Tidal Currents

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

On Film in the Monterey Bay

From Here to Eternity

For you youngsters, this is not a scene from "Sex in the City." This is one of the most famous scenes in movie history and it was filmed at Pfeiffer Beach in Big Sur. "From Here to Eternity," released in 1953 was filmed on location on Oahu in Hawaii, according to Doug Lumsden of Monterey Movie Tours. "But the director, Fred Zinnemann, didn't like the way the beach scene with Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr turned out. Zinnemann didn't want to take the cast and crew back to Hawaii, so he drove north from Los Angeles looking for the right beach. They ended up reshooting that famous scene, with Lancaster and Kerr kissing in the rushing surf, at Pfeiffer Beach in Big Sur".

If you want to see a bit of the clip:

I wasn't born yet when this movie was made, but I do remember the iconic scene, as well as seeing the movie when I was younger. In fact, I thought about it yesterday while I was playing with Pepper. It was high tide, lots of kelp on the beach, and I was running backwards to get away from a wave because I didn't want to get my shoes wet. Not only did I get my shoes wet, but I fell hard over a big pile of kelp injuring both my ego and my wrist. A couple of hours waiting for an x-ray and I found I just had a sprain. Don't hold your breath to see me in any films soon.

At the time this movie was released in 1953, the surf kissing scene caused an outrage because of the context and because of the frank sexuality of Kerr's character. It's interesting to look back and think about this--obviously we live in very different times. Being the pragmatist that I am, I'm also thinking about the 56 degree water, the numerous retakes that were probably required, and just the sheer discomfort of getting pounding by the inshore waves, water, and sand. Probably the process of being filmed was not as romantic as the final outcome.

I took a few minutes and was really surprised to find out what an amazing number of films have been made in the Monterey and Santa Cruz area.

Here's a list from Monterey Movie Tours (http://www.montereybayadventures.com/marina/ci_14703154) in the Monterey area (my favorite probably being Star Trek IV):

Movies Filmed in Monterey County*

We Were Soldiers (2002), Fort Hunter-Liggett
Bandits (2001), Salinas
Fast Women (2000), Monterey
Sphere (1998), Monterey
Junior (1994), Big Sur, Carmel, Pacific Grove
Poetic Justice (1993), Big Sur, Monterey
Basic Instinct (1992), Carmel
Turner & Hooch (1989), Pacific Grove
Harry and the Hendersons (1987), Monterey
Blind Date (1987), Carmel
Star Trek IV: Voyage Home (1986), Monterey
Brainstorm (1983), Carmel
The Winter of Our Discontent (TV, 1983), Pacific Grove
Cannery Row (1982), Monterey
Seems Like Old Times (1980), Carmel
The Muppet Movie (1979), Carmel
The Cat From Outer Space (1978), Big Sur, Salinas
Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo (1977), Monterey
Escape to Witch Mountain (1975), Big Sur, Carmel, Pebble Beach
The Master Gunfighter (1975), Carmel
Zandy's Bride (1974), Big Sur
Sleeper (1973), Carmel
Jonathan Livingston Seagull (1973), Monterey
Chandler (1972), Carmel, Pebble Beach
The Candidate (1972), Monterey
Thumb Tripping (1972), Carmel
Celebration at Big Sur (1971), Big Sur
Play Misty For Me (1971), Big Sur, Carmel, Monterey, Point Lobos
The Big Bounce (1969), Monterey, Point Lobos
Monterey Pop (1969), Monterey
The Love Bug (1969), Monterey
Changes (1969), Carmel, Point Lobos
Doctor Dolittle (1967), Big Sur
Incubus (1965), Big Sur
My Blood Runs Cold (1965), Point Lobos
The Sandpiper (1965), Big Sur, Monterey
Island of the Blue Dolphins (1964), Salinas
Soldier in the Rain (1963), Fort Ord
The Terror (1963), Big Sur
Five Finger Exercise (1962), Pebble Beach
The Notorious Landlady (1962), Point Lobos
One-Eyed Jacks (1961), Big Sur, Pebble Beach
Susan Slade (1961), Monterey, Pebble Beach
The Parent Trap (1961), Carmel, Monterey, Pebble Beach
A Summer Place (1959), Pacific Grove, Pebble Beach, Point Lobos
Roadracers (1958), Monterey
Vertigo (1958), Pebble Beach
In Love and War (1958), Monterey, Pebble Beach
Kings Go Forth (1958), Carmel
Gun Battle at Monterey (1957), Pebble Beach
The Girl He Left Behind (1956), Carmel, Fort Ord
The Naked Eye (1956), Carmel
Julie (1956), Carmel, Monterey, Pebble Beach
East of Eden (1955), Point Lobos
Francis Joins the WACS (1954), Fort Ord
Desirée (1954), Pebble Beach
The Fast and Furious (1954), Carmel, Pebble Beach
The Caddy (1953), Monterey
Take the High Ground! (1953), Monterey
From Here to Eternity (1953), Big Sur
Clash By Night (1952), Monterey
The Lady Says No (1952), Carmel
Japanese War Bride (1952), Point Lobos, Salinas
Follow the Sun (1951), Pebble Beach
Mr. Imperium (1951), Pebble Beach
The Second Woman (1951), Carmel, Monterey
Breakthrough (1950), Fort Ord
The Woman on Pier 13 (1949), Point Lobos
Sword in the Desert (1949), Monterey
Johnny Belinda (1948), Pebble Beach
Deep Valley (1947), Big Sur
Desire Me (1947), Carmel, Pebble Beach, Point Lobos
Forever Amber (1947), Monterey
Gentleman's Agreement (1947), Monterey
California (1947), Carmel, Monterey
My Favorite Brunette (1947), Pebble Beach
Green Dolphin Street (1947), Big Sur
The Ghost and Mrs. Muir (1947), Pebble Beach
Samurai (1945), Monterey
Salome, Where She Danced (1945), Carmel, Point Lobos
National Velvet (1944), Pebble Beach
Marine Raiders (1944), Monterey
Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo (1944), Monterey
Lassie Come Home (1943), Point Lobos
Edge of Darkness (1942), Monterey, Pebble Beach, Point Lobos
The Bugle Sounds (1941), Fort Ord
Suspicion (1941), Carmel
Rebecca (1940), Point Lobos
The Primrose Path (1940), Pacific Grove
They Drive By Night (1940), Monterey
Dust Be My Destiny (1939), Monterey
Intermezzo (1939), Pebble Beach
Of Mice and Men (1939), Monterey
Sergeant Murphy (1938), Monterey
The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938), Monterey
Four Daughters (1938), Monterey
Captains Courageous (1937), Monterey
Conquest (1937), Point Lobos
Maid of Salem (1937), Point Lobos
Captain January (1936), Monterey, Pacific Grove, Pebble Beach, Point Lobos
Small Town Girl (1936), Pebble Beach
A Woman Rebels (1936), Carmel
Anna Karenina (1935), Monterey
Mutiny on the Bounty (1935), Monterey
All Men Are Enemies (1934), Carmel
He Was Her Man (1934), Point Lobos
The Count of Monte Cristo (1934), Pebble Beach
Treasure Island (1934), Point Lobos
The Little Giant (1933), Monterey
I Cover the Waterfront (1933), Monterey
Paddy the Next Big Thing (1933), Point Lobos
Peg o' My Heart (1933), Carmel, Pebble Beach, Point Lobos
The Miracle Man (1932), Pebble Beach, Point Lobos
Tiger Shark (1932), Carmel
Daddy Long Legs (1931), Point Lobos
Men on Call (1930), Pebble Beach
Troopers Three (1930), Monterey
The Iron Mask (1929), Point Lobos
Evangeline (1929), Point Lobos
The Divine Lady (1929), Monterey
The Long, Long Trail (1929), Salinas
Our Dancing Daughters (1928), Pebble Beach
Fast and Furious (1927), Pebble Beach
Married Alive (1927), Carmel, Pacific Grove
Paid to Love (1927), Pebble Beach, Point Lobos
The Unknown (1927), Pebble Beach
Rose of the Golden West (1927), Point Lobos
The Wrong Mr. Wright (1927), Carmel
Tin Gods (1926), Monterey
A Woman of the Sea (1926), Carmel, Monterey
Sandy (1926), Carmel, Pebble Beach
Braveheart (1925), Monterey
Why Women Love (1925), Point Lobos
Sporting Youth (1925), Monterey, Pebble Beach
Eve's Secret (1925), Carmel
The Eleventh Hour (1923), Point Lobos
Foolish Wives (1922), Pebble Beach, Point Lobos
White Shoulders (1922), Monterey, Pebble Beach
The Rosary (1922), Carmel
Shadows (1922), Carmel, Monterey, Point Lobos
Tess of the Storm Country (1922), Pebble Beach, Point Lobos
The Love Light (1921), Monterey, Point Lobos
The Mistress of Shenstone (1921), Point Lobos
Everything For Sale (1921), Salinas
Passion Fruit (1921), Pebble Beach
The Turning Point (1920), Monterey
The Right of Way (1920), Monterey
Miss Hobbs (1920), Carmel
The Beauty Market (1919), Carmel
A Man of Honor (1919), Carmel, Pebble Beach
The Isle of Life (1916), Carmel, Monterey
Ramona (1916), Monterey
Eye of the Night (1916), Monterey, Pacific Grove
The Other Side of the Door (1916), Monterey
Pidgin Island (1916), Big Sur, Point Lobos, Monterey
The Birthmark (1915), Monterey
The Valley of the Moon (1914), Carmel, Point Lobos
Rose of the Rancho (1914), Monterey
Hotel Del Monte (1897), Monterey
Surf at Monterey (1897), Monterey

and in Santa Cruz area (http://www.scruzwiki.org/Movies_Filmed_Locally):

Saturday, July 23, 2011

The Monterey Bay Sanctuary - A Sacred Place?

This video has been created by NOAA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, to provide information about the Monterey Bay Sanctuary.

A sanctuary is defined as a sacred place and I agree with this definition for our Monterey Bay Sanctuary. The good people that worked for the Sanctuary designation knew that it was only an important first step. As with many things, how we preserve this sanctuary is much more complicated than its title.

I don't think any story about the Sanctuary is complete without a picture of our wonderful sea otters. These make their home in the Elkhorn Slough:

Some additional pictures of our Monterey Bay Sanctuary:

Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Slide Show

Here's the scoop from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration -- it might be more than you want to know, but just in case......

also at: http://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/science/condition/mbnms/welcome.html

Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary

6,094 square statue miles (4,602 square nautical miles)
Congressionally designated in 1992 as a National Marine Sanctuary for the purpose of resource protection, research, education, and public use.
Includes bays, estuaries, coastal and oceanic waters
High diversity of flora and fauna including 33 species of marine mammals, 94 species of seabird, 345 species of fishes, and numerous species of invertebrates and plants
Contains the Monterey Canyon, a submarine canyon that rivals the Grand Canyon in size
Contains an estimated 225 documented shipwrecks or lost aircraft and 718 historic sites

Also from NOAA:

Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary is the largest national marine sanctuary and one of the largest marine protected areas in the United States. Within the boundaries of the sanctuary is a rich array of habitats, from rugged rocky shores and lush kelp forests to one of the largest underwater canyons in North America. These habitats abound with life, from tiny microscopic plants to enormous blue whales. The sanctuary is home to a diversity of species including marine mammals, seabirds and shorebirds, sea turtles, fishes, invertebrates, and marine algae.

Activities that put pressure on sanctuary resources are diverse. Some of the most prominent pressures include vessel traffic, commercial and recreational fishing, agricultural and urban runoff, harmful algal blooms, coastal development, marine debris, the introduction of non-indigenous species, and disturbances to wildlife.

Sunday, July 17, 2011

It's the Daily Dolphin Show

Dolphins can be seen in the Monterey Bay throughout the year, but as spring turns to summer the dolphins move close to shore and put on daily shows for the regulars at the beach below my house. Sometimes you can see the birds feeding off bait balls offshore and I recognize the dolphins in the middle. Recently, surf or no surf, they have been doing acrobatics close to shore. This includes bodysufing the swells, and when there is little surf, they seem to create their own fun, jumping out of the water and riding the small waves approaching shore in a more lateral high speed type of surfing.

The other morning a surf school was out at the "Platform" in Rio Del Mar and the surfers were surrounded with dolphins inside and outside of them. People on the beach were cheering and the surf students were pointing excitedly. I feel like it's my first time seeing them every day.

Yesterday I went down to the beach with my daughter and they were there again. Not moving in an upcoast or downcoast pattern, but just randomly cruising. Clare swam outside quickly and was fairly close. She dove underwater and was able to hear the high pitched noises they make to one another including a guttural click for lack of a better description.

I'm calling them dolphins, but there are many types of dolphins and porpoises in the Monterey Bay. Here's a good general description Chris's Whale Watching Tours of Monterey:

The Pacific White-sided dolphins are absolutely the most Aerial of all the species jumping and flipping head over tail spins in the air when they are really worked up!

The Common dolphins, there here are 2 kinds, short and long beak. They tend to be the most social with our tour boats. These dolphins are often very very "friendly" or "touchy feely" amongst themselves allowing us to even see frequent mating behaviors. They did not get their names common because they are average by any means, they have beautiful color patterns, and exciting behavior displays. They have this name because they are one of the more commonly seen dolphins in the worlds oceans.

Northern Rightwhale dolphins are definitely the most sleek and silky smooth looking dolphins as they rise up and out of the water shooting like bullets because they do not have a dorsal fin on their back. They are really elegant looking and when you see them fly out of the water you are left with a feeling of awe. Their color markings are shinny ebony black with a debonair white streak going down their bellies and have a very pointed head.

The big heavy round robust Rissos dolphin's can weigh up to two thousand lbs. and get to be a length of thirteen and a half feet long. Their body color and markings make them very unique because they are born a cocoa color brown and get lighter and lighter as they age while acquiring increasingly more scratches and scars on their bodies. The oldest animals can look almost pure white and the dorsal fin on their backs will often be tattered, torn, and have whole chunks bitten out of them.

All the dolphins in the Monterey Bay are extremely social animals with complex social systems, hierarchies, and have family units, however, the scratches on them prove that they also fight pretty hard. The scars on the dolphins match their own mouths so don't think for a minute that these beautiful highly intelligent creatures are only sweet docile animals because they can really do some biting when they get mad at each other.

Our local coastal Bottlenose dolphins are just that. The population is small and utilizes habitats very near shore and in the surf line. They meander in small groups of 2 to 12 on average fishing and "perdinking" (technical term) around with the surfers on many occasions. This means for our trips we are really only going to be in their potential area as we are heading out or returning at the end of the trips. So don't forget to start looking as soon as the trip begins.

Killer Whales or Orca's are actually the largest dolphin in the dolphin family. They received the name killer whales because some very specific genetic groups, called transients, are known to kill whales. So the name was shortened from Killer of whales to Killer Whales. They are also called Orca's and it is fun to know that killer whales all over the world are very different and hunt different Prey.

In the Monterey Bay we are able to watch two types of Killer whales: Transients, marine mammal and bird predators; and
Open Ocean Killer whales, who are fish and shark eaters.

There is nothing like the excitement and adrenaline that flows when hanging out with Killer whales weather they are traveling, hunting or doing social displays. They are here year round but sightings are unpredictable. We see the "Transient" types the most and this leads to opportunities of watching them hunt their favorite prey such as seals, sea lions, dolphins, and even the big whales.

Viewing an actual successful hunt is like finding a golden treasure but it does happen. We might see some of their hunting strategies such as "Body Slamming" or "Pouncing" like a cat on a mouse. Once the kill is over we are often treated to a wonderful social display put on by the Killer whales. They can get very excitable and begin to Spy Hop, Tail Slap, and leap about slamming their body's on the surface.

We have two species of porpoises common to the Monterey Bay.

The first one is the Harbor PorpoiseMonterey Bay. We do get looks at them when we are over the shallower shelf but they are usually in small groups of 3 to 10 that will show you several surfacing's but tend to scamper away after a short period of time. If you are an attentive observer on a calm day and they are around you can get a few good looks at them.

The Dall's Porpoise is the second species of porpoise in Monterey Bay and they are one of the few pelagic (open ocean) porpoises in the world. These robust porpoises can also be a rolling ball of "spitfire" when they get to zipping around. The Dall's porpoise are one of the fastest most maneuverable cetaceans in the entire world. At times it seems they show this off by whirling in almost every direction at once weaving an invisible tapestry on the oceans surface. They can be very social with the boats and may dart over to take a ride off the bow of the boat or on the wakes created by our boat.

Finally, this last video is not the Monterey Bay. It is a 2003 BBC Video about "Dolphins: Deep Thinkers" and much of the film is from Jeffrey's Bay, South Africa. It is well worth watching:

Friday, June 17, 2011

Sand Dollars

We've been having minus low tide mornings the past few days. Negative one foot plus and I feel like I'm walking on the sea floor taking a look at everything left for my discovery. As always, sand dollars are plentiful on our beaches and never cease to amaze seasoned walkers and tourists.

The white sun bleached skeletons often end up as souvenirs in visitor's bags. I'm most intrigued by the live sand dollars, purple, cilia (little hairs) moving them through the sand. I imagine their slow struggle an effort to make it back to the water before the sun dries them out.

Check out this incredible high speed link to see a sand dollar moving

Sand Dollar in Motion

Wikipedia provides this quick blurb on the anatomy of a sand dollar that might be of interest. It is easy to forget that this beautiful "shell" is or was a living creature and here's how it does it's thing:

The bodies of adult sand dollars, like those of other echinoids, display radial symmetry. The petal-like pattern in sand dollars consists of five paired rows ofpores. The pores are perforations in the endoskeleton through which podia for gas exchange project from the body. The mouth of the sand dollar is located on the bottom of its body at the center of the petal-like pattern. Unlike other urchins, the bodies of sand dollars also display secondary front-to-back bilateral symmetry. The anus of sand dollars is located at the back rather than at the top as in most urchins, with many more bilateral features appearing in some species. These result from the adaptation of sand dollars, in the course of their evolution, from creatures that originally lived their lives on top of the seabed (epibenthos) to creatures that burrow beneath it (hyperbenthos).

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Beach Glass

Every once and a rare while on the central coast, the ocean surprises me and turns to glass. It sometimes happens in the morning, sometimes in the late afternoon, and sometimes when I least expect it. The surface becomes a mirror for light, kelp, and the birds skimming across the surface.

Dolphins, harbor seals, maybe a lone paddler, all seem to look more surreal as they move through the water. Swimming in these conditions is especially fun, feeling effortless as each stroke breaks the surface of the water. Waves breaking on these glassy days also take on a special feel. Surfers from Pleasure Point and all spots around the bay seem to move more gracefully, their turns become more fluid, less frenetic. The white water against the ocean surface seems to just sink back into the glass as the next wave prepares to break.

OK, not Santa Cruz, but one of my favorite SoCal Beaches, Trestles, during glassy conditions.

Another of type of beach glass is the kind that can be found beachcombing. I never really got the whole thing about diamonds and gems. I've enjoyed taking the beach glass I've found over the years and having it made into jewelry. I'll also admit that I've bought some already made because I found it so beautiful. I love the idea that it has been tumbled in the ocean for an unknown amount of time and something beautiful washes up on shore.

It is well known that there are some glass blowers up in Davenport and some of their glass makes it on the beaches there, but if you look for it, you can find pieces almost anywhere.

Recently I bought my daughter a beautiful pair of earrings from with two identical looking pieces of green beach glass held in place with silver mounts. I love seeing her wear them, they are beautiful (and so is she.) I also had a good friend recently visiting from Australia and I bought her a necklace with a small piece of brilliant blue glass. I liked the idea that she was taking home a small piece of California. She work the necklace the day after I gave it to her and it looked wonderful on her.

There are many places to go to find beach glass jewelers in town. Often you'll find them at craft sales, or in local galleries. I like to buy mine from Jessica Phoebe Lee, Seaglass Designs, at www.pacificseaglass.com

Thursday, May 12, 2011

The Jay Moriarity Memorial Paddleboard Race

Just in cast you've not heard........

Surftech Jay Moriarity

Memorial Paddleboard Race 10th Anniversary!

Santa Cruz, CA (May 12, 2011) - June 25th will mark the 10th Anniversary of the Surftech Jay Moriarity Memorial Paddleboard Race. The "Jay Race" as it has become known, is held in honor of one of big wave surfing's favorite sons, the late Jay Moriarity. Jay was known as much for his fearless big wave surfing as he was for his positive and always friendly attitude. To stay in shape for the winter big wave season, Jay became an avid paddleboarder and could regularly be seen logging countless miles on his paddleboard along the Santa Cruzcoast.

With the summer paddling season well underway, the world's top traditional and stand up paddle athletes are training hard in preparation for this year's special event.

"When I heard that this year would be the 10th anniversary of the Jay Race I made sure to put it on my race calendar" said 8x Molokai-2-Oahu womens champion, Kanesa Duncan Seraphin (Kauai, HI) "I've been wanting to come over for the Jay Race for a long time so I'm excited that this is the year I'm able to make it happen!"

In addition to Kanesa, other first time Jay Race competitors will include 2x Battle of the Paddle winner, Candice Appleby (Honolulu, HI) and Surftech Surf & Sand Duel-athlon winner, Matt Becker (Santa Barbara, CA). With this being the 10th anniversary of the Jay Race, race directors are expecting the majority of winners from the past ten years to compete in this year's event.

"We expect the 2011 Jay Race to be one of the most competitive paddleboard races in the world this year!" said Jay Race co-founder, Gunnar Roll. "With Kanesa, Candice and 2010 womens champ Maya Sprinsock competing on the women's side and last year's winner, Anthony Vela and 2009 winner Craig Waltz already confirmed to compete in the mens division, we know this will be one of the fastest and most competitive Jay Races to date."

In addition to the 12-mile endurance challenge, there is also a 2-mile short course race for those not yet ready to paddle for hours on the open ocean. A new addition to this years event is the the Covewater SUP Relay. This three-person relay will be a super fun yet ultra competitive 3-lap relay that will take place after the long course event is finished. There will also be kids paddleboard races.

With the many different races and events, the Jay Race offers fun on the water for paddlers of all shapes and sizes!

"This year will mark the 10th Anniversary of 'The Jay Race', and I'm very excited how much this event has grown over the years. Jay's spirit has brought so many people together every year, and I look forward to another incredible day of celebrating and paddling amongst friends". - Kim Moriarity

SPONSORS

Event Schedule:

Friday, June 24th

4-7 pm - Pre-Registration at the Santa Cruz Yacht Harbor.

Saturday, June 25th

5:30 am - Race-day registration & check-in for those pre-registered

8 am - Jay Moriarity Ceremony (featuring special guest speaker to be announced soon)

8:30 am - Long Course paddleboard race start

8:40 am - Long Course SUP race start

8:50 am - Short Course race start

11:00 am - Lunch

11:30 am - Kids Races

12:00 pm - Awards Ceremony

1:00 pm - Covewater SUP Relay race

5:00 pm - Post-race party, Crows Nest Restaurant at the Santa Cruz Yacht Harbor

About Jay

click the above video link to watch a great memorial video about Jay produced by Powerlines Productions

"Enjoy everything you get. I think that's one of the most important things in life. Just really appreciating it. Because we only get to do this once and it's not for a very long time, so enjoy it." - Jay Moriarity

EVENT LINKS

Jay Race web site

Jay Race Facebook Page

Jay Race registration

For more info: duke@surftech.com