Consistent fog since sunrise. West winds between 20-30 knots for most of the day and on the rise. Barometric pressure increasing since Thursday night. Gales forecasted for tomorrow afternoon.
No boats today (although maybe because of zero visibility).
5 Canada geese arrived on the island today. Chunk and Cheeky did not visit the water today but recently Cheeky has been visiting after dark.
Started inventory of safety kits on the island. Filled up on gas yesterday at Pedder Bay Marina.
Clear skies. Gale force West winds all day. Force 6-8
The barometer has been on a very slow rise from 1018 hPa all day. The gale warning continues for tomorrow.
4 tour boats
1 dive boat
3 halibut boats on the edge of the reserve
A recreational fishing boat was cleaning their catch (from somewhere else) North of Middle Rocks. They were tossing something (food of some sort) into the water a luring the seagulls over, and swinging at the gulls with a paddle. They didn’t hit any gulls, but I was pretty unimpressed. Sadly, as far as I know, there is nowhere to report people just being idiots on the water.
There is an amazing, thick blanket of fog extending from the Sooke basin, over the Sooke hills, and petering out towards William Head. Like someone smeared a thick layer of grey icing on the landscape. There is also a low layer of marine fog to the South of me, just in front of Washington. The freighters are slipping in and out of view as they move up and down the Juan de Fuca. I am very happy that the fog stayed away from Race Rocks all day.
-Finished tidying my house for Max’s 5 day shift. He’ll be out here starting tomorrow morning until the 12th. I will post his observations when I get back on station.
Fog until 1500, clear after that. Moderate West in the am, strong Westerlies late. Force 6.
Barometer has been falling most of the day. The forecast is for the same weather pattern with light winds in the morning, and strong Westerlies in the afternoon. Expecting fog tomorrow morning.
I’m seeing lots of eggs in the Gull nests. Some of the birds are getting pretty feisty, especially the ones on the rocks next to the tank shed. The Elephant seal sage continues, with their midday pool party and afternoon nap; It’s a busy life as an Elephant seal.
Off station 1400 to 1500 to pick up my Mom who is visiting for a couple days.
Fog this morning. Clear midday. Cloudy late. Moderate to strong West wind all day. Force 5. Barometer has been falling all day. Forecast is for the West wind to continue tomorrow.
12 tour boats
5 halibut boats in the am
No sign of the injured Steller Sea lion this morning. He left Great Race sometime last night. While looking for him with the spotting-scope from the top of the tower I saw another Steller Sea lion on Middle Rocks with a band around its neck.
-Continued Keeper’s house bathroom mini-reno
-Washed Keeper’s House windows
-Set up permanent electric fencing wiring in tank shed
Still grey out here, the fog rolled in before noon, fog alarm was going for a few hours. The fog had lifted by late afternoon. Wind has been light today and yesterday.
The DND were burning again yesterday at Rocky Point.
I went off island yesterday to get plumbing parts and some provisions. It was my first time using the new boat dolly. It is a much appreciated improvement that makes launch and recovery easier and faster.
-getting parts off island
-fixed broken pipe and faucet on roof for PV panels
-pressure tested then drained lines
-sent photos and measurements for wood stove
-ran desalinator
~10 kts West wind all day. The fog continues.
Tour boats: 3
With this fog, it is impossible to know how many tour boats have actually come through the reserve this past week. Visibility is usually about 50m and not more than 250m (I checked using Google earth). All day I can hear the low boom of the ships fog horns as they move up and down the strait.
There are still lots of sea lions in the reserve. They are mostly on the North-East flats and South of the student house.
The elephant seal with the scabby molt is camped out on the grass next to the desalinator bunker, the rest are in the shallows next to the boat ramp.
[ Nature doesn’t need to be maintained; it only needs a little breathing room ]
This week, the 3rd International Marine Protected Areas Congress is happening in France. Their goal is to support the realization of having 20% of the worlds oceans under some form of protection by 2020. IMPAC provides a framework to evaluate the progress made towards this goal and to work on new solutions. Check out this Nat Geo blog for a brief summary of why marine protected areas are important: 3 lessons from MPAs around the world
The background noise generated by shipping vessels can have detrimental impacts on marine mammals. This brief media release (with a video) introduces some of the issues regarding noise from shipping traffic and its effect on marine mammals: ship noise impacts on whales. Original Article: Williams, R., et al. (2013) Acoustic quality of critical habitats for three threatened whale populations. Animal Conservation
-desalinator maintenance (changed cartridge filters, backflushed media filter)
-made a new lid for the water tank
Juvenile male elephant seal
There was a dead California sea lion floating by the boat ramp this morning.
Brand: U_95 (the first number couldn’t be read due to damage)
-ran fire pump, washed walkways around tank shed and boat shed
-ran desalinator
-organized first aid supplies
Fog all day. Light winds. Calm seas.
Tour boats: 8
The sea lions have taken up on the flats on the North-East in front of the keepers house again. Proportionately more Stellars than Californias.
No boat count for a second day in a row due to fog.
After several weeks of leaving the Marigolds (aka Calendula) I pulled them off the edges of the paths today. I left them up until now because they were always covered with honey bees. And I figure it’s always good to help the bees in any way you can, even if it’s just leaving some flowers so that they have a few more weeks of food. I’m not sure if there is a bees nest on Race Rocks (I haven’t found one) or if they fly over from Bentick Island or another area on Vancouver Island.
-Washed solar panels
-Cleared paths of Marigolds
-Washed North side of keepers house (walls and soffits)
1040hrs DND started detonating explosives at Bentinck island – 3 explosions followed by approx 10 minutes break and 3 more. sealions took notice and stood up,but few moved.
First day on watch.
Foggy all day so no boat count.
Chris and Erik have left all the systems in order so I just double checked things and settled in.
A nice, patriotic photo for my first day as EcoGuardian at Race Rocks
We’ve had the most fog of the summer yesterday and this morning, so thick the shoreline isn’t visible from the tower at points. The fog yesterday didn’t clear until late evening.
The lighthouse tower
The gull chicks are just starting to fly, although there have been some later hatchings this year too. The parent gulls have been very protective and aggressive. When young chicks wander close to another nest, mothers attack the chick or its parent gull. There have been at least four chick casualties this season because of this. These two chicks, pictured below, discovered the protected corner of the boathouse just before I was about to paint the floor. Luckily their squawking parents were close by and I was able to help them on their way.
Glaucous-winged gull chicks in the boathouse
A group of five stellar sea lions arrived on West Race Rocks and the southern rocks this past weekend. Only one California is here now that has been here for a few weeks now. Chunk, however, left the island last week and has not returned, leaving Misery as our only elephant seal at the moment.
Rear view of Chunk, the day before his departure