Weather : winds westerly between 15 and 25 knots all day but this evening back up to 30! Sky clear. temperature 16′

Traffic: saw 12 tourism boats today, all respectfully distancing from mammals and going slowly through the rocks.

Facility: cleaned the solar panels early this morning. Also pressure washed the front of ecoguardian’s house. The battery was not charging as well as I would expect given the amount of sun. Discussed with Greg and I am running the generator and the desalinator for a few hours. Cleaning the house in preparation of the next ecoguardian.

Wildlife: Saw Orcas in the distance today. The wind was calm for a moment and I saw their spray from the lantern room. Also saw an occasional dorsal fin. Watched the gulls and their chicks. I see the patterns, one adult returns and they do some head bobbing before the other flies off, premating dance and then mating, watching the chicks practice flying. The male elephant seal is exuding white liquid from one nostril. I am concerned and sent a picture to Garry Fletcher. The oystercatcher chicks I watched hatch are hidden and no longer easy to find. I am glad because there will be lots of action on the jetty tomorrow.

daily solar panel cleaning

Sunrise in the lantern room

Is he OK?

Still mating happening on the island!