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The Mull of Galloway is the most Southerly point of Scotland and is also one of the most exposed, with gale force winds lashing the cliffs and lighthouse, and turbulent currents churning the water at the foot of the cliffs. The RSPB wanted to show visitors the seabird colonies, but the cliffs are far too steep and dangerous, especially in high winds for anyone that is not safely roped on. The RSPB warden for the area had the idea of using a camera system . The warden had seen our work at the Scottish Seabird Centre and at the Wigtown Osprey, so approached Outersight to look at the possibilities.
We surveyed the cliffs with our rope access contractor to decide where the best location for the cameras should be, and what transmission method would be best. The site is near to an airforce base and major shipping lanes, so we opted for Fibre optic transmission of the video, audio and control signals to minimise any interference. A low voltage power cable was installed alongside the 300 metre armoured fibre cable.
We used the same type of integrated pan, tilt and zoom cameras that we had used at the Scottish Seabird Centre, as they have proved that they are ideal for use in harsh conditions, and can still be used in high winds without the image vibrating too much. Two of these cameras were installed to cover the widest range of nest sites. A microphone has also been installed to capture the sounds of the colonies and the waves crashing below.
The images displayed at the visitor centre is of the highest quality, and the highlights are recorded on to DVD and played back on another screen.
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