All three first year Marine Science classes made it out to Race Rocks on Wednesday 10 October. We saw many, many, many California and Northern sea lions.
And most students were also fortunate enough to see humpback whales feeding off the south and west sides of Great Race Rock. (Terrible photos of humpbacks below followed by a decent photo of whale watching students!)
The newly minted Coastal Biodiversity CAS also had the opportunity to visit Race Rocks with Garry Fletcher on Friday afternoon.
During that visit we saw a necklaced sea lion and we came across a dead Northern sea lion.
We also had a reunion of two Year 38 students, Laas, the current Ecoguardian at Race Rocks, and Helen, who is back at Pearson College for a two week visit. Incidentally these were the two artists who painted my VW van!!
During the first year field exam at Race Rocks on Friday 12 May (post to follow…), there were 11 northern elephant seals (Mirounga angustirostris) that provided both entertainment and answers to the students writing the exam.
Tamar making observations
Big guy on the grass
Interacting elephant seals
One of the questions on the field exam involved observing elephant seals and the seals seemed happy to oblige.
Over the course of the morning, many of the elephant seals made their way to the water.
Heading down to the water
Going down…
Going up…
Meeting on the slipway
On the jetty
Parade into the water
Once in the water, one elephant seal was frolicking in the bull kelp and blowing bubbles.
Some students even tried behaving like elephant seals:
First year marine scientists had a wonderful experience at Race Rocks on Friday 23 September. We went to explore this amazing ecosystem and to observe marine mammals and birds.
We brought Felix Butschek (yr 36, Austria) along:
More details to follow on his visit later…
We did see (and hear and smell!) many, many sea lions:
Observing a California sea lion
Damage done to sea lion by a cookie cutter shark
We were also lucky to observe five Northern elephant seals:
Northern elephant seal
Elephant seal parade
Elephant seals and the jetty
As an added bonus one group of students also saw orcas:
Spyhopping orca
Orca in the distance
Whale watching
Orcas followed us to the mouth of Pedder Bay
For more photos see Flickr album here. And for Anne’s summary of the day and some better orca photos, see the Race Rocks blog.
On Monday 9 May, 26 Marine Science students travelled to Race Rocks on Hyaku or the Discovery Shuttle (chartered from Ocean River Sports since ‘Second Nature’ is still in the shop) to write their first year field exam.
Do they look like they are off to write an exam?
Discovery shuttle to Race Rocks
Aurora and Adi on Hyaku
Upon arriving at Race Rocks, students received their exam papers and instructions to travel to six stations around the island of Great Race Rock.
Second group of students arrives
Laura gives instructions for station 3
Getting to work at station 3
Ploypailin
Maya
Somchit
Navoneel
Johnny
Ochuko
Mara
Andras
Camila
Zoli
Jill
Kate
Only two significant challenges on this morning:
The flies
Ilana and flies
Being charged by an elephant seal while collecting data
Ploypailin, Lauren, Xue Meng and Jill were all frightened from collecting data on the jetty by an elephant seal making its way to the water
All in all though a very successful morning. Thanks to Johannah, Malou and Steph for photos and invigilation! – see this link for more wonderful photos. Â Thanks to Chris, Reuben (from Ocean River Sports) and Guy for transport to and from Race Rocks. And thanks to Riley and the elephant seals for their hospitality – see this link for Riley’s post on the Race Rocks log about the Marine Science field exam.
During a second year Marine Science class discussion of human impacts on the mudflats, a student shouted “there’s a bear!”
So much for the mudflats… all the students rushed down on to the dock to watch the TWO bears run towards the spiritual centre.
Later in the day, a first year class was welcomed ashore at Great Race Island by the usual suspects, California sea lions, Stellar sea lions and a Northern elephant seal.
The two highlights of the trip to Race Rocks for me (and the students) though were the humpback whale that was feeding just west of reserve and the sea otter that was frolicking in the kelp on the east side of the island. I took a few terrible photos (worse than the bear photos above), but please see Anne’s photos on the Race Rocks blog (humpback fluke and sea otter).
Better late than never, right? Â On 16 May 2014, the other class of first year marine scientists (A block) wrote their field exam at Race Rocks. Â Here are a few photos of their experience.
Chloe at the PC docks before departing for Race Rocks.
Students working hard:
Measuring the change in the height of the tide over 30 minutes…
Courtney, Ivan & Sophia watching the whale watchers.
Happy students!!
Buzurg & Awa measuring the dimensions of the Race Rocks jetty.
It was a stunningly beautiful Thursday morning when eight D block marine scientists travelled to Race Rocks to complete their field exam. Students measured, and measured, and wrote, and wrote, and wrote. A very successful morning for the students and for the island wildlife: A giant green anemone (Anthopleura xanthogrammica) feasting on what appeared to be a sea cucumber. There were also many, many elephant seals: Â Special thanks to Anne Stewart for preparing the students so well: and to Elliot (PC 39) for the photos.
Marine Science students aboard MV Second Nature, head out to Race Rocks Marine Protected Areas to do a quantitative, rocky shore study.
Tidal currents boil and swirl around the study site and safety is the top priority. A sharp look out for sneaker waves keeps everyone dry.
The first job is to stretch out a reference tape measure.
Using ancient but precise, Egyptian technology, the students carefully measure vertical height using a water level and record the abundance of different species as they work their way up the shore.
The students are learning about marine ecology by doing it.
Getting up close and personal with limpets and periwinkles is the best way to make observations.
Direct observations help the students understand broader topics in marine science.
These little brooding anemones may not have a brain but they are sensible enough to “hang on” to their offspring and give them a head start over their ‘cousins’ with planktonic larvae.
These ancient mollusks haven’t changed much in several hundred millions years. That is because they are well adapted to hang on to the rock and scrape off the algae using a metal scraper (aka a radula with iron in it).
These little aggregation anemones host algae in their skin, akin to the corals but soft.
Students work together to try and figure out the biotic and abiotic interactions that are shaping the the distribution of organisms.
Measurements of mussels and barnacles helps make sense of the abundance data.
Now comes the hard part of processing the raw data, pooling data and making sense out of the findings.
Students writing their first year field exam at Race Rocks on Saturday 11 May spotted this green sea urchin with a window to its Aristotle’s lantern. More details about the field exam to come…
Pearson College Marine Science 