| Day | Time | Temp ºC | Salinity ppt |
| 1 | 13:30 | 11.1 | 30.8 |
| 2 | 14:15 | 10.7 | 31.3 |
| 3 | 14:30 | 10.5 | 30.5 |
| 4 | 15:00 | 10.1 | 31.8 |
| 5 | 15:40 | 10.4 | 31.8 |
| 6 | 16:50 | 11.6 | 31.1 |
| 7 | 17:00 | 11.2 | 31.3 |
| 8 | 17:55 | 11.1 | 31.5 |
| 9 | 18:30 | 11.5 | 31.3 |
| 10 | 18:45 | 11.7 | 30.9 |
| 11 | 20:00 | 11.6 | 31.4 |
| 12 | 8:30 | 11.8 | 31.1 |
| 13 | 9:45 | 12.2 | 29.6 |
| 14 | 10:15 | 12.5 | 29.2 |
| 15 | 12:00 | 12.5 | 29.6 |
| 16 | 11:35 | 12.5 | 29.5 |
| 17 | 12:14 | 11.3 | 30.6 |
| 18 | 12:53 | 10.8 | 31.2 |
| 19 | 13:37 | 10.9 | 31.3 |
| 20 | 14:29 | 10.6 | 31.6 |
| 21 | 15:34 | 10.3 | 31.8 |
| 22 | 16:14 | 10.6 | 31.8 |
| 23 | 17:02 | 10.5 | 31.9 |
| 24 | 18:34 | 11.1 | 31.6 |
| 25 | 6:56 | 10.2 | 31.8 |
| 26 | 7:41 | 9.9 | 32.0 |
| 27 | 9:20 | 10.8 | 31.4 |
| 28 | 10:42 | 10.6 | 31.7 |
| 29 | 11:40 | 10.9 | 31.2 |
| 30 | 12:30 | 10.9 | 31.3 |
| 31 | 13:04 | 11.0 | 31.3 |
Author Archives: Nick Townley
August 30
Wind: variable 1-18 knots
Sea State: calm in morning, rippled in afternoon
Visibility: 10-15 NM
Sky: clear, overcast and rain in evening
Temperature: 11-14 °C
Atmospheric CO2: 411.94 ppm (recorded by NOAA at Mauna Loa Observatory, Hawaii)
Here are some sights from around the island today:
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- Steller and california sea lions swimming in the South Channel
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- The entangled california sea lion spotted a few days ago is still hauled out on the South Islands.
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- The sea otter is floating in the bull kelp.
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- A zoomed in view of the otter’s feet and backside of head, floating in the bull kelp.
August 29
Wind: W 1-26 knots
Sea State: calm in morning, rippled in afternoon
Visibility: 10-15 NM
Sky: clear
Temperature: 13-16 °C
Atmospheric CO2: 411.60 ppm (recorded by NOAA at Mauna Loa Observatory, Hawaii)
Many eco tourism boats passed through the ecological reserve, observing the sea lions and harbour seals.
Here are some sights from around the island today:
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- A young gull carrying a single feather.
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- A sea kayaker out for a morning paddle from Pedder Bay.
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- Gull chicks
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- A california sea lion branded U958 has been seen here previously on April 20, 2017.
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- The entangled califonia sea lion spotted a couple days ago is still in the ecological reserve. Here, it is seen through the scope, hauled out on the South Islands.
August 28
Wind: W 16-37 knots
Sea State: calm in morning, up to 1m waves in afternoon and evening
Visibility: 0-15 NM
Sky: fog in morning and evening, clear in middle of day
Temperature: 11-16 °C
Atmospheric CO2: 411.60 ppm (recorded by NOAA at Mauna Loa Observatory, Hawaii)
There were two visitors mid afternoon from Pearson College to drop off supplies.
Here are some sights from around the island today:
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- Bull kelp
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- Black oystercatcher
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- Harbour seal in the east bay
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- A ring-necked california sea lion that was also spotted two days ago.
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- A california sea lion on the western point of the ecological reserve. Beechey Head, in East Sooke Park, can be seen in the background.
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- Part of a fishing lure that was brought up onto the rocks by a bird.
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- Sea lions appear to be taking shelter from the strong west wind.
August 27
Wind: W 5-25 knots
Sea State: calm in morning, rippled in afternoon
Visibility: 0-15 NM
Sky: fog until evening, then clear
Temperature: 11-15 °C
Atmospheric CO2: 411.99 ppm (recorded by NOAA at Mauna Loa Observatory, Hawaii)
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- A harbour seal was seen this morning with a fishing lure flasher attached. The photo shows the green and white flasher as the seal was diving. It surfaced a few other times in different spots with the flasher. The Marine Mammal Rescue Centre was notified.
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- There have not been a lot of ducks around recently. This lone duck appears to be a female harlequin duck.
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- A gaggle of Canada geese
August 26 – Ring-Necked California Sea Lions
Wind: W 5-28 knots
Sea State: calm in morning, rippled in afternoon
Visibility: 0-10 NM
Sky: clear, fog in morning and evening
Temperature: 10-15 °C
Atmospheric CO2: 412.47 ppm (recorded by NOAA at Mauna Loa Observatory, Hawaii)
Two california sea lions were spotted today with ring-neck wounds. One appears to have fishing line wrapped around and cutting into its skin. The Vancouver Aquarium’s Marine Mammal Rescue Centre has been notified. Rescue Centre staff mentioned they were up in Powell River today successfully disentangling a young steller sea lion.
Here are a few photos from today:
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- Foggy spiderweb in the window looking west
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- This morning, I spotted a ring-necked california sea lion on the jetty.
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- California sea lion rests on logs in the jetty bag.
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- A glaucous-winged gull poses on the old Coast Guard sign with the water plant and lighthouse in the background.
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- Steller sea lions appear to be in a heated discussion on South Seal Rocks.
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- This evening, I spotted a california sea lion that appears to have fishing line wrapped around its neck. The Marine Mammal Rescue Centre has been notified.
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- These two gull chicks are growing up so fast
August 25
Wind: W 2-33 knots
Sea State: calm, up to 0.5m chop in evening
Visibility: 0-15 NM
Sky: clear, fog from 5:20 to 7:00
Temperature: 10-15 °C
Atmospheric CO2: 411.96 ppm (recorded by NOAA at Mauna Loa Observatory, Hawaii)
Today was spent tidying around the island, chainsawing logs and chopping firewood. I gave the gulls and sea lions a wide berth as I moved around the paths.
650 L of diesel was delivered this afternoon.
Here are a few photos from today:
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- Lighthouse and stars last night
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- A log that washed up in the jetty bay a while ago got chainsawed today. The next step is the axe and splitting stump.
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- A california sea lion on the other side of the decommissioned diesel tank.
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- The sea lions around the fog horn seem oblivious to the high pitch sound. I was wearing ear protection.
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- A foggy rainbow framing the ecoguardian house this evening
August 24 – Weekly Census
Wind: W 4-19 knots
Sea State: calm in morning, rippled in afternoon
Visibility: 10-15 NM
Sky: overcast, then clear from mid morning onwards
Temperature: 13-15 °C
Atmospheric CO2: 412.21 ppm (recorded by NOAA at Mauna Loa Observatory, Hawaii)
Here are the numbers from today’s census:
30 steller sea lions
121 california sea lions
1 sea otter
167 harbour seals
1 bald eagle
2 pelagic cormorants
742 california gulls
518 glaucous-winged gulls
169 gull chicks
4 black oystercatchers
14 pigeon guillemots
1 black turnstone
2 killdeer
I was excited to see the fluffy head of the sea otter this afternoon. This morning when doing the census count from the top of the tower, I scanned the kelp but couldn’t see the otter.
This afternoon, I gave TLC to the boat house, boat and boat dolly.
There was a steady stream of about two or three eco tour or pleasure boats per hour passing through the ecological reserve.
Here are some sights from around Race Rocks today:
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- The lines of the bull kelp in the morning light.
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- The sea lion haul out on Middle Rock.
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- A closer look at the sea lions on Middle Rock. One of the steller sea lions hooked with a fishing flasher is visible in the centre. I haven’t been able to see the other one, which means it could have become unhooked from the flasher or gone for a swim.
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- I thought I could see a large fish head possibly left by an eagle on South Seal Rocks. Upon closer inspection, it’s a gull carcass with feathers scattered around it.
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- A lone pelagic cormorant amongst several california gulls.
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- Can you spot the light brown fluffy head and brown feet of “Ollie” the sea otter? He blends in well amongst the bull kelp.
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- Three black oystercatchers dwarfed by a glaucous-winged gull.
August 23
Wind: W 2-19 knots
Sea State: calm in morning, rippled in afternoon
Visibility: 15 NM
Sky: clear, partly cloudy in evening
Temperature: 11-16 °C
Atmospheric CO2: 412.58 ppm (recorded by NOAA at Mauna Loa Observatory, Hawaii)
There were not a lot ecological happenings to note from today. The sea lions are continuing to grow in numbers in the main haul out spots on the southwest side of the main island, southeast side near the lighthouse, jetty area, and Middle Rock. Stay tuned for the weekly census tomorrow to get the official numbers to see how the population has grown since last week.
I have been keeping track of the two steller sea lions seen recently with flashers hooked to their mouths. I only saw one this morning near the jetty. I thought I saw one which was possibly the same one on Middle Rock, although I couldn’t get a good look at it because it was facing away.
I transferred diesel to the furnace tanks in each house, in the ongoing effort to get everything stocked up for the colder months.
There were a lot of eco tourism and pleasure boats in the area, taking advantage of the nice weather.
Here are two photos from today:
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- This california sea lion seems to prefer solitude in the centre of the island. Victoria can be seen in the background.
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- The southwest side of the main island, home of the CODAR ocean sensor and a sea lion haul out that is growing each day.
August 22 – More Flashers
Wind: W 9-12 knots
Sea State: calm in morning, rippled in afternoon
Visibility: 10-15 NM
Sky: clear
Temperature: 13-15 °C
Atmospheric CO2: 412.45 ppm (recorded by NOAA at Mauna Loa Observatory, Hawaii)
It rained heavily overnight, giving the windows and pathways a much needed cleaning of the built up bird poop. I have been able to collect run off water from the downspouts on the main house and energy building, which can be used in the pressure washer to clean paths and exterior walls.
This morning, two steller sea lions were spotted with flashers hooked to the left sides of their mouths. One appears to be the sea lion spotted over the past few days. The other has an identical flasher. The Marine Mammal Rescue Centre has been updated, as this makes three different stellers with flashers hooked to their mouths in a week and a half.
Here are a few photos from today:
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- A gaggle of Canada geese stopped by this morning to mow the tall grass.
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- Two steller sea lions have similar red and silver fishing flashers hooked to the left sides of their mouths.
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- This sea lion spent most of the day in this spot on the northern part of the island, near the jetty bay.
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- This is most likely the same steller sea lion with a flasher that has been spotted for the past few days on the jetty and middle rock.
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- Seven SCUBA divers were exploring in the water off the jetty early this afternoon.
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- A 354m container ship bound for South Korea passes near the south end of the Ecological Reserve.