At the end of a training, COASSTers are sent home with a survey kit to help them complete their duties on their beach walks. No matter the survey type – beached birds or marine debris – surveyors receive measurement tools, identification materials, data sheets and photographing tools. All of the essentials.
Once those kits start traveling to the beach with a COASSTing team, they tend to get even better. As COASSTers get a few surveys under their belts they start adding to the kits with their own customizations and based on their needs.
Some folks commandeer a “COASST-only” backpack for their gear – check out the one below, where Mark added an official COASST patch to complete the look!
Others add in special pouches and pockets, container clipboards, or tag organizers to their survey kits to help them find the right tools at the right time. One common (and brilliant!) innovation we’ve seen is to add a permanent label to the chalkboard photo slate that includes the beach name. It serves to minimize the information that needs to be written clearly on each survey. Those with long surveys sometimes bring small chairs, buckets to sit on, or kneeling pads to help stay comfortable while taking measurements.
Over the years, the smartphone has also been added as an essential tool – first for phone numbers, to make a call from the beach to COASST or to the marine mammal stranding network. And more recently as a high-resolution camera for documentation on survey.
And check out our latest find – this COASSTer sewed a soft pouch that serves double-duty as a chalk holder and eraser for the photo-slate!
COASSTers might not know that some tools we provide in the ‘modern’ COASST survey kit are the result of COASSTer innovations, reported to us over the years. We are always looking for the next great innovation, and we would love to hear about yours!
Please shoot us an email at coasst@uw.edu with a description or a photo, and we will add to this post as we see new examples!
A camping stool/table can make a big difference to your comfort on a rocky shore. Tying on the string before you get to the beach can save a lot of time and frustration! Photo/kit credit: Carole Cink EMT shears can cut anything you might need to cut. Plus a whisk broom to move that sand and you are all set. Photo/kit credit: Gary Lester Changing up your chalkboard to better suit your needs is always an option! Photo/kit credit: Gail Popham
