Category Archives: Facility work

Spring big tides and a 10 days old baby girl visit

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Weather

On Thursday  June 15th : Wind:gale warning for the afternoon to 30/35 knots North East wind . Calm sea early at 5:30 and later in the morning rain and fog visibility drop from 10 miles to 2.The temperature was around 11dgrees with 82% of humidity.On the 16th Friday early the wind was 24knots and again same pattern a gale warning for the afternoon . clear sky 15 miles visibility and 11.9 Air  temperature. The rest of the week we had a calm sea with light winds

Ecological

We have between 6 and 9 elephant seals on the rock mainly younger one with always Chunk the old timer. A very young one surprised me : 5 months at the most. The rock is becoming pretty dirty …poo and flies everywhere . It’s getting yellow and white with the birds even the roofs have changed; not so clean anymore…We have less nesting gulls this year. A few oyster catchers couples like usual at this time and on the same spots. The tides are strong those days.by example:on the 15th low tide at 13:30: 2 feet and high tide at 22:30: 8 feet.Slag are long too

Vessels

I had to phone 2 times this past week to Pedder Bay marina because 2 of their renting boats were very closed and worst fishing ; Asian people each time . So for the fist boat they left as soon as contacted but for the second i had to use horn and shouting to get the same result.Many eco-tourism vessels. Big coast guard boat seen on Friday

Maintenance

The generator has not been used for 10 days…Very efficient solar panels. work like usual in and  around the house

Visitors

Christine arrived on the 19th for a few days on the rock and the same evening we had a nice visit of Kyle and Sabrina with Sabrina’s parents and the little 10 days old baby girl Tyler.

Other

1 Helicopter and 1 plane above

 

 

Gust of wind in the afternoon and orcas in the passage just for me

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Weather

At 5:00 just 10 knots from North but Gale warning in effect,Sky cloudy ,Visibility over 13 miles Temperature:11degrees Celsius,Humidity:91%. At 12:30 PM wind to 32 knots and 40 knots at 4:00PM. Some fog in the morning.

Ecological

An Eagle attacked the birds colony pretty early this morning.4 geese ,,the pigeons guillemots were numerous and very active. I had the privilege to see a flock of orcas going through the North passage ! What a scenery! Maid my day!

Vessels

Cruise ships ,Navy ships ,a few fishing boats and for sure whale watcther vessels

Maintenance

200 liters of diesel transferred to the house tank,  wood splitting and inside work

 

 

 

Just a few sea lions but noisy ones…

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Weather

22 knots  south west wind ,sea with wavelets, sky overcast,visibilty over 13miles. Low tide at 0,73 . Full moon is coming soon

Ecological

I was” disturbed” by a few very noisy sea lions on the jetty! In the afternoon nap for everybody …sleeping rock.4 new geese

vessels

Whale watchers :1st one at 10:30 AM  no fishing boat on sea, a few carriers going out

Maintenance

desalinator on,cleaning of the house windows,wood chopping,some grease on the boat trailer.

Very calm day except for the watchers around

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Weather

Almost no wind :6 knots  from west ,calm sea and 13 miles visibility at 5:30 AM.The wind raised at 5h00 PM to 17knots and quickly to 20 knots.

Ecological

7 elephant seals were sleeping the whole day. 4 were big males

Maintenance

Solar panels very dirty in the morning ,a wheel on the dolly needed to be changed and the chainsaw needed to be sharpened

Vessels activity

At 5h30 AM the cruise ships were heading to Victoria and at 11am the 1st whale watchers were around the rock . It has never stopped for the rest of the day. May be a correlation between the 2: cruise ships and activity at Race Rocks.

Switch over done on the 2nd of June ,2017

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On Sunday 2nd of June between two gusts of wind Guy switches over Laas. Thank you for the good job and for  leaving the house so tidy.

Weather

Saturday 3rd : light wind 17knots ,sky :overcast;visibility: over 15miles,calm sea.On Sunday: more wind 24Knots  to 31 knots from West,sea state: white crests,visibility :15miles, sky: partly cloudy, air temperature:9.5 degrees at 5:30AM. Monday: calm again:9knots from West clear and calm.

Ecological

Around on Sunday it was interesting to watch 2 heavy fishing boats coming back from sea full9 elephants seals on the rocks . Seagulls on their nests; a few are aggressive as usual at this time of the year. it takes 23 to 24 days of incubation and around 40 days to see the babies taking off for the 1st time.Many eagles in the morning trying to get some eggs.

Vessels

Saturday has been a busy day for the watchers and also for the small fishing boats closed to the coast.  The cruise ships are back and can be seen as usual in the evening leaving Victoria.In Sunday it was nice to watch 2 big , heavy and full of fish boats coming back from high seas. Some big containers

Plane

One above the tower towards Victoria

Facility work

Generator and desalinator on / 200 liters of gasoil transfered in the yellow tank / cleaning of the boat shed and on the jetty

 

 

 

 

Helicopter Generator Swap

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Weather

  • Visibility: 15 miles
  • Wind: 5-10 knots North
  • Sky: mostly overcast, some rain in the evening.
  • Water: calm

Ecological

  • There were eight elephant seals on Great Race today.
  • That is the most I have seen out here during this current shift.
  • Three of the younger males enjoyed a spirited bout or two.
  • The rest of them snoozed off in pairs or alone.
  • The birds and sea lions were definitely disrupted by the helicopter.

Maintenance

  • Kyle and four men from the Coast Guard removed the old Generator B.
  • A Coast Guard helicopter then dropped off a new generator, and took away the old one.
  • They then placed the new generator in its spot.
  • I helped out with various auxiliary tasks, but mostly just took photographs.
  • Tidied up loose tools after everyone had departed.

Boats

  • Second Nature.
  • A few eco-tours.

Visitors

  • Kyle, the four Coast Guard men, and Ian and Stephen.
  • They all departed in the early afternoon.

Other

  • Coast Guard helicopter overflight.

 

Change of the time and Elephant pup gone

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Weather

Very calm day ,overcast but some sun in the afternoon ,some rain too. A true Spring weather.  South East wind ,3 knots at 8:00 (we have to understand 7:00 of Yesterday usual nightmare for a few days ),Visibility over 13 miles,Atmospheric pressure:102.2KPA.

Vessels

Busier on Sunday :at least 5 boats around :recreational and eco tours vessels.We tried the air pump horn for the too closed one and it was efficient. they left…Made Guy happy!

Overflight

3 times the same helicopter

Ecological

This is really the news of the week : the little elephant seal pup is gone.!We couldn’t believe it and went 3 times around the rocks …We realised at the same time that more geese than the day before were around ! We counted 17  so that means 8 couples and a lonely one  and  for sure many eggs  next month!. The gulls too are everywhere… the nesting season is on. If the solar panels were still clean ,the rocks,roofs and alleys had already some white spots and it has been a lot noisier that even a week ago. The Sea lions with the clear sky Yesterday night were  very loud… Boss was back and 1 juvenile Elephant Seal

Maintenance

We have been busy with the general cleaning of the place . It is our last day.We have to leave this wonderful rock but welcome to Riley !

Last snow

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Weather

When we wake up it was white all around but at 9:00 green again. North West wind ,10 knots,2.8degrees at 8:oo. cloudy to overcast,5miles of visibility,very low tide in the eveningDSC_0056

Ecological

the geese (around 10) are everywhere to be seen ,busy ,noisy and defensive … coupling coming soon…DSC_0035DSC_0115DSC_0111

Maintenance

The soft water tank has been filled again since the Student’s stay.The light level is not big these days,but despites that, we got 25 Amps by hour ..It is very good and this because  all the solars panels are functioning (Since last Summer). We see the difference. We finished to stack the wood in the main house for next Winter and we are getting ready for our coming departure on Monday 13Th

Other

1 Helicopter going towards Sooke. Only 1 watching boat

Students on the Island

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Weather

Windy day above 20 knots from West on Wednesday and Friday but the rest of the time light wind and calm sea, overcast to rainy mainly grey days

Ecological

The geese at least 3 couples and the oyster catchers (3 couples too) are already going by 2.Chunk is not back and the 3 elephant Seals:Boss,the younger male and the last pup are around.The pigeons guillemots (around 30 )have been seen again but not even one when we did the census…The population situation is very different from one day to the other

Work with students

The plan was to make them paint the desalinisaton house but there was too much moisture  and we have to let it dry before any painting job . So they helped us with the wood : stalking and splitting and  cleaning around the jetty. Guy explained them all the systems involved on Race Rocks( electricity stockage,desalinisation…) and I did the census 2 times in 2 groups. We can tell that during their stay we didn’t use so much water Thanks to them ;they really understood the challenge of the place! One of them  had a look at our emergency supply.

Maintenance

End of the month reports. Jetty cleaning with the high pressure washer

Vessels and flights

2,3 watching boats at the most, a Canadian Frigate coming back towards Esquilmalt, a big fishing boat heading to the ocean and an helicopter closed

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adventurous pups

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Weather

In the morning we had a light south wind an overcast sky and a good visibility but the wind get stronger in the afternoon and changed its direction to South West with a gust around 28 knots. The air temperature was 4.3 degrees Celsius so cold and grey day with some rain

Ecological

Our main concern is still the pups . They became again adventurous and changed locations: the one under our kitchen window decided to go closed to the tower followed by the young male . He just smelled the baby it was it . The injured one decided to moved towards the rocks and he went pretty far and it looks like  now he is stuck …So…We will see Tomorrow . Maybe he was attracted by the water and the high enough tide will be only Tomorrow afternoon …the question is to know if he will be strong enough to move his body and get out… Chunk didn’t come back

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Maintenance 

We finished preparing the students house. they will come for a week on Sunday or Monday depending the weather. actually we cleaned and washed the basement floor and carpets . So it is ready

Vessels 

3 watching boats