1

FOR MIKE AND CAROL SLATER

Eco-Guardians of Race Rocks Ecological Reserve & Marine Protected Area

1997-2008From the Faculty, Staff and Students of

Lester B. Pearson College and from Garry Fletcher

In appreciation for your many years of service to Lester B. Pearson College and

racerocks.com

FOR MIKE AND CAROL SLATER

Eco-Guardians of Race Rocks Ecological Reserve & Marine Protected Area

1997-2008From the Faculty, Staff and Students of

Lester B. Pearson College and from Garry Fletcher

In appreciation for your many years of service to Lester B. Pearson College and

racerocks.com

2

Thanks to the following for providing the images:

Angus MatthewsChris Blondeau

Pam BirleyMike and Carol Slater

Students of the racerocks.com activityGarry Fletcher

Thanks to the following for providing the images:

Angus MatthewsChris Blondeau

Pam BirleyMike and Carol Slater

Students of the racerocks.com activityGarry Fletcher

3

Mike and Carol have lived at Race Rocks since the Mike and Carol have lived at Race Rocks since the mid-nineteen eighties and started working as Eco-mid-nineteen eighties and started working as Eco-Guardians for Lester B. Pearson College in 1997Guardians for Lester B. Pearson College in 1997

4

One of the many times that Mike would meet One of the many times that Mike would meet us at the docks to help in the landing of the us at the docks to help in the landing of the college boats..college boats..

5

He was always He was always there to help us there to help us dock or depart when dock or depart when conditions got conditions got marginal with a marginal with a north-easterly north-easterly blowing.blowing.

6

Mike collected sea water samples for the data records Mike collected sea water samples for the data records for Fisheries and Oceans and the website every day an for Fisheries and Oceans and the website every day an hour before high tide at Race Rocks, thus continuing hour before high tide at Race Rocks, thus continuing the unbroken record of sea water temperature and the unbroken record of sea water temperature and salinity since the early 1900’s.salinity since the early 1900’s.

7

Reading and recording the daily Salinity and Reading and recording the daily Salinity and Temperature.Temperature.

8

Carol has long been an effective Carol has long been an effective spokeswoman for the wildlife on the spokeswoman for the wildlife on the reserve.reserve.

9

She always has made friends with all She always has made friends with all the creatures on Race Rocks.the creatures on Race Rocks.

10

Mike often Mike often had to had to negotiate negotiate to pass by to pass by to the to the docks..docks..

11

We’re not sure We’re not sure who was who was helping who helping who here..here..

12

Fisheries Minister Brian Tobin and Fisheries Minister Brian Tobin and Environment Minister David Anderson visit Environment Minister David Anderson visit Race Rocks and talk with Mike and Carol.Race Rocks and talk with Mike and Carol.

13

Mike and Carol have hosted a wide range of Mike and Carol have hosted a wide range of visitors at Race Rocks..visitors at Race Rocks..

14

Mike uses the power washer to clean Mike uses the power washer to clean the buildings and keep the camera the buildings and keep the camera housings.housings.

15

Helping Don the electrician in Helping Don the electrician in assembling the remote control assembling the remote control camera stand..camera stand..

16

and installing the remote control camera.and installing the remote control camera.

17

Giving final Giving final touches to the touches to the remote camera remote camera housing in housing in 2002.2002.

18

Mike had to put up with Mike had to put up with the gull attacks when the gull attacks when cleaning the remote cleaning the remote camera housing in camera housing in nesting season. Here he nesting season. Here he is dressed for the is dressed for the onslaughtonslaught

19

Chris and Mike Chris and Mike adjust the Davis adjust the Davis weather station. weather station. For this station For this station he regularly he regularly helped in helped in resetting of the resetting of the software for the software for the website.website.

20

Mike provided Mike provided valuable valuable assistance in the assistance in the installation of installation of the tidal current the tidal current generator in generator in 2006. Whether 2006. Whether installing installing conduits for conduits for cables or cables or concreting the concreting the curbs he was curbs he was always on the always on the job.job.

21

With assistance in docking and helping in the With assistance in docking and helping in the transfer of equipment for the tidal current transfer of equipment for the tidal current energy program, he was always there to help.energy program, he was always there to help.

22

Mike and Carol kept a Mike and Carol kept a daily photo log for us daily photo log for us of the construction of the construction phase of the storage phase of the storage battery addition. battery addition. Many of their pictures Many of their pictures now reside on now reside on racerocks.comracerocks.com

23

He and the crew move equipment into He and the crew move equipment into the energy centre for the Tidal Current the energy centre for the Tidal Current Energy Project.Energy Project.

24

Mike and Chris fit many an object Mike and Chris fit many an object through a door that was too small.through a door that was too small.

25

Mike assisting in the assembly of Mike assisting in the assembly of the Xantrex invertersthe Xantrex inverters

26

When we decided to remove a concrete When we decided to remove a concrete walkway to help mitigate the impact of the walkway to help mitigate the impact of the tidal current generator installation, Mike tidal current generator installation, Mike was the one on the jack-hammer!was the one on the jack-hammer!

27

Removing Removing the old the old concrete : concrete : caught in caught in the act by the act by the remote the remote camera.camera.

28

Here he Here he operates the operates the derrick to off-derrick to off-load load equipment for equipment for the tidal the tidal energy project.energy project.

29

A hand of precision at the controls of the A hand of precision at the controls of the derrick.derrick.

30

Once the Once the hard-hat hard-hat goes on, we goes on, we know Mike know Mike means means business!business!

31

Mike has the patience to nurse Mike has the patience to nurse along along an ancient Winch motor.an ancient Winch motor.

32

Part of living on an island is providing your own water supply. Part of living on an island is providing your own water supply. Mike’s inventions on the pumping of seawater for the Mike’s inventions on the pumping of seawater for the desalinator are noteworthy!desalinator are noteworthy!

33

Record keeping for the desalinatorRecord keeping for the desalinator

34

Self Sufficiency means being in charge of the three Self Sufficiency means being in charge of the three sources of energy generation for the island.sources of energy generation for the island.

35

Mike adapted to the use of the new Mike adapted to the use of the new equipment in the Clean Current Turbine equipment in the Clean Current Turbine Project.Project.

36

Mike and Eric find away to avoid the remote Mike and Eric find away to avoid the remote camera! camera!

37

He and his Boston Whaler made many trips over to He and his Boston Whaler made many trips over to Pedder Bay. On one such trip when he was the Pedder Bay. On one such trip when he was the lighthouse keeper, equipment failure put him into lighthouse keeper, equipment failure put him into the water. Thankfully he was able to recover .the water. Thankfully he was able to recover .

38

What’s the red streak passing Second What’s the red streak passing Second Nature??Nature??

39

Mike helped us to assist researchers working at Mike helped us to assist researchers working at the reserve. Here he finds out about the ancient the reserve. Here he finds out about the ancient burial cairns in the back yard from a U.Vic burial cairns in the back yard from a U.Vic Anthropology researcher.Anthropology researcher.

40

He worked He worked with our with our students students showing showing them how to them how to install install conduits for conduits for underground underground wiring.wiring.

41

Here he helps Paul with electrical Here he helps Paul with electrical connections on the webcasting connections on the webcasting equipment.equipment.

42

Mike often had to put Mike often had to put up with many strange up with many strange requests for equipment requests for equipment changes from Garry-- changes from Garry-- but he never but he never complained--always an complained--always an enthusiastic partner in enthusiastic partner in the racerocks.com the racerocks.com program.program.

43

After a north-easterly blow, Mike would take After a north-easterly blow, Mike would take on the job of a logger having to do some on the job of a logger having to do some major clear-cutting on the boat ramp.major clear-cutting on the boat ramp.

44

Chris Blondeau Chris Blondeau visiting Mike visiting Mike and Carol with and Carol with their grandson their grandson MichaelMichael

45

Mike and Mike and Carol Slater Carol Slater at Race at Race Rocks:Rocks:

September September 20082008

46

Excerpts from the Movie “Outpost” by Alan Excerpts from the Movie “Outpost” by Alan Bibby, 1997Bibby, 1997

QuickTime™ and aMPEG-4 Video decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

47

WE HAVE INSTALLED THIS PRESENTATION IN THE RACE ROCKS

HISTORY FILE :

http://racerocks.ca/mikeandcarol.htm

WE HAVE INSTALLED THIS PRESENTATION IN THE RACE ROCKS

HISTORY FILE :

http://racerocks.ca/mikeandcarol.htm