East light camp in fog

14 days on Sable Island, 2014: day fourteen + 4

The past few days have been rather quiet. We have finished all of our work and thus waiting for our departure from the island. The repairs that were needed for the plane are done and we now are just waiting for the weather to co-operate. Strangely, as soon as Adventure Canada departed the weather turned foggy, and remains so.

East light camp in fog
The East Light camp on Sable Island, shrouded in fog

Of course the seals that we tagged are more than happy with the state of affairs. Although many remain resting on the island, several have swam across the Eastern Scotian Shelf to the Eastern Shore, and one is heading toward the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

Location of Sable Is. grey seals
These 15 grey seals, tagged with satellite transmitter, are collecting oceanographic data and fish presence as they move across the Eastern Scotian Shelf

We noticed something interesting on this trip. During our time roaming the central and eastern areas of the island looking for seals, we noticed there were few foals around. After, once we ventured west toward the spit the number of horses (often in large bands) and foals surprised us. There is something about that area of the island that the horses really enjoy/benefit from, perhaps a greater diversity of plant?

Sable Island Horses and wood
Horses on Sable Is. thoroughly enjoy the benefits that driftwood can bring

 

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