Episode 5 : Baja Mexico
This part of the world is soaked in sunshine, covered with sand and bathing suits,
and is washed by some of the coolest waves in the world. So when someone calls
out "Who wants to go to school in Baja?", you might want to consider it.
Or, you might want to thrust your hand in the air, jump up and down like a maniac,
and yell "pick me, pick me" as loud as you possibly can.
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Highlights:
Sleeping on the beach, with rice tortillas and campfire coffee for breakfast, eating lobster surf-side without
having to hear them scream when they go into the pot of boiling water, and birthday celebrations
in the sand, complete with the traditional Mexican piņata.
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Anatomy Of A Wave
Waves are caused by the wind passing over the surface of water. Of course, the stronger
and faster the wind is, the bigger the wave is. Duh.
Basically, there are 3 different kinds of waves:
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Shore Dump - Waves break with force and usually occur where
sandbanks are shallow, especially at low tide. It can be dangerous to surf in
these waves. They are a common cause of broken limbs and back injuries!
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Spilling Waves - The crest of a spilling wave tumbles down the face. If the
sandbank where it breaks is shallow, the spilling crest will form a 'tube'.
These are the best waves for body surfing.
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Surging Waves - These never break, because the water beneath them is deep, but
they can knock people off their feet and drag them back out.
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Other facts:
- Rip Currents
A rip is a strong current running out to sea. Rips are the cause of most rescues
performed at beaches. A rip usually occurs when a channel forms between the shore
and a sandbar, and large waves have built up water which then returns to sea,
causing a drag effect. The larger the surf, the stronger the rip. Rips are
dangerous as they can carry a weak or tired swimmer out into deep water.
If you are caught in a rip and a strong swimmer, swim at a 45 degree angle across
the rip and in the same direction as the current until you reach the breaking
wave zone, then return to shore. If you are a weak or tired swimmer, float with
the current, don't fight it. Swim parallel to the shore for about 30 - 40m until
you reach the breaking wave zone, then swim back to shore or signal for help.
Remember to stay calm and conserve your energy.
Life Cycle of the Lobster
A female lobster mates primarily when she is in the soft-shell state right
after she has shed her shell (molted). How's that for a mental image?
A freshly laid lobster egg is the size of the head of a pin (1/16").
A 1-pound female lobster usually carries approximately 8000 eggs. A 9-pound
female may carry more than 100,000 eggs. The female carries the eggs inside
for 9 to 12 months, and then for another 9 to 12 months externally attached to
the swimmerets under her tail.
When the eggs hatch, the larvae will float near the surface for 4 to 6 weeks.
The few that survive will settle to the bottom and continue to develop as baby
lobsters. From every 50,000 eggs only 2 lobsters are expected to survive to
legal size.
It takes 5 to 7 years for a lobster to grow to legal size in the ocean. A lobster
at legal size will weigh approximately 1 pound.
Lobsters grow by molting. This is the process in which they struggle out of
their old shells while simultaneously absorbing water which expands their body
size. This molting, or shell-shedding, occurs about 25 times in the first 5-7
years of life. Following this cycle, the lobster will weigh approximately one
pound and reach minimum legal size. A lobster at minimum legal size may then
only molt once per year and increase about 15% in length and 40% in weight.
No one has yet found a way to determine the exact age of a lobster. However, based
on scientific knowledge of body size at age, the maximum age attained may approach
100 years. They can grow to be 3 feet or more in overall body length.
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