Morning visitors

Weather: SUN! westerly wind 16 knots. Sparkling water.

Visitors: Several whale watching boats. All came close to the seal lions on the jetty but they didn’t disturb them. Fishers outside reserve area.

Work: cleaned solar panels. chopped wood. cleaned windows (on the inside) in lamp room.

Energy: Every morning it is a bit of guess work to see  if I can hold off using the generator. Particularly today when it called for clouds and rain. I was happy the first hour of potential solar energy boosted the batteries to over 50 volts. Then I had some breathing room. I tend to look at the numbers often and try to see how I can avoid the generator or use it as little as possible. Not listening to the forecast can be useful!

Observations: Gulls are beautiful. They are so easy to take for granted but now that I am looking closely at them I see how exquisitely white they are. It is amazing to get to watch them go through their courtship. I don’t envy the few immature gulls on the island. If they try to land anywhere near the centre of the island they are quickly reminded that this is a breeding colony and they are not welcome.

Several sea lions have taken to lying on the steps of the jetty. The new electric fence keeps them from coming right up. I feel somewhat sad about this, thinking that for years they have returned and sandwiched themselves on that cement surface. We had to move them off every day to take water samples so it wasn’t an absolutely ideal life. I just wonder how often they need to get zapped to stay away and if there is anywhere nearly as comfortable.

It fascinates me that I can’t get near the nesting Canada geese. I make big detours to avoid the nest and therefore avoid getting attacked and yet the several hundred pound mammals prove no obstacle. They will readily move when I need to take a water sample.

The 6 female elephant seals have split into 2 groups (by size it seems) and life is peaceful for them. Only a few days ago there was lots of conflict. They haven’t left the island today and the male pup has not returned. They have mostly moulted it seems and are waiting for their new fur to grow.

After I wrote this I saw the sea otter! He was around seal rocks for a couple of hours.

sea otter!

Curiosity

the three large female elephant seals

the 3 smaller elephant seals

Not this year.