Terran monitoring · Hood Canal sector · relay 7

Larch Station

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

The view

Live · 23:30 · fog · 34°F
34° FAHRENHEIT
Thermometer
high 55° · low 34°
30.15 IN HG
Barometer
steady
99% RELATIVE
Hygrometer
dew point 34°
0 MPH · E
Anemometer
gust 0 · 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
cloudy
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 55°/34°, 40% rain. The intern says 56°/40°, 100% rain. We have no better idea and are saying so in a smaller font.”

CHAPTER III

Expeditions

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

The path

Hike

Go. The canids have already decided and are waiting by the door.
Fog, 34°, gusts to 0 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

Smoulder, at best. Which is also our review of the assignment.
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. Overcast, pressure steady: the fish approve. 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 virginianus620
2Red CrossbillLoxia curvirostra333
3Common RavenCorvus corax262
4Spotted TowheePipilo maculatus236
5Barred OwlStrix varia224
6Red-breasted NuthatchSitta canadensis212
7Black-capped ChickadeePoecile atricapillus134
8Northern FlickerColaptes auratus128
9Pacific chorus frogPseudacris regilla104
10Steller's JayCyanocitta stelleri101
CHAPTER V

Observer's log

23:30
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.
21:30
The large biped photographed the small bipeds again. We photographed him. Someone is photographing us. It's turtles.
18:30
A sound from the ravine. The microphone says 'owl.' The microphone also once said 'sheep.' Noted, with asterisk.
14:30
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.