Wildlife notes

The Stellar and California sea lions have started returning to Race Rocks in the past week. In the weekly animal census from June 13 to July 18 there were between zero and 8 sea lions of each species counted.  In a month from now there can be 200 to 300. By the fall, the numbers could double. In the past 12 months, the highest census count was 906 California sea lions (Sept 19 2025) and 525 Stellar sea lions (Nov 18 2025).

Presently on the South Islands there is a 13 year-old male Stellar sea lion who was branded as a pup in Rogue Reef, Oregon. He is breeding age now and the US researchers will be looking for him on their images taken earlier this month at Rogue Reef.  He has been seen about once a year in the last three years but it is a mystery where spent the first 10 years of his life.  To learn more about how sea lion populations have rebounded in the past 50 years see this post.

Resighting records for  SSL 434Y

A male Stellar sea lion (434Y) on the South Islands, photographed on July 27, 2026.

Facility notes

• cleaned solar panels
• vacuumed and cleaned window in the Battery Room
• worked on the compost bins
• finished cleaning the Generator Room

The thorough cleaning of the Energy Building is finally complete! I was chipping away at it over the past two months since Old Lister was hauled away on May 28 2026.  Many hours spent with ear muffs, vacuum and with a respirator, scrub brushes, rags and degreasers. Smells nice in there now and you can look out the windows.

The Generator Room with shelving and the foot print of Old Lister.

The current diesel generator.

A side room with the power washing equipment and a backup gas generator.

One of the windows before.

Without the flies and grime.

Vessels

• Ecotourism: 19
• Private: 2

Weather

Light rain in the am. Partly cloudy in the pm.  Winds mostly from the WNW 10 to 30 knots. Daytime temperature 13 to 19 degrees.