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.
Surfrider Emergency Survey!!! Due Aug. 1st
Jul/090
This is a link to the surfrider survey regarding marine life protected areas. They are helping to redefine the current boundaries. The survey has to be done by Aug 1st, so, if you could send it in asap that would be awesome!
go to link below to take the survey- it takes 5 minutes. Read on to see what it is all about.
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=jweijd4I8d5vtscSSwjSHw_3d_3d
The Surfrider Foundation is currently working with a wide variety of individuals and organizations on the Marine Life Protection Act — or MLPA. The MLPA is a state law that requires establishing a “network” of marine protected areas along the California coastline. This law is currently being implemented in Southern California.
Much like our National Parks protect special places on land, these Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) offer heightened protection for marine life to thrive and people to enjoy. In short, MPAs protect special places for their “intrinsic value” – preserving ecological abundance for generations to come. MPAs around the globe have become popular attractions for people to enjoy nature’s beauty and abundance.
Establishing MPAs can also help restore healthy fisheries. Studies show alarming declines in fish populations worldwide. Fishermen are now catching half of what they did in 1990 and the fish they do catch are 45 percent smaller. Some local fisheries may take 50-80 years to recover. MPAs allow marine life populations to increase and individual species to grow to full maturity—which increases the number of off-spring from protected areas. These larger populations may “spill over” the boundaries of MPAs and provide improved fishing in areas adjacent to MPAs.
The state of California adopted the MLPA in 1999 and created the opportunity for members of the public to participate in identifying special places worthy of heightened protection. Surfrider Foundation members represent a broad spectrum of people who enjoy time in the ocean: surfers, fishers, divers, kayakers, sailors and others who just love the natural beauty of our coast and ocean. Our collective knowledge from this experience can help design an effective network of MPAs.
The Surfrider Foundation is gathering information and recommendations from local communities to help formulate a regional network of MPAs. Our goal is to balance our members’ commitment to restoring and protecting our coast and ocean for generations, with our support of sustainable and accessible fishing opportunities.
Help establish successful Marine Protected Areas by completing this survey (all responses are anonymous).
To learn more about MLPA go to: www.dfg.ca.gov/mlpa and www.CalOceans.org or email Stefanie at: SSekich@surfrider.org
The Depleting Coral Reefs
Jul/090
We took this directly from the Surfrider Newsletter. It goes into more facts about how we are endangering the ocean’s coral reefs. Read our article “Dude, Use Only Biodegradable Sunscreen” for more information on how you can help protect the ocean’s reefs.
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In addition to being beautiful, coral reefs are important shelters for fish and other sea life. We all know our oceans are in trouble, but that trouble is coming on faster than some feared. Last week, two dozen coral reef specialists and climate change experts addressed a meeting in London to discuss the fate of our coral reef systems. They announced their prediction that carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere will reach 450 parts per million by the year 2050. Since the oceans absorb these gases and become more acidic as a result, this predicted pace will soon wipe out all coral reefs in existence. The reefs don’t just attract under sea inhabitants and human visitors, they’re also one of the ocean’s biggest life forces and a potential storehouse of human medicines. Losing them could have unimaginable repercussions. |
This is very scary news for us Watermen. For more information and a full article, visit news at http://www.reuters.com/article/scienceNews/idUSTRE5654JY20090706
The guy on our brochure
Jul/090
Here is a killer surf shot of our cover waterman, Scott Young from Encinitas, California.
Surfing Indonesia
Stand Up Paddle Lesson #1
Jul/090
OK class, get out your waterproof notebooks and pencils. This is our first SUP podcast lesson from John Denney of East Coast Paddle Surfing, a cool guy who helped pioneer the sport in Hawaii and then brought it to Florida. This is a great lesson for those just starting or for those who want to learn some new techniques.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-7rDavdJGs
Thanks John for the lesson!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-7rDavdJGs and this is a link to a news story about his…um…agile wife doing yoga on the board. WOW! That has to be a good workout!
The Surf-fur
Jul/090
To see photos of the Surf-fur in action, please visit www.heatlabinc.com
You can view photos, download videos of a waterman using it to warm up and change under, and browse the catalog for new products.
Podcasts coming soon; surfing lesson #1 and stand-up paddle lesson #1.
Saftey from Hypothermia
Jul/090
(technical facts from Wikipedia)
Hypothermia is a condition in which an organism’s temperature drops below that required for normal metabolism and bodily functions. In warm-blooded animals, core body temperature is maintained near a constant level through biologic homeostasis. But, when the body is exposed to cold, its internal mechanisms may be unable to replenish the heat that is being lost to the organism’s surroundings.
Stage 1-Body temperature drops by 1-2°C (1.8-3.6°F) below normal temperature (35-37°C or 95-98.6°F). Mild to strong shivering occurs. The victim is unable to perform complex tasks with the hands; the hands become numb. Blood vessels in the outer extremities constrict. Breathing becomes quick and shallow. Goose bumps form, raising body hair on end in an attempt to create an insulating layer of air around the body. Victim may feel sick to their stomach, and very tired. Often, a person will experience a warm sensation, as if they have recovered, but they are in fact heading into Stage 2. Another test to see if the person is entering stage 2 is if they are unable to touch their thumb with their little finger; this is the first stage of muscles not working. They might start to have trouble seeing.
Stage 2- Body temperature drops by 2-4°C (3.8-7.6°F) below normal temperature (33-35°C or 91-94.8°F). Shivering becomes more violent. Muscle mis-coordination becomes apparent. Movements are slow and labored, accompanied by a stumbling pace and mild confusion, although the victim may appear alert. Surface blood vessels contract further as the body focuses its remaining resources on keeping the vital organs warm. The victim becomes pale. Lips, ears, fingers and toes may become blue.
Stage 3- Body temperature drops below approximately 32 °C (89.6 °F). Shivering usually stops. Difficulty speaking, sluggish thinking, and amnesia start to appear; inability to use hands and stumbling is also usually present. Cellular metabolic processes shut down. The exposed skin becomes blue and puffy, muscle coordination becomes very poor, walking becomes almost impossible, and the victim exhibits incoherent/irrational behavior including terminal burrowing or even a stupor. Pulse and respiration rates decrease significantly, but fast heart rates can occur. Major organs fail. Clinical death occurs.
Water sportsmen are in even more danger of getting hypothermia because the body loses heat 10 times faster in water than in air of the same temperature. Prolonged periods in the water may produce long, slow cooling and undetected hypothermia, even in tropical water. PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) suggests that water sportsmen, especially divers, use protective garments to heat up before, in between, and after dives to insure that the body heat has been restored.
Appropriate clothing (see Surf-fur) helps to prevent hypothermia. Wearing cotton in chilly weather or while enjoying watersports is a particular hypothermia risk as it retains water, and water quickly conducts heat away from the body. Even in dry weather, cotton clothing can become damp from perspiration, and chilly after the wearer stops exercising. Synthetic and wool fabrics provide far better insulation when wet and dry more quickly. Some synthetic fabrics are even designed to wick perspiration away from the body, like fleece.
Given the facts, the Surf-fur is the best garment on the market for protecting from hypothermia. Made of polyester fleece, the Surf-fur is an all-around protective utility dive parka / stadium coat that offers comfort, warmth and safety. It wicks water away from the body and it can be worn immediately after exiting the water. Surf-fur helps the body warm up in-between dives or heats (surf/swim) to re-heat your body to safe and comfortable levels. Do you ever notice how you shiver for hours after being in the water? That is because you have not yet adequately re-heated your body after being immersed in water.
Besides keeping warm and dry, the Surf-FUR coat can be used for changing, wrapping and storing wetsuits in the car, and wearing over a wetsuit to keep the car seats dry.