Full Power Restored

Wind: yesterday 0-34 knots from N to W, today 18-36 knots from W
Sea State: yesterday calm in morning changing up to 1m chop, today chop up to 1 m
Visibility: yesterday 5-10 NM, today 10-15NM
Sky: yesterday overcast and rain, today clear changing to rain in evening
Temperature: yesterday 5-8 °C, today 6-7 °C
Atmospheric CO2: 413.81 ppm (recorded by NOAA at Mauna Loa Observatory, Hawaii)

After twenty-five days with backup power, there is now full power on the island. The replacement part for the generator head was installed today. Thanks goes to the team who spent six hours on the island today, hauling the 450 lbs unit from the boat to the generator room, doing the installation and other needed upgrades. It was a busy day here for Greg, Alex, Lawrence, Stephane from Frontier Power, Ric and his apprentice Stephane. Lots of other staff at Pearson College made it possible for this fix and temporary power to be successful.

With full power restored, there is now enough power to more quickly top up the batteries and operate all the equipment on the island without draining the batteries too much. A few important pieces are now running again: the desalinator, Ocean Networks Canada’s CODAR, UVIC’s Davis weather station and both live cameras.

There are still four male elephant seals and three pups on the island. There was some fighting amongst the males last night, evident by the fresh cuts on the backs of three of the males and near the eye of the youngest female pup.

The number of sea lions on the rocks has decreased in the past two days. It could be related to the strong west winds that blow into some of their favourite haul out spots.

There was one tour boat seen in the ecological reserve today.

DND was conducting demolition training on nearby Bentinck Island today.