springtide’s rescue attempt. The passengers were on the island for approximately 1 hour before returning to the boat.

12 Bald Eagles

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Ecological Happenings

  • 12 bald eagles (11 juveniles and 1 adult) alternating between south islands and west rocks.

Marine Vessels and Aircrafts

  • four tour boats
  • two pleasure craft

Maintenance

  • The plumbing issues in the keeper’s house seem to be solved.

No visitors today.

Quiet and Overcast at Race Rocks

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Ecological Happenings

Race Rocks continues to bare the brunt of the storm, with varying-rough weather conditions.

Marine Vessels and Aircrafts

  • One tour boat braving it in the rough conditions
  • One helicopter flying over relatively low this morning, which startled the animals

Maintenance

  • Continuing to sort out our water supply, which has been a time consuming job

No visitors today.

Seawater Temperature and Salinity October 2015

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Station Race Rocks Lightstation
Month: October Year: 2015
Observer: Lester B. Pearson College   of the Pacific
Date Time Sea Jar Hydro-   meter   No. Observed Density YSI Salinity YSI Temp °C
Temp. Temp.
°C °C
1 16:39 33.0 10.4
2 17:09 32.8 10.6
3 17:45 32.6 10.8
4 18:25 32.3 11.2
5 12:06 32.6 10.7
6 12:48 32.7 10.9
7 13:00 32.3 10.7
8 13:09 32.4 10.9
9 13:07 32.5 11.0
10 13:24 32.4 10.8
11 15:09 32.5 10.7
12 14:08 32.6 10.5
13 14:28 32.7 10.6
14 14:50 32.7 10.6
15 15:08 11 11 10,802 239 32.7 10.7
16 15:01 32.6 10.6
17 14:39 32.5 10.6
18 15:08 32.6 10.7
19 15:45 32.4 10.5
20 16:46 32.3 10.7
21 11:52 32.6 10.5
22 11:45 32.6 10.5
23 11:29 32.5 10.5
24 11:02 32.6 10.4
25 12:40 32.7 10.2
26 13:13 32.9 10.1
27 13:45 32.5 10.3
28 14:20 32.8 10.1
29 12:15 32.8 10.2
30 15:20 33.0 10.0
31 15:00 32.9 10.0
means 32.6 10.5

254 less Sea Lions

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Ecological Happenings

  • Weather conditions worsen as the brunt of the storms come through. Large swell, with larger forecast for tomorrow.
  • Two Ravens have been hanging around the reserve over the  last couple of days. Seen again today near Camera 5.
  • Juvenile  Bald Eagle hanging about the island this afternoon as. Bird species have moved closer to the main island with the change in weather.
  • There are currently 254 less Sea Lions in the reserve. This change has taken place over the last week.

Maintenance

  • Attempt to install the new water pump in the keepers house. This has been a task requiring time and research. While water is still not running, we are working on it!
  • With hours of daylight diminishing, generator use on the island has increased.

No marine vessels or visitors today

DSC_4150

Animal Census

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Steller Sea Lion 496
California Sea Lion 361
Harbour Seal 0
Elephant Seal 6
Cormorant 146
Gull 742
Black Turnstone 12
Canada Goose 22
Raven 2
Spotted during the week
Marbled Godwit 2
Bald Eagle 3
Whale 4
Killdeer 5
Harlequin Duck 19
Green Winged Teal 2
Snow bunting 1
Sparrows 13

Wild Weather

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Ecological Happenings

  • Wild weather today. +30kt winds and rough seas.

Marine Vessels

  • 1 tour boat this afternoon
  • 1 fishing boat

Maintenance

  • We have begun to build up our water supply again, after running it down in an attempt to sterilize the system after chlorination.
  • The main house water pump was dismantled ahead of the new pump and buffer tank being connected. It appears, from internet research, that there is an iron-reducing bacteria (IRB) in the system (a brown, rusty slime in the old buffer tank, and pitting corrosion on the inside of the pump housing). This would explain why the filters have been so dirty. Hopefully the new pump and tank, along with chlorination, take care of the problem.

Re-stocking day

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Ecological Happenings

  • No observations to report.

Marine Vessels

  • 1 tour boat this afternoon (we were away for a few hours though)
  • 1 fishing boat

Maintenance

  • We made use of the break in the weather to pick up supplies from Pearson college. We are now in a position to continue work on the whaler’s electrics and *finally* solve the water issues we’ve been having, by installing a new pump.

Limosa fedoa : Marbled godwit–The Race Rocks Taxonomy

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donandnina-marbledgodwit

Marbled godwit  Limosa fedoa : photo by Ecoguardians Don and Nina, November 9 2015

This is the first record for the marbled godwit at Race Rocks. Don and Nina recorded it in their log today. Compare it with the whimbrels which we see almost every year in migration seasons


At least one Godwit stayed around for some time. Here are Jasper’s pictures from the log of December 15, 2015:

Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Charadriiformes
Family: Scolopacidae
Genus: Limosa
Species: L. fedoa
Binomial name
Limosa fedoa (Linnaeus, 1758)

for a good recording of their call go to: http://www.birdweb.org/birdweb/bird/marbled_godwit
Other Members of the Class Aves at Race Rocks.

taxonomyiconReturn to the Race Rocks Taxonomy
and Image File
pearsonlogo2_f2The Race Rocks taxonomy is a collaborative venture originally started with the Biology and Environmental Systems students of Lester Pearson College UWC. It now also has contributions added by Faculty, Staff, Volunteers and Observers on the remote control webcams.
 Garry Fletcher 2015

 

 

Glorious Afternoon

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Ecological Happenings

  • Afternoon clear sky, calm sea, and mild weather.
  • 2 Green Winged Teals and two other unidentified bird species spotted.
  • 19 Harlequins Ducks spotted.

Marine Vessels

  • 5 tour boats this afternoon. The calm sea and blue sky made it tempting for boats to get close to rocks.

Maintenance

  • Weed whacker troubleshooting! in perpetration for trimming the paths.