I’m back on the Rocks again! This morning Greg dropped me off and picked up Nick, who had just spent a lovely Halloween with the visiting students over the weekend. It’s always wonderful to spend some time going about the island with other Ecoguardians, sharing tips and procedural updates before getting back into life in this magical place.

I was immediately amazed by how peaceful this season is compared with the seagull-fueled chaos of August. The grass has grown back lush and green (thanks no doubt to the full tonne of guano received over the summer), and the gull-warding brooms are tucked away for now.

Sadly, it seems like a fair number of the sea lions are also keeping a distance. Perhaps the installation of the new perimeter fence- and its significantly increased efficacy have scared them off for a wee bit. The outer rocks are still covered in Steller lions, but the mudflat of the Northeast corner is remarkably empty.

The diesel generator is back in business and running on automatic, so luckily, I won’t have to face the constant awareness of battery levels that Kendra managed last month! We’re still waiting on parts for the solar and battery transition, but I’m looking forward to the installation of a whole new energy generation and storage system. Busy days ahead!