This is Adam’s last day at Race Rocks. Passing the torch off to Ryan once again.
Author Archives: Adam Harding
Orca feeding on south side Great Race
Elephant Seal: A female elephant hauled up on Great Race yesterday afternoon. Haven’t had a chance to get an ID on it. Looks too small to be Bertha.
Orca: T31 was found to be feeding around the SW side of Great Race and over Rosedale in a strong ebb.
Human Interaction:
An OBMG vessel was spotted transiting the main passage at very high speed ~1245hrs. The vessel also approached too close to sea lions on the Rocks.
A fishing vessel entered the Reserve at high speed this afternoon.
vessel traffic and Orcas
Human Interaction
At 1422hrs PDT a vessel was spotted passing over Rosedale Reef E to W at high speed.
A pod of orcas was observed passing through Race Passage W to E this afternoon.
census
| California Sea Lion: 228: NE haulout – 189 South Rocks – 5 South and West Great Race – 34 Middle Rock – 0 |
Northern Sea Lion: 120: NE haulout – 35 South Rocks – 0 South and West Great Race – 0 Middle Rocks – 85 |
Assisting boaters
At ~1000hrs PDT the vessel “Rogue” was spotted speeding out of the Reserve and maneuvering unnecessarily.
At ~1014hrs PDT a Prince of Whales vessel was spotted throttling up and speeding out of the Reserve.
A small runabout with three POB (people On Board) pulled up to the island this afternoon, out of gas and with battery issues. The ecoguardian sold some gas to the men and helped them to recharge their battery before they headed off towards Becher Bay.
There were 2 visitors to the island today.
At 1019 hrs PDT a vessel was spotted speeding out of the Reserve heading west.
Sea lion census
Every day an hour before high tide we have to take seawater samples for a long term database for DFO on Salinity and Temperature. It is unfortunate they have to be disturbed, but since they return directly afterward, the impact is minimal. The California sea lions stick to the docks as long as possible and reluctantly leave eventually . After the bucket has been filled, it is returned to the tank room for the analysis.
California Sea Lion: 172
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census day
| California Sea Lion: 103 NE haulout – 63; East Bay – 36; South & West haulouts – 4 Northern Sea Lion: 67 NE haulout – 35; East Bay – 1; South & west haulouts – 1; Middle Rock – 29; North Race – 1 |
DFO and BC Parks visitors
Human Interaction
DFO Fisheries Officer Cam Blacklock and BC Parks Ranger Jenn Plotnikoff visited the island today.
There were 2 visitors to the island today.
More boater problems
Human Interaction
At 0845hrs PDT an OBMG vessel was spotted speeding along the outside of the kelp bed east of Great Race.
At 0906hrs PDT a red vessel was spotted speeding out of the west side of the main channel.
At 0932hrs PDT an aluminum vessel with blue trim was spotted speeding out of the west side of the main channel.
At ~1000hrs PDT the eco-tour vessel Serengeti from Seafun Safaris was spotted speeding out of the Reserve around the kelp bed east of Great Race.
At ~1000hrs PDT a white vessel was spotted speeding into the Reserve from the east side of the main channel.
At 1016hrs PDT a blue aluminum vessel with ~3 POB was spotted speeding into the Reserve beside West Race. The vessel slowed once it actually entered the kelp bed near Middle Race. The vessel proceeded to transit the main passage W to E, then turn around and transit E to W before throttling up at the western edge of Great Race.
At 1025hrs PDT a white vessel was spotted speeding into Rosedale Reef via the edge of the kelp bed east of Great Race. The vessel approached less than 100 metres to the South Rocks before turning around and proceeding around the kelp bed to the main channel, eastern boundary. The vessel proceeded to the NE sea lion haul out and approached within 20 metres of sea lions on the jetty. Three persons were on board the vessel with license number BC1668350.
At 1040hrs PDT a white Bayliner with three persons on board proceeded to approach within 100 metres of sea lions hauled out on the jetty and on the NE rocks. The vessel license number was BC1668350. This incident was reported to DFO.
At 1130hrs PDT a white Bayliner with blue trim and four persons on board proceeded to approach within 100 metres of sea lions hauled out on the jetty and NE rocks. The vessel also made a point of circling and maneuvering unnecessarily in front of the jetty while sea lions were in the water. The vessel name was Sea Sprite and the license number is 2J 3444. This incident was reported to DFO.
At 1145hrs PDT an aluminum vessel with blue trim was spotted fishing around the east side of the kelp bed east of Great Race. The vessel continued to fish as it trolled towards Great Race, crossed the main channel and exited via the North-Middle Race channel. The vessel license number was BC1589784. Three persons on board. This incident was reported to DFO.
At 1215hrs PDT a small fibreglass vessel was spotted speeding out of the Reserve near North Race.
At 1327hrs PDT an aluminum vessel with a canvas canopy sped around and into the Reserve via the kelp bed east of Great Race.
At 1235hrs PDT a grey RHIB sped into the Middle-North Race channel while producing significant wake.
At 1343hrs PDT a fibreglass vessel was spotted speeding into the Reserve on the south side of Great Race. The vessel slowed eventually.
At 1347hrs PDT the aluminum vessel spotted at 1327hrs was found to be speeding out of the Reserve heading east.
At 1347hrs PDT a small fibreglass vessel with two persons on board was found to approaching closer than 100 metres to sea lions near the jetty. THis vessel sped westward out of the Reserve at 1352hrs PDT.
At 1416hrs PDT the grey RHIB previously found to be speeding into the Reserve was spotted speeding out towards the east.
At 1439hrs PDT Ocean Magic entered the Reserve at a speed greater than 7 knots producing a very large wake.
At 1440hrs PDT an OBMG vessel was found to be within 100 metres of sealions on the jetty.
At 1440hrs PDT a small white fibreglass vessel was found to be speeding into the Reserve from the east.
At 1442hrs PDT a white fibreglass vessel was found to be speeding out of the Reserve heading east.
At 1512hrs PDT a white fibreglass vessel was spotted speeding out of the Reserve heading eastbound.