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Issue 34 November 2014
One of the Roles of Friends Groups
The norm at our ‘weedy’ beach, for much of the time
There are a great deal of things Friends
Groups can initiate, and here is one.
After a long and arduous attempt by our
members to clean up this weedy section
of our beach, which is next to the main
drain pipe and the South Triangle Reef,
we found we could not sensibly get at
the mass of small and potentially toxic
plastic materials imbedded in the weeds.
The job was just too big.
.
After the clean out
[It is surprising, but research shows that
one plastic bottle alone, can break down
into 24 000 toxic microplastic particles
over time, that become part of the food
chain, as fish mistake such for plankton].
We sought approvals from PV and Council for a clean out, and this was granted.
A day later, and weed is returning with each tide
Of course, much weed came back the
next day, but that is normal and irrelevant to the environmental outcome of
the effective removal of so much toxic
substances.
A couple of weeks later, at our monthly
Beach Patrol, we were able to make an
obvious impact on the removal of new
rubbish accumulations, and we would
expect to be able to continue to do so.
This was the third such major cleanout
over the past five or six years.
BEACH PATROL SUCCESS
We are grateful to Bayside
City Council for providing Marine Care Ricketts Point with a
grant under the Annual Bayside Community Grants Program for us to expand our
beach cleaning
activities at the Sanctuary.
Beth Jensen, co-manager of
MCRP Beach Patrol, accepted
the cheque for $4,500 from
Bayside Mayor Laurie Evans,
at the presentation night on 4
September.”
Below some of the 49 members who turned out to help keep our beach clear of litter during
the October working bee. A great success!
Image Dave Morley
Here too, our youngest
beach cleaner, Hazel, who
will soon turn 5, and who
was an inspiration and reminder of why we do these things for our local environment
The Beach Patrol’s distinctive uniform design, (yolanta), and the enthusiastic presence of so
many of us, led to a number of enquiries from beachgoers as to how to also become involved. The Beach Patrol movement is spreading rapidly throughout the upper Port Phillip
Bay with about 15 groups now doing this most valued work.
We also had a group from the Australian Marine Conservation Society join us this time.
Mick Morley’s Open Hullo
It's been about a year since I discovered MCRP, so I thought it'd be fitting that I sent a quick
"thank you" to everyone involved with this fantastic and unique group! Witnessing such a
committed and genuine passion from you all towards the marine environment has been uplifting, inspiring and very exciting. I've been lucky enough to meet many of you already
(though I regularly forget most of your names, sorry!) and I genuinely look forward to sharing even more great experiences with you all again soon - especially discovering all those
fascinating marine creatures right at our door steps!!!
Earlier this year, I was also lucky enough to become part of the Gould League Education
Team, which has provided me with the great opportunity to help educate young students
about the importance of our local marine environment, as well as the brilliance of all the life
within it. So, I've gathered a couple of images for your viewing pleasure to help express my
gratitude. Nothing too out of the ordinary, but I also hope to send some more exciting content in the future, so stay tuned! Enjoy ...and many thanks to you all. Cheers Mick :-)
Immature Pacific Gull
Common stars eating crabs
Biscuit star and Common Star
A dulcet eyed Globefish
Announcing Flight 106 from Williamstown
Page 3
Introduction to Marine Photography
We had about 15 of us attend the introduction to marine photography session with Ray
Lewis. It was a practical session with a variety of cameras and aids on display. Kim
Wright and David
Reinhard were there to
answer questions regarding
camera aids (optional
lenses, lighting etc) and
pass on their experience
as well.
As you can see from this
issue of the MCRP
Newsletter we have an
emerging team of semi
professional photgraphers
at MCRP these days.
RIGHT: Our Saturday coffee
gatherings still run strongly.
All members most welcome.
Nairm Notes
Alpheus astrinx. Image Kim Wright .
This colourful shrimp was found and photographed by Peter Dedrick and Kim Wright on
September 23rd in Ricketts Point Marine
Park. Two shrimps were observed under a
piece of wood.
These animals have a one very large claw,
usually the right one in the Alpheus astrinx
species, which can be ratcheted open and
then snapped shut with sufficient speed
and ,force, to generate short-lived bubbles
and a shock wave that can stun their prey.
The snapping sound is considered to be a
major source of underwater noise due to
marine animals; hence the common name
“pistol shrimp”.
Clearly September/October is breeding time
for them in the Sanctuary.
A 60 cm cuttlefish, found at Banksia Point
October 2014. Almost certainly Alphia apama
from Southern Australian waters, as they are
the only ones who get that big locally.
Page 5
Eclectic
Image Peter Dedrick
Left is Vercoe’s Nudibranch, taken by Peter Dedrick at Blairgowrie. Note the detail
on the exposed lungs which look much
like a blue nasturtium flower.
Below a classic image taken by Kim
Croker showing that the Gulls also like
urchin eggs. We routinely see even young
gulls, dropping the urchins from height
onto the reef, to break them up.
This is a young Pacific Gull in the process
of gaining her adult plumage.
Image Kom Croker
And here is a comic video from the comedian Frank Woodley about his
approach to fishing, and a growing world problem.
http://bit.ly/1wvtaaK
Issue 34 November 2014
Page 6
Thanks for the Seagrass Benchmarking
Our thanks to the 10 members who turned
up to help out with the inaugural Parks
Victoria Sea Grass monitoring exercise in the
Sanctuary, on Wednesday the 29th October.
We now have twenty GPS marked spots that
will give us a baseline for any variations in
the future.
Sea grasses are crucial in many ways, from
providing food for swans, breeding stakes for
King George Whiting and many other fish and
animals, through to slowing down tidal surge length of sea grass strands and their number
per plant. We were most kindly visited by a
and reducing foreshore loss of sand.
curious female Banjo Shark, and enjoyed
After an uncertain start due weather and
various other minor sightings. Shannon Hurwater temperature, we wound up having a
ley and John Tornatora of PV gave us a good
great time. Within the 20 pre located
pre briefing.
quadrats, we measured sea grass, algae and
sediment density, epiphytes, and the average The weather turned blissful, as you can see.
Issue 34 November 2014
Page 7
This and That
PV Rangers 9782 7777
Wildlife Rescue 0412 433 727
Police Sandringham 9521 9099
Water Police
9399 7500
Bayside Council 9599 4444
Fisheries (Poachers) 13 34 74
A couple of members saw a kayaker illegally
fishing in the Marine Sanctuary on Saturday
morning 11 October, and phoned Parks
Victoria. The ranger, Reece, came within 10
minutes and was still talking to the kayaker
half and hour later.
Contact any of the organisations listed here to
deal with any wildlife matters or illegal
activities in the Sanctuary.
Below a great new fossil (?)
find by Fran Dedrick at Banksia Point. Adding a marker
such as a coin on pen as
here, is always and excellent
idea.
There will be a major public
fossils event run early next
year by Vicki Karalis.
Most members will be unaware that we
have, since our beginning in 2003, regularly
taken local marine educational tours and
made many presentations to local Schools,
Rotary, U3A and Probus clubs.
Above Ray Lewis with 35 senior students
from the Sandringham College on 17th Oct.
Bob Whiteway and Ray Lewis have no ‘heir
apparents’ to carry on such valued Bayside
volunteer deliverables in to the future.
Fortunately the Gould League are continuing
to expand their schools programme.
Image Fran Dedrick
Its easy to forget just how much we do
at MCRP over a year. Here are Di and Beth manning
an MCRP stand at the Bayside Healthy Ageing Expo,
with Betty visiting.
EDITORS NOTE:
Marine Care
MCRP Business Address
PO Box 7356 Beaumaris 3193
Editor: Ray Lewis
[email protected]
Find out more about MCRP.
You r b u sin ess t ag lin h ere .
Go to our website .
www.marinecare.org.au
As we have many new members it is sometimes worth repeating advice, now well
known to the old hands.
For those of us with failing eyesight a prescription mask makes all the difference. If
you follow this link to the Scuba Doctor's
website, it will guide you through the process
of getting one http://bit.ly/1tfOHzb
https://www.facebook.com/groups/
marinefriendsnetworkvictoria is a new Facebook group that is very successful in uniting
us all across the State. Have a look.
Not all masks are suitable for prescription
lenses and it is a good idea to actually try on
the mask you plan to buy, before you have
the lenses added, to make sure it fits.
You can also get ‘stick on lenses’ (on line
shopping) for close up work. (For example
being able to see the screen of your camera
underwater).
A note re snorkels too. They come with different sized mouth pieces. (interchangeable
for the most part) It’s a lot easier to get one
that feels comfortable.
And here we have an image of our good
friend Dr Vicki Karalis (President of the Sandringham Foreshore Association) presenting
to Haileybury School on the activities of
MCRP. (30th October)
If you are new to snorkeling and or marine
photography don't rush in and buy stuff.
Learn from our mistakes and ask others for
advice first.
This is a prelude for them to undertake a two
week fundraiser for us… Joe put the presentation graphics together for Vicki. This was a
most generous action of hers.
…. Next issue likely, Christmas