The wind didn’t do much more than puff occasionally from the east southeast and the fog stayed away all day. It was a beautiful September, summer day and another one is forecast for tomorrow, (with fog patches). The barometer has been stepping down since Monday and took another step today, landing at 1014 hPA. The forecast calls for strong winds from the west.
It was an extremely busy day on the water in the Ecological Reserve today. There were 32 observed visits by commercial whale watching vessels and at times it looked like a marine Grand Central Station than a protected area. Twelve sports boats were also noted transiting the reserve and one stayed all day taking photos of the wildlife from as close as about 10 meters. Several of the sports fishing boats were speeding in reserve. Most of the commercial operators were being respectful and careful in their operations but one zodiac did go through the gap between Great Race and South Islands against the current and a couple of vessels (always the same ones…hmmm) sped inside the reserve. The commercial operators did well to not have any incidents considering the congestion compounded by the current.
There was a lot of cetacean action today with two Humpback Whales just outside the reserve to the south and two pods of Killer Whales (one Southern Resident, one Biggs (Transient) travelling past through Race Passage from west to east. Unlike the tug that was trying to tow a houseboat past and going backwards today, the Killer Whales are smart enough to use the tide to give them extra speed. At least two individuals from the Biggs group entered the reserve near North Rocks and then continued on without slowing down.
The sea lions dominate Great Race right now and their massive nitrogen contribution to the ecology of the islet and surrounding water is more than just a whiff on the air. It is pungent and obvious.
I had planned on doing some intertidal work on the low tide but had to spend the time repairing things and doing routine work that couldn’t be put off. There were no visitors.
