| Station Race Rocks Lightstation | |||||||
| Month: October | Year: 2016 | ||||||
| Observer Lester B. Pearson College of the Pacific | |||||||
| Date | Time | YSI Salinity | YSI Temp °C | ||||
| 1 | 14:25 | 31.9 | 10.4 | ||||
| 2 | 15:45 | 32.0 | 10.5 | ||||
| 3 | 15:40 | 31.4 | 10.4 | ||||
| 4 | 15:52 | 31.6 | 10.8 | ||||
| 5 | 16:07 | 31.4 | 11.1 | ||||
| 6 | 16:04 | 31.6 | 10.7 | ||||
| 7 | 15:50 | 31.8 | 10.6 | ||||
| 8 | 11:56 | 31.8 | 10.2 | ||||
| 9 | 12:20 | 31.9 | 10.6 | ||||
| 10 | 12:35 | 31.8 | 10.6 | ||||
| 11 | 12:36 | 31.6 | 10.6 | ||||
| 12 | 12:36 | 31.8 | 10.5 | ||||
| 13 | 13:15 | 31.7 | 10.5 | ||||
| 14 | 13:17 | 32.1 | 9.9 | ||||
| 15 | N/A | TOO | STORMY | ||||
| 16 | 14:15 | 31.7 | 10.6 | ||||
| 17 | 14:47 | 32.2 | 10.0 | ||||
| 18 | 15:20 | 32.1 | 10.5 | ||||
| 19 | 15:51 | 31.7 | 9.9 | ||||
| 20 | 16:18 | 32.2 | 10.1 | ||||
| 21 | 16:30 | 32.1 | 10.1 | ||||
| 22 | 11:07 | 32.3 | 10.0 | ||||
| 23 | 11:35 | 32.2 | 10.2 | ||||
| 24 | 11:55 | 32.0 | 10.3 | ||||
| 25 | 12:07 | 32.0 | 10.5 | ||||
| 26 | 12:20 | 32.0 | 10.1 | ||||
| 27 | 12:39 | 32.1 | 10.2 | ||||
| 28 | 13:07 | 31.9 | 10.5 | ||||
| 29 | 13:25 | 31.7 | 10.6 | ||||
| 30 | 14:00 | 31.8 | 10.4 | ||||
| 31 | 13:50 | 31.7 | 10.6 | ||||
| Submitted to: Inst. Ocean Science, P.O. Box 6000, Sidney, B.C. V8L 4B2 | |||||||
| Peter Chandler Peter.Chandler@dfo-mpo.gc.ca | |||||||
| Recorded by Race Rocks Ecological Reserve Guardian on behalf of Lester B. Pearson College | |||||||
Author Archives: Riley Strother
Another Sunrise-to-Sunset
Weather
- Visibility: 15 miles
- Wind: 15-20 knots NE, later E
- Sky: mix of sun and cloud
- Water: 1′ chop
Ecological
- 4 elephant seals on Great Race
Maintenance
- Did some fence resetting
- Had to reset the UPS in the tower at around 19:30
- The wind speed display in the main house stopped working, it only shows 00.0
- The one in the tower still works though so the problem is not with the tower instruments
Boats
- A few eco-tours today
Swell, Sea Lion, Sooth
Weather
- Visibility: 15 miles
- Wind: 10-15 knots N, later down to 5-10 N
- Sky: overcast, then a rather sunny afternoon.
- Water: 1′ waves, 3′ swell on the rocks
Ecological
- A rather large sea lion encroachment today.
- I think the powerful swell against the rocks was driving them inland.
- 5 elephant seals on Great Race.
- One of them spent the day lying in the mud on the NE part of the island.
Maintenance
- The sea lion encroachment caused major fence discombobulation.
- Spent 1 hour resetting the fence.
- The usual chores as well.
Boats
- A few eco-tours came by today.
Other
- A float plane flew over Great Race just after 15:00.
Sunny Day
Weather
- 7:15
- Visibility: 15 miles
- Wind: 10-15 knots NE
- Sky: overcast
- Water: calm
- 10:45
- Visibility: 10 miles (fog to the South and West)
- Wind: 10-15 knots NE
- Sky: sunny
- Water: 1′ chop
- Nice sunset!
Ecological
- Saw 6 Harlequin Ducks today!
Maintenance
- Ran the desalinator during the afternoon.
- Stacked some firewood.
- Cleaned the solar panels.
- The usual chores.
Boats
- Didn’t see many boats today despite the nice weather.
The Dunlin!
Weather
- Visibility: 15 miles
- Wind: 0-5 knots East
- Sky: overcast with showers
- Water: 1′ chop
Ecological
- Saw one California Sea Lion with a nasty looking neck wound.
- Conducted a census today.
- Several bird species notably absent today.
- No Harlequin Ducks, Savannah Sparrows, or Black Oystercatchers.
- The Sparrows have been absent all week; I suspect gone for the winter.
- I’m sure the Harlequins and Oystercatchers are still around.
- Only saw two Heermann’s Gulls; I think last weeks group was just passing through.
- I did see my first Dunlin of the season though!
- And lots more Black Turnstones than in previous weeks.
- They like to splash around in the rain puddles.
- California Sea Lions: 606
- Northern (Steller) Sea Lions: 181
- Harbour Seals: 12
- Elephant Seals: 7 (2 on Great Race, 5 on Middle Rock)
- Seagulls unspecified: 586
- Thayer’s Gulls: 114
- Glaucous-winged Gulls: 76
- Heermann’s Gulls: 2
- Cormorants unspecified: 356
- Black Turnstone: 33
- Canada Geese: 3
- Bald Eagles: 3 (2 adult, 1 immature)
- Dunlin: 1
-
- Neck Wound
-
- 2 Eagles, 5 Harbour Seals
-
- Eagle
Maintenance
- The usual chores.
- Reset the electric fence which has been faring unusually well.
Boats
- A surprising number of eco-tours today, given the weather, day of the week, and month.
- I counted at least 10.
A Strong Breeze
Weather
- Visibility: 15 miles with occasional fog interludes
- Wind: 20-25 knots NE, later down to 15
- Sky: showers
- Water: choppy, especially in Middle Channel where waves and current collided.
- The foghorn went off for a minute or so in the afternoon.
Ecological
- Still lots of sea lions on and around the jetty.
- Lots of Canada Geese on the island.
Maintenance
- Yesterday at 21:30 the windspeed display showed 00.0 despite clear wind.
- It started working again sometime in the early morning.
- The usual chores.
Boats
- A few eco-tours came by in the afternoon.
- One of them was here when the foghorn went off.
Incredible Sunset
Weather
- Visibility: 15 miles
- Wind: 10-15 knots North
- Sky: overcast, later some blue sky
- Water: 2′ chop, later calm
Ecological
- Lots more sea lions on and around the jetty.
Maintenance
- The usual chores.
- Tried to move the dead sea lion for the 3rd time.
- Too heavy for me no matter what I try.
Boats
- Several eco-tours came by in the afternoon when the water calmed down.
Another Day
Weather
- Visibility: 15 miles
- Wind: 25-30 knots NE, later down to zero
- Sky: mostly clear
- Water: 1′ chop
Ecological
- Nothing special to report.
- Several Canada Geese hanging about.
- Saw two seagulls on their own ‘eco-tour’.
Maintenance
- The usual chores.
Boats
- A few eco-tours came by.
Sea Lion house damage
Weather
- Visibility: 15 miles
- Wind: 0-10 knots West, later NE
- Sky: Mix of sun and clouds
- Water: choppy in the morning, calm later on
Ecological
- The sea lions are far less prevalent on the inner part of the island now.
- Saw California Sea Lion U105.
Maintenance
- Somehow the sea lions have managed to break a pipe attached to the students’ house.
- I’m not sure what kind of wire was in the pipe, but it was ripped out and broken.
- Whatever it is, it seems to run into the disused basement workshop.
Boats
- Ogden Point Dive boat had divers down in Middle Channel this morning.
- Saw a sailboat pass by, as well as a few eco-tours.
An Unremarkable Day
Weather
- Visibility: 5 miles, later 15
- Wind: 5-10 knots NE, later up to 20
- Sky: fog, then overcast, then rain.
- Water: no waves but some swell hitting the rocks.
Ecological
- A very ordinary day today.
Maintenance
- The usual chores.
- Had to restart the UPS in the tower.
Boats
- Ogden Point Dive boat had divers down in Middle Channel this morning.
- A few eco-tours came by in the afternoon.
