Category Archives: ER Warden Report

July-November 2008 elephant seal notes

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July 28 2008 Blasting by the DND sent the 5 newly returned sea lions into water. Slash hits the water to cruise by the dock. 18 Ecotour boats sited in channel close to sea lions (also later main dock where Slash was lying by boat house).

Aug 20. 2008: Three males, slash absent.

Sept. 23, 2008 One juvenile male elephant seal was up on the lawn by the science house.. Slash has not been around for some time now.

Oct. 27, 2008: possibly one male out on middle rock.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/66339356@N00/2965657528/in/set-72157607795979132/

 For November of 2008  they have been absent. We expect them back in mid December.

Data Compiled by Garry Fletcher, Nov. 29, 2008

Redeployment of the Tidal Energy Turbine

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On October 17, 2008, Clean Current reinstalled the tidal energy turbine at Race Rocks. Timing of the operation had to be around a slack tide, and its always a problem to have enough time for completion of the basic underwater installation work before the tide starts running again. Students and staff of Pearson College will now work in the next few weeks using the 20 minute window of some slack tides to complete several aspects of the installation to prepare the unit for full operation again.

The turbine now has several upgrades developed on the basis of the experience of the first installation. Stainless Steel bearings have now been installed, and a new lubricating system with environmentally friendly lubricant was added. A new electrical wire protection system was added, and the augmenter duct around the outside was replaced with stronger reinforced fibreglass with a reinforced outer ring. The struts holding the central ring were also reinforced, and the blade configuration was modified.

This new deployment will enable a further test of the seaworthiness of the turbine. Perfecting the structure and its operation in these difficult ocean conditions is the goal of the experimental phase of the project.

Erik Schauff of Pearson College took the following pictures of the redeployment and the Pearson College Divers inspecting the apparatus underwater after the professional divers had completed their work.

Carter (PC year 34) inspects the newly reinstalled turbine

College Divers Adam and Martin (PC year 34) diving near the installed turbine

Other pictures of the turbine in various stages of the re-installation can be found captured on the remote control camera 5 on the October Photo Gallery by PB

Lecanora straminea : Grey Lichen-The Race Rocks Taxonomy

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The orange central lichen is possibly Xanthorea candelaria

The grey lichen in the ring is the Lecanora straminea.

Domain Eukarya
Kingdom Fungi
Division Ascomycota
Class Lecanoromycetes
Order Lecanorales
Family Lecanoraceae
Genus Lecanora
species straminea
Common Name Grey Lichen ?

taxonomyiconReturn to the Race Rocks Taxonomy and Image File

Lecanora campestris: grey lichen- The Race Rocks Taxonomy

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This grey lichen is possibly Lecanora campestris.

Domain Eukarya
Kingdom Fungi
Division Ascomycota
Class Lecanoromycetes
Order Lecanorales
Family Lecanoraceae

Genus Lecanora
Species campestris (Schaer.) Hue 1888
Common Name: Grey Lichen

taxonomyiconReturn to the Race Rocks Taxonomy and Image File
pearsonlogo2_f2The Race Rocks taxonomy is a collaborative venture originally started with the Biology and Environmental Systems students of Lester Pearson College UWC. It now also has contributions added by Faculty, Staff, Volunteers and Observers on the remote control webcams. 

 

Caloplaca marina: Orange lichen- The Race Rocks Taxonomy

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Thanks for assistance in identification to Dr. Irwin Brodo a world renowned lichenologist and the author of the Lichens of North America. He is now retired from the museum in Ottawa.

There are several possibilities for the identifications of these orange lichens ,  the  smooth orange crustose lichen is probably the Caloplaca rosei

Domain Eukarya
Kingdom Fungi
Division  Ascomycota
Class Lecanoromycetes
OrderTeloschistales
Family teloschistaceae
Genus Caloplaca
Species marina
orange Sea Lichen

taxonomyiconReturn to the Race Rocks Taxonomy and Image File
pearsonlogo2_f2The Race Rocks taxonomy is a collaborative venture originally started with the Biology and Environmental Systems students of Lester Pearson College UWC. It now also has contributions added by Faculty, Staff, Volunteers and Observers on the remote control webcams. 

 

Sea Lion Census

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A visual census using  the remote camera 5 focused on Middle Island.

The following panorama was taken of the “middle islands” at Race Rocks from 6 images taken consecutively with a small overlap and then spliced together with a “Photostitch” program which is usually available with the software for an electronic camera.

Educational Application: When we build up a set of these pictures, students can do mathematical projects by going on the camera and getting a live count and then running various statistical comparisons on these archived images. Just click on the image below for a version that is large enough to enable counting and identification.

Click for larger size to count sealions.

censussept2208

Pam and Dennis Visit the Ecological Reserve

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 ‘Garry took Pam and Dennis Birley out to the Island today. Pam does the monthly photo diary from camera 5 from her home iin Leicester England .

Pam took the following images when she was out on the island and on the boat. See her gallery here.

DND activity

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Blasting by the DND sent the 5 newly returned sea lions into water.

Slash hits the water to cruise by the dock.

18 eco-tour boats sited in channel close to sea lions  (also later main dock where Slash was lying by boat house). Some of which were the following tour companies Sooke Coastal Expeditions (multiple returns)

Springtide , Eaglewing Tours., Five Star Whale Watching, Great Pacific Adventures, Prince Whales, Whale Watching (multiple returns) Laurie

 

Ecotourism census

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A calm day so the whale watching boats are here. They all respected the guidelines for observation. It is important to emphasize the need to drive boats cautiously as baby seals in the water are vulnerable. See our file on ecotourism: http://www.racerocks.com/racerock/admin/ecotourism/ecotourism.htm I may have missed one or two boats but most are recorded below along with their numbers:

0950 West Coast Orca Spirit: 10 passengers

1045 Real Pacific Adventures: 8

Sooke Coastal Explorations: 3

Prince of Whales : 12

Cetacean : 6– (no lifejackets worn)

Sooke Costal Expeditions: 12

Shop@whalestore.com:; 12

Prince of Whales : 12

Springtide : 8

Orca Spirit: 6

Orca—  —- 6

Great Pacific Adventures( King Salmon) : 26

S—- King? (Fibreglass) 6

Eagle wing tours: 26

Prince of Whales: 26\

Approximate total ecotourists in the reserve today: 180

Total funding they contributed towards ensuring the sustainability of the resource at Race Rocks:  $0.00 Garry , 22:12:04