Breakwater Measurements

An important component of the penguin survey is to accurately locate penguins along the 400 metre long breakwater, whether they be captured for analysis or simply sighted and recorded. Up until March this year survey participants were able to identify the position of a penguin along the breakwater by checking rough letters painted on the rocks spaced exactly 20 metres apart. As well as looking unattractive the messy looking letters and numbers were in various stages of fading, and as a result it was often difficult to determine the position of a penguin on many dark evenings.




	ST KILDA BREAKWATER MARKERS
	Andrew McCutcheon © Earthcare St Kilda
	An important component of the penguin survey is to accurately locate penguins along the 400 metre long breakwater, whether they be captured for analysis or simply sighted and recorded. Up until March this year survey participants were able to identify the position of a penguin along the breakwater by checking rough letters painted on the rocks spaced exactly 20 metres apart. As well as looking unattractive the messy looking letters and numbers were in various stages of fading, and as a result it was often difficult to determine the position of a penguin on many dark evenings.

	After much discussion on how we could improve the markers, it was decided that letters stuck/painted/carved/routed onto a solid base and somehow fastened to the rocks along the top seaward of the breakwater would be the best and most attractive approach. After considering a range of materials including sheet metal or timber, recycled plastic was selected. The plastic markers are a product of Repeat Plastics, a small company which produces a range of products including signage, park furniture, traffic controls and marine decking. The markers are dark green and made from the same plastics used for outdoor furniture. Marker dimensions are length 80 mm x width 60 mm x depth 20 mm with large capital letters B to U (20 in total) routed into them. They were then filled with a durable and weather resistant white paint and fastened to the rocks by using an adhesive, Max Bond Construction Adhesive manufactured by H.B. Fuller Company Australia P/L.

	So far the markers look good and provide easy to find reference points for penguin survey participants. As the recycled plastic is low maintenance, long lasting, rot resistant and vandal resistant it is expected that the markers will last a long time.

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Contact Earthcare Ph: Australia 0500 832 784 Postal: PO Box 287 Elwood, 3184 Email earthcarestkilda@gmail.com