Terran monitoring · Hood Canal sector · relay 7

Larch Station

A weather outpost, staffed, against the wishes of the staff
CHAPTER I

The view

Live · 21:30 · fog · 35°F
35° FAHRENHEIT
Thermometer
high 55° · low 35°
30.14 IN HG
Barometer
rising
99% RELATIVE
Hygrometer
dew point 35°
0 MPH · E
Anemometer
gust 1 · Beaufort 0
0.01 IN TODAY
Rain gauge
0.94 in this week
CHAPTER II

Hypotheses

What the crew expect, and what the reference observers on the surface say. Graded afterwards, on the hypotheses page.

Sun 1
≋
None° / 43°
0% rain
fog
Mon 2
☁
52° / 45°
16% rain
cloudy
Tue 3
☀
56° / 42°
0% rain
sunny
Wed 4
☀
57° / 47°
81% rain
sunny

“For tomorrow: the reference observers say 52°/45°, 16% rain. Vell's model says 52°/41°, 1% rain. Orm's barometer says 57°/37°, 40% rain. The intern says 56°/40°, 100% rain. This has never happened before. We are frightened.”

CHAPTER III

Expeditions

Whether the bipeds should attempt the things they attempt. Advisory only. They never listen.

The path

Hike

Go. Take the long way. Tell no one.
Fog, 35°, gusts to 1 mph. The hill is dry enough. The crossing is always fine.
Closed for the season
The rectangular pond

Pool

Closed for the season. Reopens 29 May.
Open from the Saturday before Memorial Day to Labor Day. 209 days until the bipeds submerge themselves again, on purpose.
The shore

Beach

Go. The wide water is behaving, which it does twice a year. The flats are out at 3:58 am.
The flats are out around 3:58 am (0.2 ft). Wind calm, which the canal rarely is, the far shore is hidden.
Open flame

Campfire

Possible, with the dry wood from under cover. You know the wood. The good wood.
No burn ban in effect (checked by hand). Humidity 99%, everything is wet. No wind, so the smoke will sit in the yard and come indoors.
The wide water

Fishing

Possible. The fish have opinions about the weather too.
The salmon are back in the wide water and nosing up the creek. Pressure rising, grey. Tide going out until 3:58 am.
CHAPTER IV

Fauna census, today

The small flying ones, counted by the microphones. The full census, with recordings, is on the bird site.

1Great Horned OwlBubo virginianus435
2Red CrossbillLoxia curvirostra326
3Common RavenCorvus corax246
4Spotted TowheePipilo maculatus236
5Red-breasted NuthatchSitta canadensis212
6Barred OwlStrix varia204
7Black-capped ChickadeePoecile atricapillus134
8Northern FlickerColaptes auratus127
9Pacific chorus frogPseudacris regilla103
10Steller's JayCyanocitta stelleri101
CHAPTER V

Observer's log

21:30
Dark. The large rodent at the still water is presumably awake. We have no instrument for rodents. Orm has filed a request. Form 9. Denied.
19:30
The large biped photographed the small bipeds again. We photographed him. Someone is photographing us. It's turtles.
16:30
A sound from the ravine. The microphone says 'owl.' The microphone also once said 'sheep.' Noted, with asterisk.
12:30
Supply drop: still unscheduled. We asked. We were told to 'keep observing.' We are observing the word 'keep.'
CHAPTER VI

From the files

Fungal activity, autumn. The bipeds photograph them and do not eat them. Correct.
The assembly hall, the rectangular pond behind it, the shore beyond. Bipeds gather here on a schedule we have not cracked. We suspect snacks.
The assembly hall, the rectangular pond behind it, the shore beyond. Bipeds gather here on a schedule we have not cracked. We suspect snacks.
Structure B. Lit at all hours. We think it's a shrine. To what, we are not cleared to know.
Structure B. Lit at all hours. We think it's a shrine. To what, we are not cleared to know.