Tag Archives: pup

Visitors again

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Weather

No wind at all early in the morning but North East tendency,4 knots,calm,overcast,4degrees,Visibility over 15miles ,Sea water stable around 7 degrees

Ecological

9 geese,a lot of gulls,and many eagles.Chunk came when Boss was gone . he spent part of the day in the waters closed to the jetty and met our visitors

Visitors

Guy went to town for some admin that day so I welcomed our visitors :the same divers than Yesterday. They could’t get in touch with the college on Sunday so they came back to the best spot around. We made a tour of the place together and got the chance to see the pups . We went to the Sea lions spot on South too.They were happy but I try to let them understand that this place was protected and not open to public and they phoned right away to the VP of operation :Mr Pile and let him a message and references.They could observe closely Chunk and even offered him an apple!

DND Divers from Edmonton’s Visit

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Weather

At 8:00 East light wind:5knots, overcast with sunshine around noon. In the afternoon the wing changed to West and got pretty strong in the afternoon. It has not been announced by Weather Canada but evident if you looked on Windyty. We got some gust of 33 to 40 knots. The change between the 2 types of Weather condition was very quick.

Ecological

Chunk keeps coming every day never farthest than the boat shed.He spent a part of the day in the water closed to the jetty, the other one watching! The pups are really bigger and they are just 15 days old!

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Chunk

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Visit

2 military zodiacs came in the beginning of the afternoon. Some divers went in water and  spend an hour closed to the underwater camera spot. We were watching but when they decided to land Guy went to speak with them and explained what was the purpose of the place . They actually knew almost nothing about RaceRocks excepted that it was a great diving spot. They came from Edmonton locating the area for a bigger group coming latter  so we asked them to get in touch with the college as soon as possible.They were not used to dive in ocean waters only in lacks so we informed then about the strong currents around the Rocks and the potential danger. The wind coming we advised them to leave the place before it got too strong and they did.

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       Vessels  

A few watchers

Census day and find “6 Spots” the harbour Seal!

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Weather

Another calm day with 9 knots,North East wind at 8:00AM ,Calm sea,Cloudy to some sunny periods,Visibility over 13 miles. Sea water :7.1 degrees Celsius

Ecological

I thought to have seen the famous seal on Turbine Rock this morning. there was a beautiful spotted Seal and actually the first one like that I ever saw…but when I went to do the census I discovered 7 or 8 spotted ones all together on South Island so…I am not sure anymore …Is “6 spots “around or not?…I let Pam to be the expert and the judge . Again Chunk :he spend the afternoon closed to Guy working at the cleaning of the railway (drifting wood again).A lot of activity for the gulls on the fish banks. In the night I have been awaken by the Sea Lions for the first time in those Winter months

Vessels

3 Watchers  and a police boats going towards Esquilmalt..some small fishing boats closed to Pedder Bay.

Census

Gulls:520

Cormorants :90

Harbour Seals :17

Elephants Seals:6 (2 pups,2 females ,2 males)

Eagles:8

Harlequin Ducks :8 seen this week

Geese:6 seen this week

Black Turnstones: a few

Sea lions : 200

 

9 Eagles on South Islands

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Weather

North east wind at 8:00AM, 12 knots ,over 13 miles of visibility.Pretty chilly morning (4 degrees Celsius ), cloudy and rainy.

Ecological

So many eagles around and some crows too…I guess they are attracted by the Elephant Seal body still in the rocks but actually they have been everywhere around all the time…juveniles and adults.. Boss  was coming back early from water. The 2 females have almost not moved from the birth spot and gradually the pups got bigger. Pam saw the famous harbour Seal ,”Six Spots”  is his name but we we have not found him yet.

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see the shadow of the eagles on South Island

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Eagle around

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Maintenance and visits

Kyle came Today to get the chain saw that needed some repairs or a new one …The dryer has also some problems.With Guy they had a look at the old and unused generator. it will be hauled out pretty soon. In the afternoon Travis from the college came in his Kayak and stopped for a visit of the place and some chatting with us . The day was just perfect for the crossing : no current and no wind.! One watching boat seen

 

Census day

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Weather

Pretty windy day ,North wind ,22knots at 8:00 and around 30 at 2:00PM.,white crests on the sea,visibility over 15miles

Maintenance 

Outside wall of the main house and staircase washed.

Ecological

Birds very active :fishing all around. many Oyster catchers on the south rocks of Main. Quiet Elephant seals

Census

Elephant seals:5: one big male,2 females and 2 pups

Sea lions:140

Gulls:440

Geese :4

Oyster catchers :20

Cormorants :around 40

Eagles: 2 adults and 2 juveniles

Black Turnstones:15

Harlequin ducks: 14 seen this week

Others 

Water infiltration by the windows and from the wall in a spot.Stairs a little bit slippery

 

the storm never came

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Weather

Looking at the forecast we were expecting a gust (to 40knots)on the 17th but it stayed pretty calm .Just a big swell came from East. When we had a look on the website Windyty the wind was on the West coast outside and on Victoria and the North of Vancouver Island. The sky has been very cloudy with a dark sea  and rain never far.The air temperature was a higher and the water too( around 7 degrees Celsius.) In the morning of the 18th in a gloomy atmosphere the flag was hanging like a stick for a while and like the day before keeps changing its direction all the time . The tides are really high. never saw them like that before

Ecological

Everything is fine in the nursery .The big male spend his days closed to the females and babies ,waiting for his turn and sometimes trying to get one or the other but to now without success. We got the visit of a few eagles and some geese .

Maintenance

More wood split and stacked. The desalinator and generator are on almost everyday . Guy hauled up with the crane a very long log around 30feet. The last 200 liters of gas oil have been transfered to the yellow tank.We have now 7 barrels empty ready to be filled up and 2 Propane bottles. The barrels bottoms have been got rid of rust  and repainted.

Vessels

One watching boat almost everyday

 

2 pups this morning and never 2 captains on the same boat!

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This morning before the sunset the second pup was born! Almost same location on the grass closed to the desalination house … Boss (big nose male ) was looking at the quiet scenery when another male arrived …I never saw a elephant Seal going so fast. he rushed and made the other one go back to the water and for an hour he stayed at the top of the jetty! never 2 captains !

Boat shed roof repaired

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Weather

Very nice weather 15 to 20 knots East wind . calm day

Ecological

Now every 2 hours  the baby got fed and everything looked fine. the baby was not moving easily  and was crying a lot maybe from frustration or to get attention. It was really nice to see everything from the window .

Maintenance

Kyle came with his wife and helped Guy on the boat shed roof. it badly needed repairs and patches of shingles before the heavy rainy days expected next week.

Marine activity

One whale watcher boats with freezing people ! and a plane above in the afternoon

 

The new one and mum get settled

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Weather

Wind:11knots,North East

Sky:Clear to cloudy

Visibility:Over 15miles

Ecological

Everything was going smoothly for the the new one.We missed the birth for one minute looking for our camera. It was so quickly done . What was very nice to watch and listen were the fist interactions between the 2. The male coming from sea one hour letter was also pretty dramatic : the female trying to protect the young one but she couldn’t help a full inspection. After that he went away observing closely the situation from a distance. The placenta went out 6hours later for the delight of a gull keeping the others out of the way.The baby was already looking for the tits and the mother tried to help him but no feeding for that day.

other

Visitors :Kyle brought James . and he put a camera up ready for the next coming birth in a few days.