Author Archives: Derek Sterling

Back to the Rock, and prepared for the Storm

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A warm welcome back!

Ecoguardian  Notes:

  • Derek is happy to return to fill the role as Ecoguardian here at Race Rocks, after spending the summer and fall season exploring the Salish Sea as an Ecotourism guide. A special thanks to Jill for leaving the reserve and facilities is such tip top shape!
  • (lack of photos due to no reliable  internet, and running this through a phone hotspot)

Ecological Notes:

  • Dramatic mid week reduction of Sea Lions
  • Working to convince the Sea Lions to not use the ramp area, as pregnant Elephant Seals could be returning in the next month

Visitors:

  • During the Ecoguardian exchange and transfer, Greg delivered firewood and supplies
  • Greg brought out the IT manager to work on the internet and router system.

Facility Work:

  • Attempted repairs to the Desalinator system, realizing more parts were needed.
  • Ongoing troubleshooting of the Internet and wifi system.
  • Main official Weather Station on the tower has been not in operation for a week or so, awaiting outside support for repairs
  • troubleshooting the “local” station at ground level as it lost wind direction sensor during the high wind storm Friday Nov 04.
  • Although the were in good repair earlier in the week, the electric fences now need major repairs, but waiting for the wind to die down after the stormy weekend

DND events:

  • Many detonations on Wednesday Nov 02. Prior to them, I noted 10 to 15 Humpback whales between the reserve and the detonation area. During the blasting, most, if not all, moved west to just beyond Beechy Head. They returned to the area the next day.

Noted Vessel Traffic:

  • Canadian and American EcoTour vessels visiting the reserve, including regular visits from one company doing an educational program with elementary school children.

Weather Events:

  • Sunny and warm, with relatively calm seas, on November 1st for transfer day!
  • Yesterday (Friday, November 05):
    • Sky: Thunder Clouds throughout the day, mixed with high cloud cover
    • Wind: Variable, 15-30knts during the day, rising to 50knts in the evening, gusting to 65knts
    • Sea:  2′ – 3′ chop, larger swells developing as the wind rose in the evening
    • Temperature Low 7oC, High 10oC
  • Today (Saturday, November 05):
    • Sky: Shifting between  clear skies to high overcast with heavy rains and the low pressure system rolls though. Large hail mid afternoon.
    • Wind: W/WSW 25-30 kts
    • Sea:  2-3 foot waves
    • Temperature Low  5oC, High  8o

 

** All wildlife photos taken at the furthest distance possible, and may be cropped to improve detail! **

 

Weather – Current:

http://www.victoriaweather.ca/current.php?id=72

 

Weather – Past:

http://www.victoriaweather.ca/station.php?

October 2022 Seawater Data

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DAILY SEA SURFACE TEMPERATURE AND SALINITY OBSERVATIONS
Institute of Ocean Sciences, North Saanich, B.C., V8L 4B2
Please email monthly to Peter.Chandler@dfo-mpo.gc.ca
Station RACE ROCKS
Observer Jillian October
YSI ID: 27 Year: 2022
YSI YSI
Temp Sal
Day Time ºC ppt
1 18:08 10.2 32.6
2 6:55 9.9 32.7
3 8:05 9.9 32.7
4 10:12 9.9 32.8
5 11:20 10.0 32.7
6 17:00 10.5 32.0
7 13:00 10.3 32.6
8 13:45 10.0 32.8
9 14:30 10.0 33.0
10 15:00 10.2 32.8
11 16:00 10.0 32.8
12 10:00 10.0 32.8
13 16:15 10.0 32.6
14 17:20 10.1 32.4
15 18:10 10.3 32.3
16 6:30 9.9 32.6
17 7:25 9.9 32.5
18 9:57 10.2 32.2
19 15:05 10.7 31.8
20 11:30 10.5 32.0
21 14:00 10.4 32.1
22 12:40 10.3 32.2
23 13:15 10.3 32.0
24 13:45 10.1 32.2
25 14:18 9.6 32.7
26 15:00 9.6 32.6
27 16:00 9.5 32.8
28 16:10 9.5 32.9
29 16:50 9.5 32.8
30 5:30 9.4 32.9
31 6:30 9.2 33.1

September 2022 Seawater Data

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DAILY SEA SURFACE TEMPERATURE AND SALINITY OBSERVATIONS
Institute of Ocean Sciences, North Saanich, B.C., V8L 4B2
Please email monthly to Peter.Chandler@dfo-mpo.gc.ca
Station RACE ROCKS
Observer Jillian September
YSI ID: 27 Year: 2022
YSI YSI
Temp Sal
Day Time ºC ppt
1 17:50 11.1 32.0
2 6:30 10.6 32.0
3 7:28 10.8 31.9
4 8:30 11.1 31.8
5 9:50 11.1 31.7
6 11:24 11.2 31.9
7 12:30 10.8 32.2
8 13:25 10.4 32.6
9 14:25 10.8 32.3
10 14:59 10.2 32.8
11 15:39 10.6 32.7
12 16:15 10.6 32.4
13 16:55 10.6 32.4
14 17:25 10.3 32.5
15 18:04 10.4 32.4
16 6:35 10.5 32.1
17 7:20 10.3 32.4
18 8:30 10.5 32.2
19 10:45 11.2 31.7
20 11:59 11.2 31.6
21 12:28 11.4 31.6
22 13:25 11.3 31.4
23 14:50 11.7 31.5
24 14:15 11.5 31.6
25 14:45 11.6 31.7
26 15:08 11.1 31.9
27 15:20 10.7 32.2
28 16:05 10.1 32.6
29 16:20 10.4 32.5
30 17:15 10.1 32.9

August 2022 Seawater Data

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DAILY SEA SURFACE TEMPERATURE AND SALINITY OBSERVATIONS
Institute of Ocean Sciences, North Saanich, B.C., V8L 4B2
Please email monthly to Peter.Chandler@dfo-mpo.gc.ca
Station RACE ROCKS
Observer Nick/Ann August
YSI ID: 27 Year: 2022
YSI YSI
Temp Sal
Day Time ºC ppt
1 17:03 10.7 31.6
2 17:35 10.8 31.7
3 18:14 11.5 31.3
4 19:01 11.4 31.2
5 8:06 10.8 31.5
6 9:03 11.2 30.9
7 10:05 11.3 30.8
8 11:08 12.0 30.5
9 12:10 11.8 30.3
10 13:12 11.0 31.2
11 14:22 10.6 31.6
12 15:22 10.1 32.2
13 16:20 10.4 32.2
14 16:53 10.6 32.1
15 17:33 10.5 32.3
16 18:12 10.5 32.2
17 18:51 11.0 32.1
18 7:25 10.2 32.2
19 8:22 10.6 32.0
20 9:48 11.0 31.9
21 11:25 11.3 31.7
22 12:24 11.4 31.4
23 13:12 11.4 31.5 H=230-5=225 Metal thermometer=12.2 Glass thermometer=12.3
24 13:56 11.4 31.4
25 14:34 11.2 31.6
26 15:07 11.2 31.7
27 16:25 10.9 32.0
28 17:00 11.0 32.0
29 16:20 11.3 32.0
30 16:35 11.2 32.0
31 17:02 11.3 31.9

July 2022 Seawater Data

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DAILY SEA SURFACE TEMPERATURE AND SALINITY OBSERVATIONS
Institute of Ocean Sciences, North Saanich, B.C., V8L 4B2
Please email monthly to Peter.Chandler@dfo-mpo.gc.ca
Station RACE ROCKS
Observer Nick Townley July
YSI ID: 27 Year: 2022
YSI YSI
Temp Sal
Day Time ºC ppt
1 15:15 10.1 31.5
2 16:42 9.8 31.8
3 17:18 9.9 31.6
4 18:03 9.7 32.0
5 18:49 10.3 31.7
6 19:44 10.0 31.7
7 20:58 10.2 31.6
8 9:50 10.2 31.6
9 10:40 10.1 31.7
10 11:29 10.2 31.9
11 12:19 10.4 31.6
12 13:08 9.8 32.1
13 13:57 9.5 32.5
14 14:52 9.6 32.4
15 16:09 9.4 32.4
16 17:17 9.5 32.4
17 18:08 9.5 32.3
18 18:55 10.2 31.8
19 19:39 10.7 31.7
20 20:25 10.3 31.9
21 10:18 10.2 31.8
22 10:27 10.8 31.1
23 11:44 11.0 31.2
24 12:44 11.2 30.8
25 13:34 11.2 31.0
26 14:15 11.4 30.9
27 15:01 11.2 30.7
28 15:39 11.4 30.5
29 16:13 10.9 31.1
30 16:39 11.1 30.9
31 16:51 11.0 31.1

Gulls and Oyster Catchers are nesting

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(having trouble uploading photos right now, will add photos later)

Ecological Notes:

  • 1 Young Adult Male Elephant Seal, who is very possessive of the 1 Female elephant seal also on the island
  • The yearling “pup” was very thin and wrinkly by the time he finished his molt, but appears to have left the reserve now.
  • Less than half as many as last year, but the gull have now made their nests and sitting on eggs
  • Have found 3 Oyster Catcher nests, but now they are nesting, I avoid the perimeter areas where they make the nests, so there may be more.
  • Frequent Humpback whales close to the reserve, and one actually passed withing about 5 meters of the end of the pier!
  • 4 different times, Transient orca were observed passing between the reserve and Bentinick Island

Visitors:

  • A College instructor and 2 researchers came for an overnight to take collect some data
  • The Desalination / water pump contractor came to help repair the systems

Facility Work:

  • Replaced the pressure pump and switches in the Desalinator system.
  • Consistent near daily cleaning of the Solar Panels
  • Repaired the frozen firepump used to fill the cistern with salt water

DND events:

  • Ongoing detonations at rocky point and Bentinick Island

Noted Vessel Traffic:

  • Very regular visits to the reserve by Ecotourism Vessels, both Canadian, and American vessels
  • Increase in private vessels also visiting the reserve.
  • Many sailing vessels passing both sides of the reserve during the Swiftsure Race.

 

 Noted Infractions:

  • All boats on best behavior. One instance of a private vessel fishing within the reserve. They were intercepted and warned by an Ecotourism vessel after not receiving (or ignoring) my radio calls.

 Feature Event:

  •  The repairs to the fire pump ended up an extended event!

    • The main pump was frozen and wouldn’t turn over, but the back up pump started easily.
    • Transferred the firehose pump fittings to the back up pump.Laid out and connected all the hose for transfer.
    • Attempted to restart the backup pump and the pull cord snapped!
    • Swapped the pull cord from the main pump and started the back up pump.
    • When the backup pump started to pump, there was a leak from the housing right at the engine mount. Did not want to dismantle that part of the pump without parts.
    • Stripped down the main pump to cleans and wire brush all the parts to get it turning over properly (which as it turns out, I should have just done in the first place!)
    • Transferred the pump fittings and pull start back to the main pump
    • Was then finally able to fill the cistern!
    • Flush the pump thoroughly with fresh water before storing!

Weather Events:

  • Full range of spring weather, no extremely high winds though.

 

** All wildlife photos taken at the furthest distance possible, and may be cropped to improve detail! **

 

Weather – Current:

http://www.victoriaweather.ca/current.php?id=72

 

Weather – Past:

http://www.victoriaweather.ca/station.php?

Census

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Birds

 

  • Bald eagle adult 2
  • Bald eagle juvenile 3
  • Turnstones 18
  • Sparrow 3
  • Gulls, Glaucous and Western  82
  • Cormorants 23
  • Pigeon Guillemots 45
  • Oyster catcher 18
  • Canadian goose 10
  • Canada Goose Goslings 4
  • Surf Birds 18

 

Mammals

  • Steller sea lion 6
  • Harbour seal 120
  • California sea lion 12
  • Sea Otter 1
  • Elephant Seal 1 Young Adult Male, 1 Female

More Spring Activities

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Ecological Notes:

  • 6  Elephant Seals, including this years pup

  • Although they have been courting for a while, starting to see the first of the gulls actually making nests

  • I thought the Canada Geese were done with nests for the season, but found this hidden nest after moving a propane tank

  • The Oyster Catchers are starting to protect there chosen nest areas, and are really vocal and aggressive to anything coming near.

  • A lifetime on the ocean for me, and the first time I saw one of these ….. A Lancet fish. He was looking physically good, but having trouble swimming and kept coming in to the shore … I got in the water and walked him out and did a fisherman’s revive for about 15 minutes, then he finally swam away …. Not sure if he’ll make it, but still worth the effort!

Facility Work:

  • Attempted to replace the pressure pump for the desalinator, but something is not right and we decided to bring in the pump professional.

DND events:

  • 3 separate days of detonations

Noted Vessel Traffic:

  • More private, and commercial ecotourism vessels visiting.

 Noted Infractions:

  • One large Ecotourism Vessel entered the reserve a little fast, but this was a vessel that is normally exemplary in their behavior, so probably a temporary oversight. Discussed it informally with a manager from the company.

Weather Events:

  • Again, quite the mix of spring weather

 

** All wildlife photos taken at the furthest distance possible, and may be cropped to improve detail! **

 

Weather – Current:

http://www.victoriaweather.ca/current.php?id=72

 

Weather – Past:

http://www.victoriaweather.ca/station.php?

A Quick Return

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After finishing my term at Race Rocks on April 19, there was an unexpected schedule change and I was asked to return on April 30. It took a little quick re-arranging, but I was able to help  out!

Always a relaxing view

 

Ecological Notes:

  • 5 Elephant Seals on land, 4 in the process of molting.
  • This year’s only surviving pup is still around with occasional 1 or 2 day ventures out and back

  • Although the adult  Canada Geese are still around, there is only one pair still sitting on a nest. No other chicks around.
  • There are a few sealions returning to the ramp area, but none are hauling out on the actual rocks they normally do … and they all seem very nervous. Just speculation(!), but they all left the main island rock the day the Orca hunted one just of the island.

Visitors:

  • One of the previous Ecoguardian’s friend came out for a quick visit when we were doing the exchange.

Facility Work:

  • More path cleaning, fence repairs and general maintenance.

Noted Vessel Traffic:

  • Gradual increase in the volume of Eco-Tourism vessels coming to the reserve, depending on wind direction.
  • A few  kayaks and even some sailboats making their way around the island.

 Feature Event:

  •  When I was here last time, I designed and prototyped some simple electric fence connectors. The ideas was for something fast and simple to use when the weather was bad, or to quickly secure the fence, followed by the ability to return later and re-enforce it with a wired secure.
  • The ones installed 3 months ago were all in place, so I have made some more. They are made with plant-based resin, and most likely, they will always be replaced before they fail completely.
  • Also making some gifts for co-workers, and teaching props while I have a printer here with me.

Weather Events:

  • The full range of late spring weather and temperatures. Wind days up to 50 knots,a and some shorts and t-shirt days mixed in.

 

** All wildlife photos taken at the furthest distance possible, and may be cropped to improve detail! **

 

Weather – Current:

http://www.victoriaweather.ca/current.php?id=72

 

Weather – Past:

http://www.victoriaweather.ca/station.php?

Very busy times

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Ecological Notes:

  • 8 Elephant Seals in various stages of molt
  • 1 of the above is the surviving male pup from this season
  • 5 Canada Goose nests now
  • Gulls are still pairing up and courting, but no nests yet
  • Seals and sealions use the sensitive whiskers, and hair above their eyes to detect vibrations from fish when in the dark depths  of the ocean.

Visitors:

  • 2 separate sets of students from Westcoast Adventure College, each group with chaperone for a total of 9 students and 2 chaperones
  • Each group stayed for 3 days and 3 nights, for 2 days of classes, and 1 day of learning about and helping  with the procedures of the Ecoguardian
  • Class was An Introduction to Marine Mammals of the Salish Sea …… A program the Ecoguardian has been teaching for 17 years to the students of WAC, and this was the first time it could be taught amongst actual marine mammals here at the reserve!

Facility Work:

  • All sidewalks and the generator building have been pressure washed.
  • Even more waste building materials have been gathered and stacked ready for pick up
  • Many logs were salvaged from the rocky shoreline while there were extra people here.
  • An extra thorough cleaning of the Student house.
  • New electric fencing was set up to protect the lower solar panels from the sealions, as they had managed to get under the panels and damaged the wiring in the past.
  • As normal, lots of fence repairs during the windy times. Although there is not much sealion traffic right now, it is much easier to keep it all up than redo it all later.
  • Still working with the old tank on the fuel delivery vessel, so lots of fuel transfers from boat tank, to barrels, to portable tidytank, to generator tank.

Noted Vessel Traffic:

  • Daily visits from Ecotourism Vessels, and some private vessels paused to look at the sealions.
  • In addition to kayakers, a pair of paddlers ventured out and around the reserve in a canoe
  • As the current Ecoguardian is an experienced kayak and canoe guide, all were observed closely to ensure they were equipped properly and had the skill sets to be out here in the currents. Happy to report, all was good!
  • 2 sailboats passed through the main channel east to west before looping around past the southern side of the main island. 1 had a little trouble in the currents on the west side and stalled out, but they recovered before they were any actual danger …. but they looked quite tense through the binoculars!

 

 Feature Event:

  •  The updated Solar power system has continued to function at the high level it was hoped it would provide. With only average sunlight, the system still uses much less generator time, and we have only been running the generator 2 out of 3 days.

Weather Events:

  • Many high wind days, giving way to medium winds and clear skies. Rinse and repeat.

 

** All wildlife photos taken at the furthest distance possible, and may be cropped to improve detail! **

 

Weather – Current:

http://www.victoriaweather.ca/current.php?id=72

 

Weather – Past:

http://www.victoriaweather.ca/station.php?