Last year, SeaWorld San Antonio opened Pacific Point Preserve, a new realm designed to teach visitors about sea lions, harbor seals and Asian small-clawed otters and how to protect them in their natural habitat. A critical element in creating Pacific Point Preserve, which resembles a fishing wharf along the Pacific Coast, was incorporating a home for the Asian small-clawed otters, sea lions and harbor seals. Cemrock Landscape, Inc. employed a multi-phased process using a combination of QUIKRETE Shotcrete MS and QUIKRETE Base Coat Stucco Pump Grade to transform an old existing exhibit into a new natural habitat.

Once the deteriorated exterior of the existing exhibit was removed and repairs were made to the underlying frame, Cemrock Landscape, Inc. spray-applied 1,700 80-pound bags of QUIKRETE Shotcrete MS to create a structurally-sound foundation. A total of 1,200 80-bags of QUIKRETE Base Coat Stucco Pump Grade were then spray-applied over a strategically placed structural armature before sculpting stone and wood features familiar to Asian small-clawed otters, sea lions and harbor seals. Finally, artisans used colored iron oxide pigments to give the exhibit a truly indigenous appearance.

“The QUIKRETE products proved be a perfect fit for this unique project,” said Thomas O’Keefe, superintendent for Cemrock Landscape, Inc. “The shotcrete provided a sturdy structure, and the stucco adhered well to the armature and was easily molded so the exhibit really looks like a natural habitat. In addition, by spray applying the materials we were able to work quickly and efficiently while minimizing waste and rework.”

Despite being small and meek in appearance, Asian small-clawed otters average 6.5-pounds and can be very destructive, so the long term durability of the exhibit is important. As a result, QUIKRETE Concrete Acrylic Fortifier was mixed into the stucco for increased strength as well as to provide protection against continuous moisture and salt water.

QUIKRETE Shotcrete MS is a single component Micro Silica enhanced repair material that achieves more than 9,000 PSI at 28 days, and features very low rebound and permeability characteristics. QUIKRETEBase Coat Stucco Pump Grade is a high workability plaster particularly designed for spray applications. It is a fiber reinforced Portland cement based stucco, designed to be used as the scratch and/or brown coat in a three-coat stucco application, or the first coat in a two-coat application.