Race Rocks visits with Year 41 students

Three great afternoons at Race Rocks with the three blocks of first year Marine Science students – Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday.

We observed and photographed many sea lions, both California (Zalophus californianus) and Stellar or Northern sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus).

We also saw Harbour seals, Elephant seals, Black oystercatchers, Black turnstones, gulls, cormorants, Greater white-fronted geese and Canada geese.

The weather was variable among the three trips – fog, sunshine and rain at various times.  The boat ride back today was particularly wet!

Seems as though everyone had a wonderful time overall though!Thanks to Kohtaro & Adva for photos!

And thanks to Anne for her warm (and wise!) hospitality. See http://www.racerocks.ca/wp/2014/09/24/real-rain/ for more details and more photos.

Weir’s Beach 16 September 2014

Tuesday morning, 11 am, F block first year Marine Science students explored Weir’s Beach.  Not many photos to mark the occasion, but two great ones thanks to Adva.

Below is the moult of a first instar juvenile Dungeness crab, Metacarcinus magister.

Harbour seal necropsy 2014

On Saturday 13 September, many students observed or got directly involved in the necropsy of the little female harbour seal (Phoca vitulina) that we found in the mudflats last week.

With permission from Fisheries and Oceans Canada, we examined the body of the seal inside and out…

Two students, Haruna & Mariam, carefully teased apart the small intestine, stretched it out and measured it to be 12.8 m long.  All that intestine in a seal that was only 0.82 m long!

We did examine many organs but could not determine the cause of death.

 

A very unique opportunity for many Pearson College students! Thanks to all involved including the many photographers.

This is one of my favourite photos from the event… the lens from one of the eyes, which you may be able to see has inverted the image behind it.

Mudflat mayhem

On Tuesday and Wednesday mornings this week, second year Marine Science students paddled across Pedder Bay to get to the mudflats. In fact for E block students this was their first class back after the break – a serious re-immersion back into the course!

We did a lot of digging…

And discovered some cool creatures…

including a dead Harbour Seal.

And only one major mudflat mishap.

Two wonderful mornings overall!