We awoke to another beautiful day on Race Rocks, which I was immensely grateful for as it’d be my last full day to enjoy this little piece of heaven. It was a busy one, as we had a group of students coming out for their week-long stay and I had to make sure everything was ready for handover to the next incoming Eco-Guardian. After giving an orientation for the students about life on the island, I took them for a tour as we looked at the different ecosystems and wildlife around the island that might inspire their biology projects. Thankful for my background in nature guiding, I happily answered their questions about the animals and environment around us. I was sad to be missing out on the rest of the week as I’m curious to see what their projects end up becoming! What an amazing opportunity for students to learn in the field and have their classroom in nature.

Humpback Whale

Later in the day I was lucky to spot some humpback whales off the East side of the island. I notified the students and we watched the two swimming along in the currents. My first whales of the season, perhaps the first this year at Race Rocks? Very exciting nonetheless!

Facility work

• Generator check and fuel
• Wash basement floors
• Clean house
• Final inventory of supplies
• Seawater sampling (with student’s help)

Weather

• Wind: 3-7kts ESE
• Mostly sunny
• Air temp: 6C

Vessels: 5 Eco-tourism boats, 2 private vessels

DND Activity: 3 blastings

Farewell Race Rocks!

Although I’m sad to be reaching the end of my stay at Race Rocks, today was exciting as I had my very good friend arrive to join me for my last couple days. I was also happy to have some help to do the animal census on this gorgeous sunny day. Perhaps because of the great weather and calm waters, there seemed to be a lower count of animals as they were out foraging.

Animal Census Saturday, March 22, 2026:

Mammals:

• Steller sea lion: 26
• California sea lion: 17
• Harbour seal: 135
• Northern Elephant seal: 2 (Baby and adult female)

Birds:

• Glaucus-winged gull: 278
• Herring gull: 3
• Brandt’s Cormorant: 106
• Pelagic Cormorant: 89
• Double-crested cormorant: 21
• Black oystercatcher: 6
• Harlequin duck: 12
• Black turnstone: 7
• Canadian goose: 10
• Surfbirds: 5
• Bald Eagle: 3 (2 Juveniles)
• Savannah’s Sparrow: 1

Again the pigeon guillemots evaded me on census day…but I saw more than a dozen by the jetty the day before. We also came across a Steller sea lion with a massive growth hanging out of it’s eye – while it seemed to otherwise be in good condition I did report this animal as it’s one to keep an eye on.

Facility work

• Animal census
• Batteries top-up
• Seawater sample
• Washed solar panels
• Washed outside windows

Weather

• Wind: 5-15kts NNW
• Mostly sunny
• Air temp: 7C
• Sea state: calm

Vessels: 1 canoe/rower who circumnavigated the island, 1 kayaker, 1 eco-tourism

Blessed with another day of sunshine on the rocks. The wind hasn’t let up yet, but it was more manageable to be outside for longer periods today. Little pup has moved herself to the opposite side of the island, now hanging out by the woodpile near the crane on the North end while the adult female elephant seal takes her usual spot near the flagpole. A large male Steller sea lion has been hanging out with the California sea lions near the jetty haulout – he is massive, taking up the space of 2 or 3 California sea lions. But they don’t seem to mind him, all still piling on to the same rocks.

Male Steller Sea Lion amongst California Sea Lions

Facility work

• Cleaned solar panels
• Filled battery fluids
• Seawater sample
• Compost

Weather

• Wind: 12-23kts NW
• Mostly sunny
• Air temp: 7C
• Sea state: 1-2ft chop in the morning, calm afternoon

Another drizzly morning, but the sun finally made an appearance in the afternoon. However it did come with some good winds making for some pretty rough seas. It’s one of my favorite visuals on the island, an angry looking sea with sunshine sparkling and lighting up the crashing waves.

Facility work

• House deep cleaning continued
• Seawater sample
• Generator and fence checks
• Wood splitting

Weather

• Wind: 10NW, gusting 40kts
• Rain in the morning, partly cloudy afternoon
• Air temp: 9C
• Sea state: 3ft chop, 1m swell

Vessels: 1 Eco-tourism

The rain continues making large puddles all around the island, while I focus my chores on keeping busy indoors in the dry and warm. Although I’d rather be outside taking photos and enjoying the wildlife the house does need some good deep cleaning, so the rain is good motivation. Not much else to report on, both seals are doing their usual business of napping most of the day and the geese are still rudely chasing me. But all is well on the island.

Facility work

• Checked & re-fueled generator
• Deep clean kitchen & living room
• Seawater sample

Weather

• Wind: 2-21kts WSW
• Rain / Overcast
• Air temp: 10C
• Sea state: 1 ft chop

Vessels: 1 private, 1 eco-tourism

DND Blasting: 1 time in the morning

Another drizzly day on the rocks, but I had some morning entertainment as I watched our baby Elephant seal being uncontrollably cute playing in the rain. She was galumphing around splashing in the puddles, even at times blowing bubbles into them. She’d raise her head and open her mouth at the sky, almost as if catching raindrops on her tongue. It’s hard to interpret the behaviour of a wild seal, but as an Aunty of two young girls I can tell when toddlers are just being silly and weird!

Facility work

• Fence maintenance
• Seawater sample
• Kitchen deep clean
• House inventory

Weather

• Wind: 5-20kts NE
• Light drizzle and fog in the morning, rain in the afternoon
• Air temp: 10C
• Sea state: Calm

Vessels: 2 Ecotourism

DND Activity: 3 blastings in the morning

I do love a moody misty morning. The fog rolled in blanketing the reserve, making it feel all the more secluded – like an island drifting in a cloud. Despite the fog in the morning, it was a bit more active day on the water with 2 Ecotourism vessels and 3 private vessels coming to check out the reserve and our residents.

Once the fog cleared it was actually quite warm outside (relatively that is). A nice day for bopping around the island taking lots of mystical photos in between my facility work.

House of Mist & Fog

Facility work

• Battery fluid fill
• Fill tidy tank & generator with fuel
• Seawater sample
• Ran desalinator

Weather

• Wind: 4kts W, gusting 32kts in the evening
• Dense fog in the morning, clearing to overcast in the afternoon, rain into the evening
• Air temp: 10C
• Sea state: Calm

While some people dread Mondays as they scuttle back to work after the weekend, I get to wake up with immense gratitude for another “day at the office” at Race Rocks. Although I do daily checks on the systems that keep this place running, every day is so different from the next. There is no rushing, but there’s always something to keep busy with. Today I pittered around cleaning up after the gulls, washing the solar panels and outside windows that they painted their droppings on. I also got caught up on paperwork –  an important part of maintenance is to keep good records.

Often between tasks, I am distracted by the wildlife and scenery around me. I pause to watch the seals give themselves a scratch, or I take a photo of the clouds floating by the mountains. This place allows one to slow down and enjoy the little moments.

Monday Office Views

Facility work

• Reports / Data
• Seawater sample
• Solar Panel clean
• Window clean

Weather

• Wind: 5kts SSE
• Overcast
• Air temp: 7C
• Sea state: Calm

Vessels: 1 Ecotourism

A grey and quiet Sunday on the reserve. With the generator finally staying on into the waking hours, I was able to turn the Desalinator on and top up my water supply. Making water from seawater on the island affords us the luxury of having nice showers and even doing loads of laundry onsite. Although I’m always very conservative with my water use (well taught from days living on a boat), it’s nice to know I won’t run out.

Later in the day I had a short visit from Greg who kindly brought me a top up of groceries and supplies for the island. He did some checks, and showed me how to sharpen the chain on the chainsaw. I waved goodbye to him and was once again left to my own devices.

Steller Sea Lions

Facility work

• Desalinator
• Fixed fence
• Seawater sample
• House tidy/organize

Weather

• Wind: 5-15 kts E
• Cloudy, periods of light rain
• Air temp: 6C

It is animal census day again at Race Rocks Ecological Reserve. Thankfully, a nice sunny mostly clear sky which I’m grateful for when spending the day outside observing the animals around the islands. It was however still quite windy, which might have affected my seeing the smaller birds that I usually spot around the island. With the sun glare today, I did not separate the cormorants into species as it was quite hard to tell when silhouetted.

Animal Census Saturday, March 14, 2026:

Mammals:

• Steller sea lion: 48
• California sea lion: 10
• Harbour seal: 153
• Northern Elephant seal: 2 (Baby and adult female)

Birds:

• Glaucus-winged gull: 326
• Herring gull: 10
• Cormorant Spp: 338 (Pelagic & Brandt’s)
• Double-crested cormorant: 6
• Black oystercatcher: 6
• Harlequin duck: 8
• Black turnstone: 6
• Canadian goose: 9
• Surfbirds: 4
• Bald Eagle: 3 (2 Juveniles)

*Not seen on census day but seen otherwise has been large groups of Pigeon Guillemots wading by the jetty

Facility work

• Animal census
• Batteries top-up
• Seawater sample
• Fixed fence
• Generator checks

Weather

• Wind: 7-19kts NNW
• Mostly sunny
• Air temp: 6C