Sept 8 - Pavlov's seals

Good morning !

Under the sea: That's where our first two stories are primarily set. For those, we look at the ferry propeller and some very clever seals. Then we go from well below sea level to well above it with a story on the literal ups and downs of this weekend’s mountainous, infamous Finlayson run.

— Cam

Today’s approx. read time: 5 minutes

🌡️ Weather Forecast

Today: ☀️ 21 / 13

Tomorrow: ☀️ 20 / 10

Tuesday: ⛅ 18 / 12

7-day forecast

NEWS

Sonar dinner bell attracts elephant seals deep in Pacific waters

The elusive northern elephant seal is no fool when it comes to dinner. If you advertise it with lights and sound, hey, they’re there, ready to feed their fish-frenzied appetites, according to findings of a UVic-led study.

The large seals were captured on camera—surprisingly, and time and again—drawn by sonar to check out a 645-metre-deep Ocean Networks Canada (ONC) research site at nearby Barkley Canyon, set up to study the effects of light and bait on fish.

“We suspect the seals have learned to associate sonar noise from the research instrument with the presence of food—a phenomenon known as the “dinner bell” effect,” said Héloïse Frouin-Mouy, lead author of the paper published on Wed.

“The seals appeared to use this sound to locate an area with prey and may take advantage of fish disturbed by the camera lights, particularly targeting sablefish, their preferred meal as seen in the video footage,” she said.

Just as Ivan Pavlov’s 1890s experiments into the digestive response in dogs accidentally led to his psychological classical conditioning theory, these fish-foraging findings on the big seal also came by chance.

Read Mark Brennae’s full story here. 

⚠️ Capital Bulletin

Air Quality: 4 (moderate risk), with some smoke overhead. UV index high.

Some wind, which will lower temp.s about 3 degrees where it blows onshore.

Rain & cloud later this week, beginning Tues. night.

Hwy 4 delays to/from Tofino for road repairs. 24/7 single-laning  from Sept. 9 to Oct. 18.

Navy training going on, tomorrow to Friday, at Betnick Island / Rocky Point / Whirl Bay. 

Driving today? Check the current traffic situation via Google.

NEWS

Ship out 6 months for repairs, per BC Ferries update

The Queen of New Westminster will now be out of service until 2025, rather than Sept. 30. This Sat. update came after the ship’s missing propeller was dredged up and seemed to indicate broader mechanical problems with the 60-year-old ferry.

The 4,500kg propeller was half-submerged in the seabed, BC Ferries said, and took two days to recover because the route had to be kept clear for other vessels during daytime.

The propeller’s fracture may be the result of structural fatigue. Repairs to address this will now involve “the complete disassembly of both [port and starboard] systems and the replacement of the tail shaft on at least the starboard side.”

Other ferries may now be shifted to cover that route at times

The refit schedule—which has multiple ferries going in for adjustments later this fall—may also be rearranged. Saturday's release argues that this extended absence without an available backup highlights why BC Ferries plans to order one more new ferry than it needs to replace.

NEWS

Gruelling Finlayson Arm ultamarathon event wraps up today

If you’ve ever hiked Mount Finlayson, you’ll know how steep the elevation gain is—if you haven’t, imagine climbing a skyscraper at a slight angle. Quickly. While evading roots and rocks. That’s the first peak, and there are five more after it on the main race course of the Finlayson, an annual extreme endurance run that returned to the Westshore this weekend.

In the standard 50km (technically 52.5km) race, at least the race has daylight. But the full ultramarathon (previously 100km and now 50miles/82km), starts in the dark and, if you aren’t fast enough, ends in it as well. There’s always the shorter 28km run—but there's also “The Double,” a multi-day combination of the 82 and the 28.

So how do these endurance runners, well, endure?

“I remind myself of how lucky I am to be physically and mentally healthy enough to accomplish this,” 50km runner Tanya Seal-Jones told The Westshore before the 2022 race.

Lindsay Cristante also takes time to appreciate her health, the natural surroundings, and the chance to meet other runners along the journey.

“In these races you meet people that you are forever connected with because you've had this shared experience,” she said.

Get the details on this weekend's event

Read The Westshore's previous feature on the race and its runners.

SPONSORED BY SOUTH ISLAND PROSPERITY PARTNERSHIP

South Island Prosperity announces new CEO

South Island Prosperity Partnership, Greater Victoria’s economic alliance, is excited to announce Aaron Stone as its new CEO. Stone, who announced he will step down from his third term as Mayor of Ladysmith to accept the position, is a seasoned leader known for driving holistic community prosperity.

Read More.

⭐️ Capital Picks

🌸🕷 A colour-changing spider: This flower crab spider in Qualicum is dressed to match a pink flower—for now. 

🍔 Where to find great burgers in the Westshore. [The Westshore]

🍒 New one-take video from Victoria pop-funk singer Diamond Cafe, now based in LA. Watch “Sweet Cherry” below:

🌱 Gardeners! Design and create your own Fall Planter on September 21, 10am-12pm at Patio Gardens. Sign up today for a Fall Planter Workshop!*

🌇 Living painting: See the spectacular sunset featuring orcas at Telegraph Cove. [Facebook photo] 

*Sponsored Listing

🗞️ In Other News

No ambulance for Sidney senior in distress; case now in review
Sandra Earle was hit with dizziness and called 911, but the dispatcher could not provide an ambulance ETA—in a follow-up call, dispatch advised her to get her own transport to hospital. Bystanders flagged down an unrelated ambulance, and it later turned out she had a pulmonary embolism. [Times Colonist]

Oaklands Park tennis courts defaced with feces
The city cleaned up the Friday morning mess by the afternoon, but was not sure whether it was human or animal in origin. [CTV]

BC United will run some election candidates after all
Some local candidates whose campaigns suddenly ended may still get to run. The former BC Liberal party, whose leader folded its province-wide campaign last month, says it will compete in some ridings to keep the party name and registration, to enable a future comeback. [CP / Yahoo]

Pacific FC escapes league basement with 3-0 home win
Pacific and Halifax were in a tie for last place going into their matching yesterday, but the local club's win vaults them back up to 6th place. Watch the highlights below:

🗓️ Things to do

🍖 Esquimalt Ribfest: Local beverages, live music, and, of course, tasty ribs in Bullen Park. 11am-9pm. [Info]

🚴‍♀️👵🌍 Cycle tour finale as the Victoria Grandmothers for Africa arrive back at Mile Zero at 3:30. [Info]

🚗 English Car Affair in the Park: The 28th annual fall car show from OECC South Island comes to Church & State Wines in Brentwood Bay. Begins 4pm. [Info]

🎈 Metchosin Community Day: Pet show, games, and plenty of treats. 11am. [Info]

🎉 Sooke Fall Fair: This year’s theme is Water is Life. 9am-5pm [Info]

📽 The Great Salish Heist at the Roxy. The independent movie, about a First Nations team's plan to get artifacts back from a museum, airs at 4pm. Also in today's showtimes: Despicable Me 4 and acclaimed new thriller Strange Darling.  

👀 In Case You Missed It

Friday news: Mayor's parking-lot shelter proposal fails in 4-5 vote. SUV hits mother & child. [Sept. 6 newsletter]

Little Jumbo, home of some of Victoria's favourite cocktails, is shutting down.

Shamrocks lose Game 2 of national lacrosse championship. Watch their Game 1 win here.

17th Annual BC Thanksgiving Food Drive runs until Sept. 21. [Info]

Central BC fires intensified this weekend. [CTV]

No Victoria concert for Paula Abdul: Singer cancels Canadian tour. [Georgia Straight]

A 1955 honeymoon in Victoria, captured in photos.

New orca artwork on Inner Harbour dock pile, by Songhees artist Melissa McClurg. [GVHA]

Deer return from a swim on a hot day in Port Alice. [Facbook photo]

And before you go, let us know: