Author Archives: Eva Cowley

Entanglement

Posted on by

I’ve been alerted to a California sea lion entangled in some netting hanging out down by the jetty. The line is cutting into the front of his neck, and he seems to be spending as much time as possible lying flat to relieve the pressure. The hope is that he sticks around long enough for a fellow Ecoguardian on the Vancouver Aquarium Marine Mammal Rescue Service (VAMRS) team to come help him out.

It’s heartbreaking to see such a beautiful creature in pain, especially as this is my first time coming into such close and regular contact with marine mammals. Unfortunately, this sea lion is only one of many entanglements that we’ll likely see around the rocks this year. The page marine mammal injuries details more of the ways human activity can endanger the animals we share wild waters with.

Yet even as sad as the situation is, the response by so many reaching out to let us know of the situation from eco-tour naturalists to private visitors, has been heartwarming. As much as we bear responsibility for so much damage, I find hope in the folks working to treat the natural world with the care and respect we owe it. And hopefully, they can come soon for a rescue operation!

Facility Work
– cleaned panels
– wiped stair railings in main house
– generator fuel check + inspection

Weather
Sunshine, big fluffy cumulus ringing the horizon all day. Morning blowing southern 10 knots, westerlies picking up from 12 to 29 knots later in the day. Temperature from 12 to 16 degrees.

Vessels
ecotourism: 18
private: 4

August 01 Census

Posted on by

California sea lions: 62
Steller sea lions: 44
Harbour seals: 122

Cormorants: 54
Nesting Gulls: 256 (+ 300 or so chicks)
Gulls (Outer rocks and water): 400
Canada Geese: 2
Oyster Catchers: 21
Pigeon Guillemots: 63
Bald Eagle: 1
Small brown songbirds: 4

Getting to Know the Neighbourhood

My first day alone on the rocks. I began by cleaning the kitchen while a short but mighty burst of rain swept over, saving me from solar panel duty for the morning. Then I ventured out to the top of the lighthouse, coffee and seagull broom in overhead.

The census count took a few trips up to the light, once in the morning, afternoon and evening to get a good idea of who has been hanging around. In the afternoon and evening, many of the nesting birds had gone out for the day, and the sea lions were easiest to count as they all hauled out around the midday low tide to soak in some sunshine. There are a few small shorebirds I wasn’t able to recognize yet- time for some reading!

Facility Work
– Finished topping up batteries
– Transformed old curtains into rags

Weather
Intermittent rain, mostly cloudy. Gusty! Strong westerly winds from 35 to 51 knots. Temperature 12.8 to 17.4 degrees.

Vessels
ecotourism: 16
private: 4

July 2026 Seawater Data

Posted on by

DAILY SEA SURFACE TEMPERATURE AND SALINITY OBSERVATIONS
Institute of Ocean Sciences, North Saanich, B.C., V8L 4B2
Station: RACE ROCKS
Observer: Christine/Joan Month: July
YSI ID: #9 Year: 2026
YSI YSI
Temp Sal
Day Time ºC ppt
1 15:30 10.2 31.8
2 16:08 10.0 31.7
3 16:42 10.2 31.6
4 17:30 11.0 31.5
5 18:20 11.0 31.2
6 18:56 10.9 31.3
7 8:15 10.4 31.4
8 9:07 10.9 31.0
9 9:47 10.7 30.9
10 10:50 10.8 31.2
11 11:45 10.9 31.1
12 12:31 10.0 31.9
13 13:30 10.1 31.9
14 14:30 10.2 31.4
15 15:40 10.0 32.0
16 14:15 10.1 31.7
17 17:39 10.0 32.1
18 18:14 10.4 31.7
19 18:59 11.0 31.5
20 19:30 11.5 31.3
21 20:15 11.1 31.3
22 9:23 10.9 31.4
23 10:41 11.3 31.0
24 12:00 11.6 31.0
25 12:58 11.4 30.9
26 14:06 11.3 31.1
27 14:36 11.0 31.2
28 15:06 11.0 31.5
29 15:48 10.6 31.7
30 16:12 10.8 31.8
31 16:32 10.8 30.3

Squeegee Skills and Other Wisdom

Posted on by

I was lucky to spend time with Christine, following her around like a baby seal learning to swim in the slow eddy of the South Seal Rocks. Together we went through some of the duties of an Ecoguardian; the log, making water, battery and solar panel maintenance, the census, how to prepare the house for a change of shift. In a day and a half of showing me the ropes, I could feel myself catching her infectious love for this place with each story-saturated task.
Brushes and squeegees in hand at the base of the energy building, she turned and offered a piece of advice that encapsulated something of both the reality and the magic of this place:

“Whatever you’re doing here, you have to be doing it 100%. Focus on one thing at a time.”

There’s near-perfect cell service and wi-fi across the rocks, and we carry a handheld VHF; but when it comes to emergencies, it might still be a while before any help can arrive. Living and working here, situational awareness is non-negotiable.
And what a delight! In a world where one is often juggling five tasks with one hand, typing twenty-three replies with the other while three different media streams play in each ear, it’s a relief to focus entirely for a moment on the placement of my rubber boot on a ladder rung. Standing on the roof in the morning sun and stiff sea breeze, surrounded by a symphony of gulls and sea lions, it’s not hard to enjoy being fully present. (Also, this would be a rather inconvenient spot to break an ankle.)

Wildlife

Facility Work
– Daily water sample
– Topped up batteries
– Gathered final monthly report figures
– Cleaned Ecoguardian living space

Vessels
– Ecotourism: 16
– Private: 2

Weather
Sunny. Mostly westerly wind, increasing from 10 to 31 knots by early evening. Temperature from 12 to 18.4 degrees.