Category Archives: Overflights

Abundant waters

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Weather

The weekend has been a calm one ,except on Sunday where in the afternoon the wind increased to almost 40 knots .We got some rain on Saturday ; which is good for the island (cleaning) and in the afternoon the sky was overcast and a dark grey colour !DSC_0203

Ecological

Lately the difference between high and low tide is not big, from 4 feet to 8 and as a result the sea temperature is higher, above 12 degrees . It’s amazing to see all those flocks of birds fishing  all around .We even found a ball of small heering on the balcony…the smell coming inside the house was just as if we had opened a huge sardine can!

Maintenance 

Guy put 3 barrels of gasoil in the main house cistern ( 600 liters).It’s now full (1000l).Solar panels needed attention (LOL) and some sweeping had to be done , grass plucked by the gulls for their nests. We did some light proof curtains for the main bedroom. It will be appreciated by the eco -guardians community especially in Summer time . It’s clear at 4:20 in June without speaking when it’s the full moon!

Other

Watching boats like usual and an helicoptere (Coast guards )just above ,freaking out the birds.

Census day

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Weather

The wind has been blowing  strongly since 10:00AM ;before that it was around 19 knots At 5:00 it was calm with 10 miles of visibility. At Noon we had 26 knots ,38 at 4:00PM and down to 30 around 7:00. When we went in the light to do the census the effect of the wind and the tide was amazing and gave the feeling to be on a speed boat especially on South side. Going from the house to the tower for the census was like an adventure between the gulls above , the flying helmet, the binoculars and the wind climbing  the outside stairs but…beautiful up to the tower. By the way we have been steady on the rock for 8 days without going back to shore ! Not bad  really..now we just need more groceries…

Ecological and Census

Glaucous winged Gulls (mainly): around 870(mainly outside the main Rock)

Sea otter :1

Elephant Seals :4

Pigeons -Guillemot: 25.

Oystercatchers:2 couples seen today and 5 babies in the week (I will try to spot the other couple )

Harbour Seals : 65 +babies

Seashore birds: 10

Cormorants : 0

Sea lion:1

Geese : 2 (but not seen Today)

Eagles : 3

Seashore birds : a few ( I will try to see  on the beach( If the wind is not too strong )before  the sunset)

Maintenance 

Food inventory (emergency stock),some stuff discarded .

Generator ran 4 hours and half

Guy measured the door that needs to be changed (Derrick house)

Other

1 helicopter above and 2 commercial fishing boats , No watchers

 

 

Census Day

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Gulls:475

Elephant Seals: 5 ( on main )

Sea lions :0

Harbour Seals:104(same number than last week!)

Pigeons-Guillemot:50

Oystercatchers:3 couples +1 baby :7 ( maybe more )

Harlequin ducks:0

Eagles:1 (5 seen in the week)

Canada geese:0

Whales:0

Cormorants:0 (3 seen above this week)

Seashore birds:  -11 Western sandpipers or surfbirds

-1 Whimbrel

– Another specie :not very small black ones :2

On Sunday .The weather has been magnificent and hot with a light west wind. The seawater temperature got warmer than Yesterday.We got a few hours of fog last night with the horn on.

The rocks are not so busy those days …(no luck for the watchers).The kelp is growing like crazy. I found a fresh small herring on a solar panel! The eagle are pretty active in the morning.I saw for the first time this year some seashore birds and going for the water sampling from the jetty I quickly had a glimpse on one little oystercatcher,the one from “the”nest. It looks to me that we have only one baby.

Other: 2  planes above and a  kayak with 2 people went around the rocks at the end of the slag (beginning of the ebb tide :current :4 knots). No problem…

Maintenance : Another curtain for bedroom number 3 in the eco – guardians house, grass cut, solar panels done,water sample house cleaned.

Eagles around

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Weather

At 5:00 West wind 10 miles  Calm. Cloudy and foggy. 20 to 25 knots expected . We got 28 knots at Noon and 34 at 4PM. Very strong currents with the rising tide. Seawater temperature:10.9 (it’s colder)and 31.2 for the salinity the same than Yesterday.

Ecological

4 elephant seals on main . 4 has been the maximum number this week;usually the 2 older one and the 2 elegant young ones .Those 2 are always together . I call them ”the flippers”.No sea lions and impossible to find the  newborn oystercatchers.the 2 parents are steady so the little ones must be hidden around.The eagles are pretty aggressive :first attack at 5:30 ,a second one at 6:30 and another one at 7:00. One of the eagle has a low fly and came very closed to our window.What a scenery!. Around Camera 5 there are many eggs and  almost all of them have 3 eggs.

Visitor

3 people came with Kyle for a short visit. A second year student Malou and her parents from Greenland. Malou was disappointed because she couldn’t show a busy place : no Sea lions around! That make a big change .

Maintenance

Guy put a new belt and a new winch on the whaler trailer.I did some compost maintenance, adding some wood chips.(we are waiting for some moss peat). Solar panels cleaned like everyday .Camera 5 cleaned. ( In a week it would have been a true venture with the gulls around).

Other

Flying objects day: 2 planes above : one time at low altitude and the second time higher . Maybe the same plane coming back to Victoria. later a small watching boats came around with 2 people on board. It happened that guy was at that moment looking at the sea with the telescope and was amazed to see one of them opening a box with inside a drone for photos.After at least 30 minutes ,they finally left with their toy in the box. They wanted us to come on the jetty . Guy made politely but efficiently clear that they had to go: The camera was a very useful tool!

Full moon ,no moon on the Rock

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Weather

Very calm day even our flag stayed still for a while but late in the afternoon the sky was pretty dark on the south side  of the rocks and and we got a gale warning :35 knots were expected.Actually we got 32 at 10:00. We have been disappointed by a no moon situation on a full moon day! It’s interesting to know that it was full moon and Summer solstice at the same time . Last time it happened was in 1948. Almost Once in a lifetime.

Boats

A tugboat with its wooden long tail.Some watching boats like usual. One diving boat almost on shore with 2 guys in the water.

Ecological

we saw 3 eagles :2 at the same time on Middle Rocks and one on South Islands.

Chunk went for a long and quiet bath.

Gulls are getting more aggressive.

Other

Quick recycling trip to the college in the afternoon and we brought  back our delighted daughter at the same time . She spent a wonderful time in this wild environment.

Helicopter above in the morning.

 

Beautiful Summer week-end

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Weather

For the whole weekend  Wind: Light west breeze; Visibility: over 15 miles; Sky: light clouds to sunny. Some rain in the evening on Friday (good for a rock cleaning!)

Ecological

The bird on the nest under video is pretty steady on her nest and we are expecting the small ones pretty soon. During the week end we have seen no Sea lions . They all disappeared from the rocks :a pretty silent place now because even 4 of them can be very noisy.We saw the same day 2 groups of 4 orcas on the south side of the island.The moon is getting bigger and the days longer …lovely  and gorgeous time of the year and especially on Race Rocks. We have 6 to 7 elephants seals on main. they are moulting a lot and you can find pieces of skin all around.The gulls now are everywhere ,very organized and some are still mating and preparing new nests . They get in fighting a lot more too. No cormorants but 4 cormorants went above may be they will do a coming back soon.

Boats

With the Weekend and Summer many many whale watching vessels around the rocks Most of the time they can be closed but they are respectful. However I have to say that one time just before sunset 2 of them went full speed between main and Channel Rocks: sad and frustrating.

It’s a busy time for the cruising vessels . Victoria had 5 boats on the same day. they are magnificent when they leave in the sunset . One time one crossed a huge barn full of wood ; 2 important sides of the west coast economy right under my eyes.

Visitors

1 visitor one of our daughter came on Sunday and stay overnight with us.

Maintenance

Closets tidying up inside

Grass cutting (compost side )

Solar panels very dirty those days

 

Other

An Coast guard helicopter did a big circle but not above the reserve. on Saturday a plane did the same and the usual seaplane on Saturday

 

 

Busy Week -end for the gulls

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Weather

Saturday:Wind:20 knots Westerly breezes stayed almost the whole day,Visibility : over10  miles;Forecast:30 knots in the afternoon,Sky clear to cloudy;Sea state :choppy.

Sunday:Wind : between 17th and 25 knots for the most part of the day and a gust around 30 knots in the evening at 9:00PM. Sky : clear

Ecological

Gull incubation is happening right now. You can see laying female almost everywhere with their protecting mate . I guess more gulls are coming because it looks to me that it was more crowded last year. Only 2 geese this WE: the couple with the incubating female .. More pigeon- guillemots (some mating) and a few Steeler Seals (5)on the rocks closed to the jetty. 10 Elephants Seals at night …the 2 large males and even the bad looking one always in the same spot closed to the solar panels building. Her skin is not so pinkish so her condition has maybe improved.

 

Boats

Saturday:A few whale watching boats today . The usual  cruising boats going out in the sunset.

Sunday:Early in the morning a tug hauling a big barge with a mechanical pele on, going towards Sooke ,Vancouver Island side. Many many whale watching vessels:5 at a time around noon and even one of them came back 5 times in the same day.

Maintenance

Chainsaw:filling up and sharpening. Some wood shopping for the reserve.Cleaning of the jetty (with the sea water pump and hose :a lot of fun !)soiled by the Sea lions living there almost all the time . They even get so much used to us that it’s difficult to make them dive when we have to get fresh water for the sampling . Solar Panels

Other

Plane heard maybe not above the Rocks but not far .

 

Calm and beautiful week-end

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Weather

Saturday at 5H30
Wind: East wind,4 knots to 0.4 later
Sky :clear
Visibility:+10 miles
Sea like a mirror

Ecological

The same 3 geese on the main lawn.
The old or sick elephant seal finally went to the water. at 10:00 .It took her a long time but she managed…

Gulls are getting more aggressive ; Proof:one tried to poop on me ! The whole day was hot and the elephants spent the day in the water…The old /sick one came back to her favorite spot.In the evening we had 13elephant seals on Great Race Rocks.

Vessels

No eco – tour boats to 1:00PM because of the tide I guess…3 cruising ships in a row   going out slowly from Victoria in the sunset…That means that around 5000 people could have looked at The Rocks at the same time…scary!

Maintenance 

Guy took out the boat for a checking . We did a short trip to the college . Everything OK but the spark plugs need to be changed so a kit has been ordered.
Sunday
Weather
At 5:30: Wind :North 6 knots,Sky :clear ,Visibility:over 10 miles,Sea like a mirror. Around 7PM the wind got stronger to 30 knots at 9:30 PM.It was expected.The direction changed to Southwest/West.

Boats
Many  recreational fishing boats at the entrance of Pedder Bay and between East Sooke and the First Nations territories.Again cruising boats closed to the american coast leaving.

Other
Small plane above at 9:45 AM.

 

See Otter

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Last night the westerly rose to 40 knots with stronger gusts, after dark. In the morning, it settled to a steady 25 to 30 knots and maintained that early evening when it rose again. The west wind and sunshine dominated the weather here today. The barometer stayed high between 1017 and 1019 hPa until early evening when it started to fall. There is a strong wind warning in effect and westerlies of 20 to 30 knots are expected to diminish to west 5 to 15 late overnight then become light near noon Sunday. The UV index climbed over 4 (moderate) today and should drop with cloud cover and showers predicted for tomorrow.

There were no whale watching or sports fishing vessels observed in the protected area today. The blustery winds and choppy, rough seas were a deterrent and there were whales elsewhere. A tug called Service X, about 35 – 40 feet long, was observed travelling west through Race Passage. It was plunging and taking waves over the wheelhouse as it made headway towards the west coast. One float plane flying fairly low at ~250 to  300′ passed over the island from west to east.

In the Ecological Reserve many of the animals were seeking shelter from the winds. A lone male, Sea Otter came close enough to be photographed and he appears to be in fine form. It may the same individual who was here for the last couple of years. He was seen once in the early morning about a week ago and then yesterday during the census, I spotted him drifting near the few, old Bull Kelp that survived the winter near Turbine Rock.

The eagles continue to chase the gulls and keep them flighty. I didn’t get a good count, but estimated early in the day that there were at least, twice the numbers of gulls counted in yesterday’s census. I will try to get a high count at some point during the week. Two of the juvenile eagles were also observed battling several times today, knocking each other out of the air and tussling on the ground. Chasing off geese is starting to be a losing effort. There are at least two nests now.

Chores were focussed on cleaning and the ever constant battle of the fly today. There were no visitors.

 

 

 

Sea Lion Jumping

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Weather

  • Visibility: 10 miles
  • Wind: 15-25 knots NE
  • Water: 2′ chop
  • Sky: overcast in the morning, raining after noon.

Ecological

  • Observed several sea lions surfing and jumping arcs in the water by the South Seal Rocks in the afternoon.
  • Chunk and Chuckles were both on Great Race today.
  • The new female has moved to the bottom of the lighthouse stairs. She needs a better name.
  • The fourth mum and pup, and the grieving mother, are still together along the path.
  • Mum and pup still visible on Middle Rock.
  • Chunk went into the water at 17:00.

Maintenance

  • Stacked the collected driftwood by the tank hut to store for future firewood processing.
  • Cleared logs off the ramp once.

Other

  • An ambulance helicopter flew over the islands at about 13:00.

Ambulance Helicopter