Category Archives: Ecoguardians Log

August 8

Posted on by

Wildlife Notes:

  • I have postponed the weekly census count until tomorrow, due to fog that obscured parts of the islands for most of the morning and afternoon.
  • The California sea lions are getting louder as their numbers increase. Fortunately for the Race Rocks infrastructure, the sea lions are being good neighbours and keeping to the shoreline.

Facility work:

  • Clean windows
  • Tidy and move tools and wood around the island

Vessels:

  •  Ecotourism: 14

Weather:

  • Sky: fog, then partly cloudy in late afternoon onwards
  • Wind: West 15-30 knots
  • Sea: rippled in morning, up to 2′ chop in afternoon
  • Air temperature: low 10 °C, high 15 °C
  • Seawater temperature at max flood: 10.7 °C

Photos from today:

*All wildlife photos are taken at the furthest distance possible, and may be cropped to improve detail.

August 7

Posted on by

Wildlife Notes:

  • Orcas and humpback whales were south and east of the ecological reserve throughout the day. I did not get any photos, but enjoyed catching occasional glimpses of them through the binoculars.

Facility work:

  • I replaced the hand winch on the boat cradle. The old winch was getting rusty and the strap was beginning to fray. I also tested all the electronics on the boat and motor while it was tied to the jetty.

Vessels:

  •  Ecotourism: 18
  •  Private: 4

Weather:

  • Sky: Partly cloudy
  • Wind: West 15-30 knots
  • Sea: rippled in morning, up to 2′ chop in afternoon
  • Air temperature: low 13 °C, high 17 °C
  • Seawater temperature at max flood: 11.1°C

Photos from today:

*All wildlife photos are taken at the furthest distance possible, and may be cropped to improve detail.

August 6

Posted on by

Wildlife Notes:

  • A scoop of brown pelicans stopped by the ecological reserve this afternoon. They rested and preened on the South Islands before taking off a couple hours later. A group of pelicans can go by many names: brief, fleet, pod, pouch, scoop, and squadron.
  • Many of the gull chicks are practicing their take offs and landings. Some are getting about 30 cm or higher off the ground during their wing strengthening exercises. Soon they will all take flight! Then I can stop walking around with a broom over my head to prevent the gull parents from attacking me.

Facility work:

  • The generator ran automatically this morning when the battery voltage dipped down to 47.8V just before 07:00am. The batteries did not fully charge from solar power yesterday due to the clouds. The generator ran for almost seven hours today, using about 30 L of diesel. The battery state of charge went from 65% to 100%, with only some assistance from solar energy since it was cloudy this morning.
  • Changed the relatively much smaller 12V battery in station boat after charging it for a couple days.

Vessels:

  •  Ecotourism: 17
  •  Private: 3

Weather:

  • Sky: Cloudy this morning, partly cloudy this afternoon, fog patches in the evening
  • Wind: variable early this morning, west 4-30 knots from mid morning onwards
  • Sea: rippled for most of the day, then up to 3′ chop in the evening
  • Air temperature: low 13 °C, high 18 °C
  • Seawater temperature at max flood: 10.7°C

Photos from today:

*All wildlife photos are taken at the furthest distance possible, and may be cropped to improve detail.

August 5

Posted on by

Wildlife Notes:

  • A brown pelican flew by the ecological reserve this afternoon, stopping off briefly in the water on the east side, just past the large kelp bed. The pelican did not stay long before flying back through the south channel, which allowed me to snap photos (see below) of the big bird in flight.
  • After five days off looking from afar, I finally was able to see some of this year’s black oystercatcher chicks. Christine’s map of oystercatcher nests from June 1 has helped me find where the oystercatcher pairs are located, but the chicks are either too well camouflaged or are no longer around.
    This afternoon, two chicks and their parents were between the ecoguardian’s house and the edge of the east beach. The chicks are looking more like adults with their orange bills, pink legs, and black feathers. Like other chicks born on Race Rocks, they begin their lives blending into the rocks as grey fluff balls.
  • This afternoon, there was a flock of ecotour boats gathering to the northwest of the ecological reserve. A pod of orcas in Race Passage (directly to the north) were travelling near the shore of Bentinck Island.

Facility work:

  • Top up the water in the batteries
  • General tidying
  • Take measurements for an instrument installation

Vessels:

  •  Ecotourism: 18

Weather:

  • Sky: Cloudy
  • Wind: variable 0-18 knots
  • Sea: rippled
  • Air temperature: low 13 °C, high 16 °C
  • Seawater temperature at max flood: 11.4°C

Photos from today:

*All wildlife photos are taken at the furthest distance possible, and may be cropped to improve detail.

August 4

Posted on by

Wildlife Notes:

There were many humpbacks to the south of the ecological reserve again today. They were too far away to get any decent photos even with the 400mm lens.

The population of the California sea lions is increasing by a few each day. I woke up this morning to their barks in the east bay.

Facility work:

  • Clean the 44 solar panels
  • Check the electrical systems on the station boat
  • General tidying around the island’s buildings

Vessels:

  •  Ecotourism: 19
  •  Private: 5

Weather:

  • Sky: Partly cloudy
  • Wind: West 15-26 knots
  • Sea: 2′ to 3′ chop
  • Air temperature: low 12 °C, high 17 °C
  • Seawater temperature at max flood: 11.7°C

Photos from today:

*All wildlife photos are taken at the furthest distance possible, and may be cropped to improve detail.

August 3

Posted on by

Wildlife Notes:

There were many humpback whales seen throughout the day to the south of the ecological reserve. They did not come close enough to this rock for any great photos. Although that did not stop me from trying. Many ecotourism boats spent time out there observing and must have got excellent photos from their vantage.

Three California sea lions have landed on the main island. This advanced team marks the beginning of the takeover that will last into the fall and winter, when several hundred of them will sleep, bark, and attempt to occupy any surface. The Californians have not always been the best neighbours at Race Rocks when it comes to the human built infrastructure. So far these three have been respectful and keeping to the perimeter.

A few times today, I saw a very small and fast bird flying around the middle of the tower. I wonder if it is living in the currently malfunctioning foghorn sensor nearby where I caught glimpses of the quick bird. Coast Guard technicians are planning to visit next week to do maintenance on their equipment like the foghorn. I will keep looking out with binoculars for the fast flyer. Hopefully the bird is actually living in the recently installed nesting boxes attached to a post above the ecoguardian’s back porch.

Facility work:

  • Run generator in the evening to top up the batteries after not getting enough solar energy on the mostly cloudy day
  • Clean windows in the lantern room so I can better spy on marine mammals
  • Clean ecoguardian’s house windows so I do not have to look out through guano

Vessels:

  •  Ecotourism: 20
  •  Private: 1

Weather:

  • Sky: Cloudy in morning with some sunny patches in the afternoon and evening
  • Wind: west 16-29 knots
  • Sea: 1′ to 2′ chop
  • Air temperature: low 12 °C, high 16 °C
  • Seawater temperature at max flood: 11.5 °C

Photos from today:

*All wildlife photos are taken at the furthest distance possible, and may be cropped to improve detail.

August 2

Posted on by

Wildlife Notes:

  • The loud barks of a few California sea lions echoed across the island this afternoon. Perhaps they are calling out for other pals to stop off here or just being loud California sea lions.

Facility work:

  • Clean windows
  • Tidy boat ramp of weeds and accumulated small pieces of wood
  • Top up water in the 24 batteries in the Energy Building

Vessels:

  • 14 ecotourism boats passed through the reserve today. Many more motored through the channel to the north on their way to see humpback whales and other sites further to the west. 

Weather:

  • Sky: partly cloudy, fog throughout the morning with a distant fog bank to the south persisting into the evening
  • Wind: west 23-35 knots
  • Sea: 2-3′ chop
  • Air temperature: low 11 °C, 16 high  °C
  • Seawater temperature at max flood: 11.3 °C

Photos from today:

*All wildlife photos are taken at the furthest distance possible, and may be cropped to improve detail.

August 1 Census

Posted on by

Weekly Census:

Mammals:

  • Steller sea lion: 36
  • California sea lion: 4
  • Harbour seal: 129

Birds:

  • Canada goose: 9
  • Cormorant: 19
  • Gull: 556
  • Black oystercatcher: 10
  • Pigeon guillemot: 102
  • Short-billed dowitcher: 1
  • Surfbird: 22
  • Black turnstone: 52

Facility work:

  • Clean solar panels and windows
  • Tidy up the boat house

Vessels:

  •  Ecotourism: 21

Weather:

  • Sky: Partly cloudy, fog in evening
  • Wind: west 22-41 knots
  • Sea: 3-4′ chop
  • Air temperature: low 12 °C, high 17 °C
  • Seawater temperature at max flood: 10.3°C

Photos from today:

*All wildlife photos are taken at the furthest distance possible, and may be cropped to improve detail.

Shift Change

Posted on by

I am excited to be back on the Rock for three weeks. I arrived early this afternoon taking over from James. He was here for the last ten days since Christine finished her shift.

I never get tired of seeing the view of the Race Rocks Lighthouse as the boat leaves the mouth of Pedder Bay. I first saw that view in 2012 and have been hooked ever since.

Approaching Race Rocks in the Pedder Explorer

Most recently, I was here at the beginning of August last summer for a few days before I left abruptly after falling and breaking my ankle. In all of the years I have been coming here I have never so much as cut my finger, so it came as a big surprise to me when I slipped on my way up to clean the solar panels. I am grateful as always to Greg for his seafront support, especially on the day of my accident when he plucked me off the island and took me to the hospital.

Fast forward 12 months, after a surgery and a lot of physiotherapy, I am glad to be back here moving around freely, climbing up the 117 stairs to the top of the lighthouse, and reacquainting myself with this wonderful island’s marine mammal and bird neighbours.

The weather this afternoon was clear sky with a distant fog bank to the south which obscured most of view of the sea level of Washington State, but not the Olympic Mountains towering above. The wind picked up from 19 to 39 knots from the west, with gusts reaching 44 knots. The air temperature ranged between 12 to 19 °C. The sea temperature was 11.6 °C during the max flood at 19:30.

The Pearson College boat Pedder Explorer made two more visits out here this afternoon to show alumni the ecological reserve. Several other ecotour boats passed through.

As I reacquainted myself with the various buildings, I collected the water and fuel tank levels to add to the month end report.

Here are some photos of sights from around the island.

Too busy to look

Posted on by

Wildlife notes

Nothing out of the ordinary to report today. I think I was just too consumed with my indoor tasks, cleaning, packing, planning, paperwork, talking with the next Ecoguardians etc. to pay enough attention.

This is my last post. I leave tomorrow. Before I go I’d like to thank those who supported me and provided assistance. First and foremost, I’d like to thank my supervisor Greg for all he has done, for always being there and always answering his phone. Thank you to Garry the Park Warden for his encouragement, Mike and Richard the waterfront staff for their assistance, Laura the marine biology instructor for letting me join her tours, Ann and Andrew for their help with bird ID, Hans for verifying the new plants found on the island and Val from Eagle Wing for keeping me informed on animals beyond my line of sight. I’d also like to thank Derek for helping with the camera issue and Kendra for talking to me when I worry about a young seal pup. And to the person who donated to Race Rocks in my name, thank you for reading and for acknowledging my effort on the posts!!!

It is a great privilege to be here. I will miss everything, except the toilet anxiety: am I properly positioned over the right compartment, pee or poo or what if both happen, or did I forget to open to the poop flap?

Mostly I will miss having so much to observe, smell, hear and feel (the sky, wind, waves, tide, plants, birds, seals, sea lions, whales…) and the experience of spending my days is awe and filled with wonder.

Facility work

  • cleaned solar panels
  • contributed to next month end report
  • emails, correspondence
  • cleaning house, organizing

Vessels

  • Ecotourism: 26
  • Private: 3

Weather

Clear skies. Fresh westerly breeze until late afternoon, strong breeze in the evening. Daytime temperatures: low 11, high 14.

Goodbye Race Rocks. Christine Chourmouzis, July 20, 2025.