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).

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

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

What's A Girl to Eat?

We all know that fish is a great food to add to our diet. Fish is a very lean protein and full of omega 3's not easily found in a typical diet. I like fish a lot, but unless it is fresh fish caught by my husband, I'm usually disappointed by fish served in restaurants or fish purchased from my local market. I've been doing some homework about how to find quality fish to bring home and to make a positive difference in the sustainability of our fisheries.

Issues with fish include sustainability of the species specific to fishing practices and the quality and safety of the fish itself. Some store purchased fish has come in shipped from far away, frozen for who knows how long. Some fish has been farmed and now barely resembles its wild caught relatives. Mercury and toxins have crept into many types of fish. Pregnant women are warned about eating certain kinds of fish and warned to limit the overall quantity of fish in their diet. Sometimes it just seems easier to walk past the fish counter and think about becoming vegan, or buying a big piece of steak.

In the Monterey Bay we have great options for buying seafood and with a little knowledge we can start to make good choices.

What is Seafood Watch?

The Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch program helps consumers and businesses make choices for healthy oceans. Our recommendations indicate which seafood items are "Best Choices," "Good Alternatives," and which ones you should "Avoid."

• Get the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch card and stick it in your wallet. If you have a smart phone you can put an app on it that lets you have the information at your fingertips: http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/cr_seafoodwatch/content/media/MBA_SeafoodWatch_WestCoastGuide.pdf

• Besides the Seafood Watch Guide, you can get tips on what are the best types of sushi to eat and Monterey Bay area restaurants that serve fish caught by sustainable methods: http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/seafoodwatch/web/sfw_partner.aspx?c=ln

• Many markets in the area have labels or policies about the types of fish they offer for sale. New Leaf Markets, Whole Foods, and Staff of Life all have terrific selections and knowledgeable staff. If you shop somewhere that does not provide information about the fish for sale, let the store manager know you care.

• Check out H & H Fresh Fish at the Aptos and Santa Cruz Farmers' Market. Hans the fisherman has a great website, http://hhfreshfish.com/,  and you can talk to Hans in person about what he has been catching in the bay and where he gets his other fish. He is dedicated to sustainable practices and can really get your mouth watering with recipes and his general enthusiasm.

I'll end with a recipe by Kristine Kidd, Monterey Bay Aquarium Food Editor,  for some of these cool days we've been experiencing recently.

SEAFOOD WATCH HOMESUSTAINABLE RECIPES HOME

Cod Chowder with Kale and Yukon Gold Potatoes Sustainable Seafood Recipe This comforting soup combines delicately flavored Pacific cod with smoky bacon (look for organic bacon made from pork or turkey), bright green kale and fresh thyme. For a satisfying dinner, serve with tender cornbread or biscuits and a crunchy salad dressed with mustard vinaigrette alongside. U.S.-caught Pacific cod is a Seafood Watch "Best Choice" or "Good Alternative" depending on the method of catch. Avoid imported Pacific cod. INGREDIENTS (Serves 4) 4 thick-cut slices applewood-smoked bacon (about 1/4 pound), chopped 1 large onion, chopped 2 bay leaves 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme 1/4 teaspoon paprika 3, 8-ounce bottles clam juice 1/2 cup water 1 pound Yukon gold potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch pieces 1/2 cup whipping cream Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground pepper 1 1/2 pounds Pacific cod, cut into 1-inch pieces 1 medium bunch kale finely chopped (about 2 cups) DIRECTIONS Cook the bacon in a heavy large pot over medium heat until brown and crisp, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel and drain. Add the onion, bay leaves and thyme to the pot. Sauté over medium heat until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the paprika. Add the clam juice, 1/2 cup water, and then the potatoes. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, cover and simmer until the potatoes are just tender, about 8 minutes. Add the cream and bacon to the chowder. Sprinkle the cod pieces with salt and pepper then add the cod and kale to the soup. Simmer until the fish is opaque in the center (to check, cut into a piece of fish with a small knife or break apart with a spoon), stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Ladle the chowder into warmed bowls and serve.