Overcast, wind light.

I went off island in the morning and dropped two visitors off at Pedder Bay. At 0930 I Picked up Garry Fletcher and local bird expert, Val George for the annual Christmas bird count. We traveled, slowly, out Pedder Bay through Bentinck Channel and across to Race Rocks, going between Middle Rock and West Rock. Val and Garry did a count from the top of the tower. I brought them back to Pearson College around 1300.

There was a relatively high number of sports fishing boats out today, a factor of good weather and the holidays. In the waters between Albert Head and Beechy Head there were 35 boats, 3 of which were underway (not fishing). We count the boats daily for the Department of Fisheries and Oceans. This was the highest count I have recorded this month.

I returned to RR around 1630 on a fairly low tide so got to test the new boat dolly at the bottom of the ramp. It did still stop once on the curve going down the ramp but was way better than previously. Mounting the boat on the dolly was easier and faster than before too. the rails at the bottom of the ramp were a bit overgrown, will try to clean it on a low tide.

-cleaned solar panels