Author Archives: Ian Waugh

Students out until Saturday pm

Posted on by

Weather: The day started with heavy fog in the morning, dissipating by noon.

Vessels: Fascinating watching tour boats emerging out of the fog in the morning, and then disappearing. Thirteen boats noted throughout the day.

Facilities: Heavy dew made cleaning the solar panels light work. Electric fences needed repair on the north side and along the jetty.

Visitors: Eight students from LBPC, with their instructor, Cam D. and assistant Bella M, came for one night. The Environment Reserve Warden Garry Fletcher, with three guests, arrived with the students, in the early afternoon. Wonderful two hour walkabout with Garry. Thank you.

Joined the students in a venture up to the top of the lighthouse. Two groups of four students made 14 humpback whale spottings. Best place ever for sighting whales.

Restoring the concrete cistern

Posted on by

Up early to fix the southern electric fence, then onto solar panels and sea water temperature and salinity measurements. Took inventory of First Aid kits, expired items. Generator ran today.

Richard T. returned to pump out and start work on the large concrete cistern, in hopes that the desalinator and restored cistern may eventually bring an end to the paucity of usable water. Two killdeer and one turnstone seen on the western part of the main  island.

 

Solar panels, birds and the sun

Posted on by

Wildlife: The morning presented itself with the barking of sea lions on the north side, closer than expected. Looking out to see the new north electric fence lying on the ground and three pleased California sea lions lying on the fence line itself. Repairs undertaken. A pattern with the fence seems to be emerging.

First sighting of entangled Steller sea lion mentioned by previous Eco guardians. May be a female, with a weeping wound around the neck. Wary of humans.

Oyster catchers, black turnstones on eastern part of big island.

Facilities: Solar panels require cleaning every day. Surprised at how tenacious bird droppings can be, especially if the sun has had a chance to bake it on. Became very apparent when trying to clean the science building windows. Needed to use a razor blade scraper to get it off.

Vessels: Twenty one tour boats today. 15 humpback whale sightings. Two pelicans on south islands.

Sea Lions and the north fence

Posted on by

Richard T. was out to replace the rusted metal door on the battery room. With his expertise the electric fencing along the north side of the island was replaced. Much better charge in line now. Topped up water levels in batteries, cleaned solar panels, and took sea temperature and salinity readings. The pattern of daily life on the island is slowly emerging, wonderfully interspersed with the magic of being on Race Rocks.

Change of Ecoguardian

Posted on by

Arrived on site on September 1st abroad the Pedder Explorer, for a tour of my home for the next two weeks with Greg D and Bella. The initial impression is memorable. The sound, the sights, the smell, the activity is pure delight. After taking sea salinity and temperature, and an introduction to all the infrastructure complexity that is Race Rocks, the Pedder Explorer departed, and one is left as the only human amongst hundreds and of other animals. It just does not get any better!

Five brown pelicans landed on south islands islet in the early evening, and the sea lions introduced me to the fine art of repairing downed fences and encouraging them back into their area after breaching the north fence. Branded seal observed in southern area by student residence.