Category Archives: Facility work

Weather Days

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Ecological Notes:

  • The large Male Elephant Seal has been coming and going from the island, often bellowing for a while each day.
  • During the stormy weather over the last month, I had noticed more than one Sea Lion with what looked like minor injuries. Now that there are less on the island, I can move about into “their” areas. Unfortunately, I have found 2 of what looked like healthy animals that have passed. This is not uncommon, but always sad.

Visitors:

  • The Waterfront Coordinator delivered fuel for the generator, and electric fence parts.

Facility Work:,

  • Cutting salvage wood recovered from the ocean is hard on the saw chain. Add to this that some of  it is hardwood and you find yourself touching up the blade and/or sharpening it very often.

  • The more you cut, the more you get to split!

  • Rain days mean time best spent on indoor projects ….. some are mundane, but still have to be done.

Clean the fridge

Replace furnace filter

 

DND events:

  • Thursday included several blasts  on the west beach.

Noted Vessel Traffic:

  • Several Ecotourism Vessels, including one that paused for all the guests and crew to sing Happy Birthday to the Ecoguardian!

Weather Events:

  • Several days of high, cold Northeasterly winds gave way to Westerlies of 25 – 30 knots on Thursday. Mix of sun, cloud, and rain squalls throughout the day.

 

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

 

Weather – Current:

http://www.victoriaweather.ca/current.php?id=72

 

Weather – Past:

http://www.victoriaweather.ca/station.php?

Mature Male Elephant Seal

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Ecological Notes:

  • A new Adult Male Elephant Seal has been visiting the main ramp area for periods of time. While not quite as large as the Alpha and Beta males here last winter, this guy is pretty big!

  • The Sub-adult Male Elephant Seal, that was hauled out for a week or so last month, has been hauling out on middle rock.

Facility Work:

  • We got the Desalinator up and running! After changing the control panel, we re-checked and adjusted some settings and it’s working fine now.
  • Finished the new layout on the pier electric fence. As we had added a new, more powerful, fence energizer, many of the old wires and connectors were failing. Each Ecoguardian comes to Race Rocks with their own skillsets and ideas. This new idea will hopefully be more  sturdy, and easier to repair and maintain. ……. (but we’ll see!)

  • Received and assembled a new cart for the portable diesel tidytank. As the last one failed, will be adding an additional safety strap to this one for when someone has to move it by themself..

Noted Vessel Traffic:

  • Ecotourism vessels and private vessels have been visiting to enjoy the sights and sounds of Race Rocks.
  • A single paddler in an outrigger canoe also ventured out and through the main channel.

Weather Events:

  • Heavy rains over the weekend gave way to light fog on Monday. Westerly winds of 5 – 10 knots prevailed.

 

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

 

Weather – Current:

http://www.victoriaweather.ca/current.php?id=72

 

Weather – Past:

http://www.victoriaweather.ca/station.php?

Eagle Eye

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Ecological Notes:

  • As the California Sealion numbers decrease, I’m noting more Steller Sealions on the main island. They are a lot more skittish to my movements around though.

    Wary of any movement on land …

    Keeping an eye on me

  • Still lots of juvenile Bald Eagles on the island, primarily in the mornings.

Juvenile Bald Eagle, scanning the water from a good perch

More Gull remains

  • At least 3 Humpback whales seen to the southwest of race about 2 miles out, more blows in the distance.

Facility Work:

  • Temporary fix to the generator room door, awaiting new handle to install.

  • Repaired and re-installed the top of the VHF antennae on the main house.

  • Repaired and re-attached the vent hose on the Natures Head in the main house.
  • Hauled out more drifting wood and serviced the chainsaw after cutting through some hardwood logs.
  • Rebuilt and reinforced some old sawhorses to use when cutting smaller firewood.

Noted Vessel Traffic:

  • 2 private vessels and 4 Ecotourism vessels enjoying the sights and sounds of the ecological reserve.

Weather Events:

  • Westerly winds of 5 – 10 knots. did a quick rotation around past north, becoming easterly for a brief period before noon, but returned to westerly after that. Clear skies in the morning gave way to overcast by mid afternoon. Seas were flat calm all day.

 

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

 

Weather – Current:

http://www.victoriaweather.ca/current.php?id=72

 

Weather – Past:

http://www.victoriaweather.ca/station.php?

Seal Pup

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Ecological Notes:

  • Each morning has had an abundance of eagles, including many juveniles. Also noticing more and more carcasses of younger gulls, suggesting the eagles are learning to hunt here.
  • A not so common visitor to the main boat ramp today. Normally,  Harbour Seals stick to the outer rocks and edges of the island, avoiding the common sea lion haul outs. This little guy was hauled out on the main ramp, and interestingly, not one sea lion came up the ramp the entire time he was there. Checking with my camera from a distance, he had a little gash above his eye, but after a long nap, he made his way back down to the water with little effort.

Visitors:

  • Shorefront Coordinator delivered fuel, groceries, packages, and parts for the desalinator.

Facility Work:

  • Some basic house maintenance, fencing repairs (as always with the storms coming through!) and random lumber tidy up.
  • Troubleshooting the hardline (voip) phones with IT department, remote resets, but still no success.

DND events:

  • Several large blasts. Noted lots of disturbance with the sea lions, perhaps still on edge after the storms.

Noted Vessel Traffic:

  • Ecotourism vessels enjoying the sights and sounds of the reserve.

Weather Events:

  • Oh what the difference a day makes! The previous days storms had westerly winds gusting over 60knots, with waves spray coming right over the helipad, and the pier was totally awash most of the day. As power was down at Pearson College, no internet until mid day.
  • Today though had westerly winds of 15 – 20knots, light swell and mixed clear and cloudy periods.

 

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

 

Weather – Current:

http://www.victoriaweather.ca/current.php?id=72

 

Weather – Past:

http://www.victoriaweather.ca/station.php?

Fall Day

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Ecological Notes:

  • Sub-adult Male elephant seal has taken a couple days off island now.
  • Several adult and juvenile Bald Eagles present and hunting gulls on the island. Appeared to be teaching young, as sometimes adults were swooping without attempting to grab prey, followed closely but juvenile who was attempting to grab prey. Each time a juvenile did grab a gull, there was a frenzy of the other juveniles swooping in to try to take the prey.

Facility Work:

  • Serviced Battery system and checked solar panels.
  • Chopped firewood previously salvaged and bucked up.
  • Serviced chainsaw.
  • Troubleshooting on hard-line (voip) phone system. Checked routers and reset each phone. Passed onto the IT department for further input.
  • Has been near impossible to maintain the pier electric fence! High winds and swells continuously wash the pier, and the posts, breaking wires and losing posts into the water. Had to go down late at night when the tide was low enough to recover post and concrete blocks. Hopefully overall weather will subside a bit soon.

In a subdued state

 

Weather Events:

  • Westerly winds, dropping from 20knots early morning to  5 knots mid day. Raising over the afternoon to 30 knots by early evening. Overcast, with occasional rain squalls in the strait. Clear visibility.

 

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

 

Weather – Current:

http://www.victoriaweather.ca/current.php?id=72

 

Weather – Past:

http://www.victoriaweather.ca/station.php?

Firewood, and Rockfish Conservation Area

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Ecological Notes:

  • Sub-adult Male Elephant Seal appears to have left this island early morning. Will see if he returns tonight

  • For some reason, there are lots of adult and immature Bald Eagles on the rocks today. I have checked for any carcasses or other reasons, but could not find any.

Facility Work:

  • Changed oil and filters on the main generator, checked all connections, and cleaned drops etc.

  • Daily rounds of electric fences.

  • Chopped and stacked more firewood, trying to get ahead of the game for the next Ecoguardians.

  • Diagnosed and fixed problems with some of the newly installed windows. Several of the vertical window spaces had horizontal windows installed on edge. Because of this, they did not drain water as it was accumulating in the lower tracks (that should have been side tracks) Weepholes added to the outside of the windows did not reach said tracks, so I had to add new weepholes from inside the track to reach the outside.

Noted Vessel Traffic:

  • 4 Ecotourism vessels enjoying the  reserve, as well as 5 private vessels.

 Noted Infractions:

  • One private vessel with 5 passengers onboard, spent a considerable time fishing, well within the Rockfish Conservation Area, ignoring warnings via radio and blowhorn. At times, they were within 150 meters of the main Island here. (yes I happen to have a laser rangefinder here with me.)

Weather Events:

  • Westerly winds at 15-20 knots, rising to 25-30 knots later in the afternoon, bringing a full mixture from sun and clouds, to intense rain squalls. Slight fog and clouds to the south, but the Olympic Peninsula is still visible at the water level.

Rain squalls moving through

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

 

Weather – Current:

http://www.victoriaweather.ca/current.php?id=72

Weather – Past:

http://www.victoriaweather.ca/station.php?

Maintenance and Repairs

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Ecological Notes:

  • The younger Elephant Seals left after just a short visit. The adult female stayed and rested for about 4 days.

  • The sub-adult male is still onsite, nestling in the bushes in the center of the island. At one point, the contractors left the basement door open on the main house, and we caught the male bee-lining for the door! Luckily, he stopped once someone called out to him.

    As he slowly turned back towards his favorite spot by the tall bush.

  • Sealion numbers are down to about 1/3 since the big storms left (will do a count on Monday)

  • Many Black Turnstones present at this time.

    Many nestled in the rocks

Visitors:

  • Window Contractors, and deliveries by both Greg and Jeff.

Facility Work:

  • Almost continuous repairs and upgrades to electric fencing.

Sometimes it’s lucky and they just knock down the posts without damaging anything.

  • Collecting wood brought in by the storms.

Pulled up by hand and pipe pole!

  • I keep an eye on the Web Cams by checking them daily. A little water got in, and this happened!

 DND events:

  • Detonations most of the week, some very heavy ones. Marine Mammal Observers were on the water, keeping an eye out for cetaceans. Noted sealion disturbance, they have seemed to be very edgy since the storms subsided.

Noted Vessel Traffic:

  • Mostly just daily visits from Ecotourism operators, and a couple private vessels, also primarily looking at the birds and wildlife.

Weather Events:

  • Variable weather, medium winds and rain showers.

 

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

 

Weather – Current:

http://www.victoriaweather.ca/current.php?id=72

Weather – Past:

http://www.victoriaweather.ca/station.php?

A busy week!

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Really hit the ground running this time! Many things going on at the same time, as well as getting myself re situated in the ecological reserve!

Ecological Notes:

  • California Sealions taking over any area available to them. The Steller Sealions pretty much keep to the outer edges and off-island rocks

    California Sealions wanting to hold their ground

  • Now  4 Elephant Seals working their way up the ramp towards the grass area. Looks like an almost mature Male, a fully mature female, and 2 sub-adults. They’re all a little timid, so I’m giving them lots of space.

3 Elephant Seals, just before the male showed up (the sealions are not impressed)

  • Also 1 large male I can hear frequently but can’t find, (maybe he is staying in the water and circling the island as he bellows in the evening.)

Visitors:

  • Various contractors working on replacing windows.

Facility Work:

  • Window replacements on the main house, and soon proceeding to the student building as well.
  • New toilet in the student building!
  • New electric fencing from the power building, around past the outside of the lighthouse, then back to the corner of the main house. Really important as there were up to 300 California Sealions between the student house and the lighthouse, totally blocking off access to the power building (until they were persuaded to leave, but would return the minute the coast was clear)

Noted Vessel Traffic:

  • Many Ecotourism vessels and private vessels enjoying the sights, sounds, and smells of the Race Rocks Ecological Reserve this time of year.

 Feature Event:

  •  Canadian Coast Guard checked in with us, as they kept a watchful eye on the smoke level and direction from the freighter at Constance Bank that had a fire in some of it’s containers.

Weather Events:

  • A varied week, ending in 2 days of stormy weather with strong winds (up to 50 Knots), and swells from the southeast.

 

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

 

Weather – Current:

http://www.victoriaweather.ca/current.php?id=72

 

Weather – Past:

http://www.victoriaweather.ca/station.php?

Time for fencing

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Personal Note:

  • On my last day here at the Race Rocks Ecological Reserve, I’m very thankful for the opportunity and experience provided to me. My normal employment calls me back, but I hope to return to continue experiencing the reserve in a different season!

Ecological Notes:

  • 1 Male Elephant Seal and one Female Elephant seal in the grass area up by the power building

    Enjoying the sun

  • Although I’m sure there are more, I caught a quick glimpse of some Pigeon Guillemot chicks as they scurried back into their rock den.

Facility Work:

  • Existing electrical fence routes redone and repaired. The north field had all the fencing replaced, and a couple new gates added. A new section will be added to the south (lighthouse side) when supplies are available. As the sealions start to return, fencing plays an important roll in protecting the plant life, and structures and equipment on the island. There is also a huge safety factor for the Ecoguardians when moving around accomplishing their daily tasks.
  • Although not a pleasant topic, removed 2 old Sealion carcasses  from high above the waterline. The warmer weather really increased the smell, but the wind and heat (and bugs)  really help them to break down to an almost manageable weight for dragging. Respectably returned to the ocean.

DND events:

  • 6 to 10 detonations over Monday and Tuesday, all sealions moved from the middle rocks to the southern rocks.

Noted Vessel Traffic:

  • Several Ecotourism vessels and at least 6 private vessels sightseeing in the reserve.

 Feature Event:

  •  Lots of  cleaning and organizing in preparation for the new Ecoguardian arriving Thursday! A warm welcome to Sierra!

 

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

 

Weather – Current:

http://www.victoriaweather.ca/current.php?id=72

 

Weather – Past:

http://www.victoriaweather.ca/station.php?