Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2012 • The Islands’ Sounder
www.ISLANDSSOUNDER.com
Page 7
OPALCO finishing Into the wild, colorful caps and all broadband study by Scott Rasmussen Journal editor
OPALCO is in the home stretch in its year-long effort to explore the feasibility of expanding its existing fiber-optic network to create a telecommunications infrastructure for San Juan County. The goals of the initiative are to: 1. Upgrade the electrical system by adding “Smart Grid” capabilities that will improve reliability and help members save money on energy costs; 2. Improve the communication system for local public safety first responders, including OPALCO, sheriff, fire, and EMS; 3. Provide members with access to high-speed Internet service at speeds of at least 10 Mbps, fostering new opportunities for economic development; 4. Create infrastructure that would make it easier for wireless carriers to expand cellular coverage in the county, including 911 service. OPALCO‘s board of directors will review a business plan at an Oct. 19 meeting in Friday Harbor. A decision to move forward or not is expected before year end; details of how to move forward would be developed with member feedback in early 2013. Planning materials will be posted at www. opalco.com in November.
‘Orcas Council’ to meet
The Orcas Community Council will explore current ballot issues during its Oct. 14 meeting at the Eastsound Fire Hall from 4 to 6 p.m. The OCC is a place for community members to “share what is on their hearts and minds, their programs and projects, and explore opportunities for creating positive outcomes,” say organizers.
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Two of the four showed no hesitation at all. They dove directly into the waters of San Juan Island’s Shipyard Harbor and zipped across the calm, cool, shallow bay like they were headed for home. The other two? Not so much. Four once-ailing and now rejuvenated pups were released back into the wild by Wolf Hollow Rehabilitation Center on Sept. 29. The event proved an intriguing reminder that not all harbor seals are created equal. “I think basically what you’re seeing is a bit of confusion on their part,” Wolf Hollow education coordinator Shona Aitken said of the two more seemingly timid pups. “The saltwater and location might seem really foreign and they’re saying ‘I’m sticking with you’.” Still, Merlin and Remy – all four pups were named after a Disney movie character – appeared to gain confidence in their new surroundings and after 20 minutes or so slowly ventured out together into the bay, following the lead of Eema and Kovu before them. With their departure, Wolf Hollow successfully rehabilitated and released all 10 seal pups it treated in 2012.
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Party hats? Nope, not really. A pair of Harbor seals released by Wolf Hollow, Saturday, Sept. 29, sport identification caps that will be used to track their movements. A strong adhesive keeps the caps in place, until they fall off. The last four were just days old when they were recovered by the San Juan County Marine Mammal Stranding Network in late July. Three were in poor health, underweight, dehydrated and weak when their convalescence at Wolf Hollow began. All four were found on a local beach, two on Lopez and one each on Orcas and San Juan, and apparently abandoned. Each gained more than 40 pounds during two months of rehab and, once they were strong enough to dive, were repeatedly given the allimportant practice of hunting live prey in the confines of the wildlife rehab center’s diving pool.
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“They have the instinct to chase but they get a little confused about what to do once they catch a live fish,” Aitken said. “They just need a little practice.” Along with their Disney names, Eema, Kovu, Merlin and Remy were outfitted with colorful caps, modestly sized, for identification and for tracking their movements, at least temporarily. The caps are attached to the pups’ head with a strong adhesive. Aitken said the caps are an experiment this year in tracking and less costly than global positioning satellite tags. For more on Wolf Hollow, visit, http://wolfhollowwildlife.org/
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