Take Action Against Plastic
Sep/100
I just heard on the radio today that California alone uses 19 BILLION plastic bags a year. If you are as tired as I am of seeing these bags on the beach, or surfing past one out in the ocean, please visit the site below and take action. Send a letter to your Senator and let him know how you feel about plastic. The bill to ban plastic bags in California was not passed today. However, we can all still do whatever we can on a daily basis to cut down on plastic use.
http://www.riseaboveplastics.org/
Write to your Senator. Click on the link that reads “Click here for more info” and it will take you to the page of your local senator. You just need to fill in your name and send it off. It takes two seconds…maybe three.
Latest news on the oil spill in the Gulf
May/100
Go to the ABC link to watch the underwater videos from Jaque Cousteau Jr. and
Carol Browner, White House Representative for Energy and Climate Change.
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/bp-oil-spill-white-house-worst-american-history/story?id=10735137
The Environmental Protection Agency last week ordered BP to use a less toxic chemical dispersant but the company failed to comply. There are fewer dispersants being manufactured in the quantities needed, Browner said, and scientists are continuing to examine how the particular dispersant interacts with the environment.
“What the EPA did yesterday was direct BP to use less of this dispersant while they continue to study what other alternatives may be available,” Browner said.
In response to questions being raised about whether BP will follow orders given by the administration, Browner said that BP will “absolutely comply” and is already complying with Monday’s order.
Basically, it is a toxic soup of oil and chemical dispersant that formed large underwater plumes as deep as 25 feet. The worst chemical disaster in U.S. history.
May/100
The Gulf of Mexico oil spill is expected to strike the Louisiana coastline today, and officials are bracing for impacts to shorebirds, turtles, shellfish and other endangered wildlife. But many ocean scientists are now raising concerns that a powerful current could spread the still-bubbling slick from the Florida Keys all the way to Cape Hatteras off North Carolina.
These oceanographers are carefully watching the Gulf Loop Current, a clockwise swirl of warm water that sets up in the Gulf of Mexico each spring and summer. If the spill meets the loop — the disaster becomes a runaway.
“It could make it from Louisiana all the way to Miami in a week, maybe less.” said Eric Chassignet, director of the Center for Ocean Atmospheric Prediction Studies at Florida State University. “It is pretty fast.”
Right now, some computer models show the spill 30 to 50 miles north of the loop current. If the onshore winds turn around and push the oil further south: “That would be a nightmare,” said Yonggang Liu, research associate at the University of South Florida who models the current. “Hopefully we are lucky, but who knows. The winds are changing and difficult to predict.”
Imagine the loop current as an ocean-going highway, transporting tiny plankton, fish and other marine life along a watery conveyor belt. Sometimes it even picks up a slug of freshwater from the Mississippi River — sending it on a wandering journey up to North Carolina.
The Gulf Loop Current acts like jet of warm water that squirts in from the Caribbean basin and sloshes around the Gulf of Mexico before being squeezed out the Florida Strait, where it joins the larger and more powerful Gulf Stream current.
Fishermen follow the current as a harbinger of good catches. It has also transported algal blooms — toxic “red tides” — from the Gulf of Mexico to beaches and bays along the southeast Atlantic coast.
Oceanographer George Maul worries that the current could push the oil slick right through the Florida Keys and its 6,000 coral reefs.
“I looked at some recent satellite imagery and it looks like some of the oil may be shifted to the south,” said Maul, a professor at Florida Institute of Technology in Melbourne, Fla. “If it gets entrained in the loop, it could spread throughout much of the Atlantic.”
In fact, new animation from a consortium of Florida institutions and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, predicts a slight southward shift in the oil over the next few days.
Emergency responders are working to cap the oil spill at its undersea source, but admit it could be weeks before the well is shut down.
Scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration are expected to release their predictions of the spill and the loop current early this week. A spokeswoman for the agency did not respond to requests for comment by Discovery News.
-Eric Niiler is a freelance writer based in Washington, D.C.
How I Became a Waterman Part II
Oct/090
Lobster season came and went, probably in perfect time. Lobsterring had worn me out – too much of a good thing isn’t always that good.
April 2009 set in and the summer was approaching. I met my buddy Brian in Ocean Beach for a morning surf session filled with perfect 3 ft mushy san diego waves. At least the breakfast across from the Pier was good! On the way home we drove past the spear shack in OB (619-226-2406). Cindy urged me to stop and take a look. I am glad we did. For whatever reason I hadn’t considered building on the lobster diving and working on spear fishing / free diving but after talking to Mark, a super cool guy, I committed to taking his free diving class. I also talked to my buddy Chris who agreed to try the class out as well.
Our schedules didn’t match up for a few months but we finally joined Mark for the free diving/spear fishing excursion in early August. We were joined by 2 others on the boat. After meeting at Mark’s in Point Loma we drove to Mission Bay and launched by about 10 a.m. On an early August sunday. Mark provided everything including the spear guns. We just had to bring lunch. It was a great deal for $100!
So we anchored in 35 ft off of boomers beach in La Jolla. Mark says alright, let’s start by swimming to shore and back two times! What?! I think we all said “you’re kidding right?”, but Mark was already half in the water and raring to go. That was the toughest probably 2 mile swim I have ever done (the only one too)!
It set the tone for the day. Mark did not mess around, he highlighted the importance of safety, breathing, and technique. I learned more that afternoon then I did the previous year. I thought I would be the one with the short breathhold while the others were excelling but after using Mark’s techniques I blew myself away with comfortable breathholds of one and a half minutes to 35 ft followed by dives to 55 ft with ease! We finished the day by learning the ins and outs of spearing which was cool. Mark is a patient and experienced waterman and I would recommend his class to anyone short of an expert freediver.
So that did it. I was hooked. Not only with the challenges of free diving but also the excitement of spear fishing. In the following weeks I came across an excellent website: www.spearboard.com . This is a great forum for spear fishers (spearos) and the place where I have excellent my learning curve.
With the tips I learned at spearboard I went out and started to get my gear together. I started with a spetton excell mask ($52 ebay) and a spetton flexa snokel ($21 ebay). Now these were recommended on spearboard and I like them very much. Although I now know that Mark at the spear shack will match any internet pricing and has the best top of the line gear(I also bought from the spearshack a cressi lince mask and hammerhead snorkel, both of which are very much similar to the spetton products – although I slightly prefer the spetton versions)! I also bought freediving fins(cressi 2000, $50) used from ebay and those have worked great. I had to get the neoprene booties from the spearshack to wear with the fins. I already had weight belts from the year before (I use 4 lbs with my 3/2 and 8 lbs with my 4/3). …but the best purchase was the Ray Odor Pole Spear($55) I bought from Ray Odor’s site.
I wanted to start with a spear gun but the good advice I read was to learn with a pole spear because it is much easier to load between shots(just place the band in between thumb and finger and stretch the band!), it teaches one how to approach fish, and generally just helps one to become comfortable in the spear fishing arena. The pole spear has excellent follow through because of it’s weight but the deceleration is so fast that you need to be within 5′ of the fish to spear it! The spear came ready to use from Ray, although I did buy a separate tip($15 approx) to put on the spear.
So I am all geared up and ready to go at this point, but where to go and what to do? That’s when I turned to spearboard to introduce myself. It turns out that spearboard is not only a great place to talk and learn spear fishing, etc, but a great place to team up with like minded people and go diving.
My first few free dives with the spear I did by myself. I went out locally in Leucadia off of Beacon’s beach. I kicked out to the kelp and proceeded to take a look around with my new spear. I quickly realized I had two problems. Problem #1: what happens if I shoot the pole spear and lose sight of it, won’t I potentially lose it?
Problem #2: sharks! Swimming in open water by myself is spooky. Swimming with a spear is just a little comforting and making it out to the kelp is just a little comforting as well. …but it’s constantly in the back of my head! More on sharks later.
So problem #1 I solved really quick when I posted the question on spear board. The answer was “don’t let go of the spear”. What?!? Sure enough I tried it out next time. Naturally when you shoot the spear your hand grabs onto the rubber band. Therefore you never worry about losing it, just pay attention to grabbing the rubber band and all is good. It actually feels natural!
So at this point I feel a little comfortable with the spear and I feel increasingly comfortable in the water. My next step is to start spearing fish. …but where to go and what to do?
Breathing Techniques
Oct/090
I need to start out by saying- don’t ever try these techniques on your own without a dive buddy watching. Breathing techniques not only slow down your heart rate but also oxygenate the blood AND remove CO2 from the bloodstream. Why is this dangerous? Because CO2 is what tells the brain to take a breath. Less CO2 equals less brain signals which equals longer bottom time but also potential to stay down too long! …at least this is my understanding.
So now that we understand the fun aspects of breathing techniques let’s get down to the nuts and bolts 
. There were 4 techniques that we were taught by Mark. the advice was to try all 4 but also never perform hyperventillation as the last technique. Also these techniques can be done during the 4 minutes on the surface between dives.
Technique #1: hyperventillating. This is a series of short inhales and exhales, less then a second a piece, which quickly remove CO2 from the blood. These also cause lightheadedness so be careful. If trying these at all which I advise against, always do these as the first technique and only for approx 30 seconds.
Technique #2: deep breaths
Breath in and out in a slow controlled manner. All the way in till absolutely full, then all the way out pushing every last bit of air out. These take about 3 seconds for every inhales and about 3 seconds for every exhale. No faster then this pace. These are my preferred method.
Technique #3: hook breath
Inhale till lungs full and hold for about 4 seconds. Flex chest muscles by crossing forearms in front of chest then exhale. Repeat for one minute.
Technique #4: deep slow breaths
Similar to technique #2, these should be the final breaths. Take deep, slow, yoga type breaths which act to really slow the heart down and relax you. There is no pushing or over filling like technique #2.
Finally when you are ready to dive, inhale your breath using your stomach (diaphragm) and inhale as much as possible (see diagram below). This will fill your lower lungs. Finally fill your upper lungs by expanding your chest and capture as much air in the lungs as comfortable. DO NOT PACK BREATHS. If you do not know what packing is then don’t worry, there is no need for it and it can be dangerous.
…And the last step to a long breath hold is to kick out your snorkel mouthpiece! This causes the mammalian reflex when your lips are pursed and under water. This technique should help with a longer breath hold.
So that’s it! With these techniques you should be able to really increase your bottom time. Remember, CO2 is your friend, so if diving alone do not perform breath holding techniques.
Broad Ocean Conservation Goals Pose Significant New Challenges
Sep/090
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Ironically, areas that have the least amount of human impact are now becoming more accessible to humans due to climate change. A new management plan proposed by the Obama administration is aiming to make some big changes in federal ocean management. The plan sets a national goal of ocean resource protection and creates an ocean council to guide a new ecosystem- based approach. It addresses many areas of ocean policy including offshore energy exploration, agricultural runoff, general conservation, fisheries management and recreation of beachgoers like you! At its core, the new plan aims to set up a new National Ocean Council of top-level officials, who will then guide the new “ecosystem based” approach to ocean management. for the full story in the NY times, visit |
Don’t Eat Sharks And They Won’t Eat You
Sep/090
That is our motto over here at the lab. Since we spend so much time in the water, we want to make sure that Karma is on our side. We don’t eat sharks, period. We started to surf the web to see what is new and interesting in the area of saving sharks. Here is some awesome information that is just the tip of the shark fin… 
Despite the common myth that sharks are mindless “eating machines”, only a few shark species are dangerous to humans. Out of the hundreds of species, only 3 have been involved in a significant number of fatal, unprovoked attacks on humans: the great white, tiger and bull sharks. In 2006, according to the International Shark Attack File, there were a total of 62 unprovoked attacks recorded worldwide, of which four were fatal. Considering the millions of beach-goers and recreational ocean users, this is an incredibly small number. In fact, you are more likely to be killed by a vending machine than by a shark.Sharks play a vital role in maintaining the health of marine ecosystems but their stocks are in serious trouble. More than one hundred million sharks are killed by fisheries every year. They are intentionally harvested for their fins, meat or liver oil, and they are incidentally caught as bycatch in fisheries targeting other species.
Sharks are highly migratory and regularly cross national boundaries. However, outside of Antarctica, there are no international limits on shark harvest. With increasing demand for shark fin soup, and little protection, sharks worldwide are at great risk.
Sharks generally rely on their superior sense of smell to find prey, but they also have the ability to sense movement and electrical fields created by prey. Their place in the marine food web is essential for a healthy ocean ecosystem.
The view of the shark as a solitary hunter, roaming the oceans in search of food is only true for a few species with most living far more sedentary lives on the ocean floor. Some sharks are highly social, remaining in large schools. Even solitary sharks meet to breed or on rich hunting grounds, which may lead them to cover thousands of miles in a year. Migration patterns in sharks may be even more complex than in birds, with many sharks covering entire ocean basins.
Several organizations are working in waters all over the world to protect and restore shark populations. Through their policy, science, legal and communications work, they are pushing for true international finning bans, species specific shark management and reduced shark bycatch, as well as decreasing the demand for shark products such as shark fin soup and cosmetic products containing squalene. The loss of sharks, many of which are top predators, will have devastating and unpredictable consequences for ocean ecosystems. Immediate action is needed to protect sharks.
“If the currect trajectory of destruction to the world’s oceans continues unabated, by the year 2048, we can all look forward to a lifeless, putrid body of water lapping at what will be our scum-ridden, trash-covered seashores,”according to Keith Addis, Oceana board member who has been working to save our oceans for 20 years. However, he is optimistic about reversing the damage that has been done. “The most important issues to monitor are over-fishing, bottom trawling and climate change.Currently, we are removing half a billion pounds of protein a day form the oceans, two and a half times more than scientists say the oceans can sustain. To reverse the damage from what is essentially the industrial strip mining of the bottom of the ocean, essentially for a few shrimp, would take 125,000 years. And climate change, among other things, is increasingly acidifying the oceans to levels that are severly disrupting the aquatic food chain.”
What can you do? Eat only sustainably caught fish, check out some of the organizations below and donate to one or two in your name or give as Christmas presents, and or get involved.
Here are some great links;
*Flordia Museum of Natural History Ichthyology Department: shark attack files by region, ways to avoid a shark attack, stats, trends and analysis of shark attacks.
http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/Sharks/ISAF/ISAF.htm
*Predators As Prey: Why Healthy Oceans Need Sharks. A current report from Oceana on the health of shark populations and why we need them in our oceans.
http://oceana.org/fileadmin/oceana/uploads/Sharks/Predators_as_Prey_FINAL_FINAL.pdf
* Top 10 most shark infested beaches in the world…according to Forbes.
www.forbestraveler.com/islands-beaches/shark-infested-beaches-story.html and click on the “slideshow” to view the
The best Shark movie ever written and directed by Rob Stewart, Biologist.
www.sharkwater.com to download movie.
www.SeaShepherd.org- one of our favorite organizations.
Reef Quest Center for Shark Research www.elasmo-research.org
Gearing Up For Watersports
Sep/090
Before going into the water, there are a few things to think about; Sun saftey, what to wear, and water saftey.
Sun Safety; make sure you are wearing sunscreen at all times. The best thing to do would be to put it on without your suit on. This does not mean to strip down to your birthday suit on the beach. This means put it on before you put your suit on (at home) and wait for it to dry before putting your bikini or board shorts back on.
Now that you are a waterman, you want to use a product that is safe for the ocean ( see June post “Dude, Only Wear Biodegradable Sunscreen in the Ocean”). Some of the most harmful ingredients that many sunscreens contain PABA, octinoxate, oxybenzone, 4-methylbenzylidene camphor, oils, chemicals or the preservative butylparaben. If your sunscreen has any of these ingredients, it is not safe for use in coral reefs. We found a really great one at L’Occatane- Sunscreen lotion high protection SPF30. It is a little more expensive ($26 for 5.1oz.), but it is not greesy and stays on like a champ. It also smells pretty good.
What to wear: A wetsuit keeps you warm by allowing a thin layer of water to form between you and the wetsuit, which your body heat quickly warms. They come in several different thicknesses. The first number represents the torso thickness, and the second number represents the thickness for the arms and legs. The most common one is the 3/2 (say “three two”) that can be worn all year long. The 4/3 is the next thickness that is used in Winter. The wetsuit should fit you snug while still allowing you to move freely. It should not be baggy or loose or it will fill up with water and….well…that wouldn’t be good. When putting it on, the zipper or opening goes in the BACK.
If it is warm enough to skin it (no wetsuit), make sure your board shorts and bathing suit tops are tied tight so they don’t fly off. If you are wearing a bathing suit, make sure you get one that is a little tight. You may want to even go down a size from your normal suit size. Waves and salt water tend to pull and stretch your suit out.
A rash guard (a nylon and lycra fitted shirt found in surf shops) is a good option for surfers to keep wax off your suit and chest hairs in tact. They are used to prevent chafing under a wetsuit and so your stomach won’t get irritated from the sand and wax combination on your board. For free divers and scubadivers, the rash guard prevents chafing around the neck when you are below the water looking around at all the beauty of the ocean world.
Water Safety; The most important thing before paddling or swimming out is to know how to swim. The second is to be respectful in the water. For surfers, make sure you practice paddling, turtle rolls, duck dives, and catching whitewater where there are no other surfers. Don’t go to the most popular spot where the waves are perfect and get in everyone’s way. When practicing, don’t let go of your board! Make sure the board is never parallel to the beach. Aim the nose toward the line-up or toward the beach. If a wave is ready to smash you, grab the part of the leash that attaches to the surfboard and push the tail of the board down below the water and hold your breath.
These are just the basics to get you ready to practice your skills.
Have fun!
Types of Waves
Sep/090
There are several types of waves. Surfers talk about them. Kiteboarders talk about them. Now you can talk about them.
Beach break
This is the best types of break for learning to surf. Waves break over a sandy bottom. The sand can move and shift throughout the year. At some point, rocks can even come in and go again.
Reef break
The wave is formed over a reef or rock structure under water. These are the most consistent breaks and. Most consistent take-off places for surfers.
These can be the most competitive places to surf as well. When paddling out in a reef, paddle out diagonally and scan the top of the water for boils. This is where the rocks are. Be careful when surfing over the shallow rocks. Try to fall shallow.
Point break
Long, unvarying waves that break along a point that extends from the coastline.
Ground swells
Waves formed over vast distances, well-formed and powerful.
River mouth breaks
Wave forms on the sediments deposited at the river mouth. These are similar to beach breaks, but more susceptible to change. Cardiff reef has a great river mouth.
Wind swells
Waves formed by wind. They tend to be sloppy and unorganized. (Wind slop)
Check the weather forcast, tide times, and wind speed before you go out in the water. Always take time to study the waves and paddle or swim out inbetween sets.