From: Surfrider Foundation <soup@surfrider.org>

Date: September 24, 2012 5:06:08 PM PDT

To: valhala@cox.net

Subject: IN THIS WEEK'S SOUP: Seismic Testing, Tsunami Debris Hits Hawaii & Desalination

Reply-To: soup@surfrider.org

SEPTEMBER 2012 ISSUE NO. 181 SURFRIDER FOUNDATION VOWS TO STOP SEISMIC TESTING OFF CALIFORNIA COAST The Surfrider Foundation vowed last week to stop seismic testing slated to begin off the coast of Central California this November. Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) proposed the tests to assess the susceptibility of the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Generating Facility to seismic activity. A 240-foot ship will tow powerful air cannons along a 50-mile stretch of the Central Coast, shooting deafening underwater explosions (upward of 250 decibels) every 13 seconds for 42 straight days. This action will be catastrophic to local marine life, especially marine mammals, which rely on their sensitive auditory capabilities for communication and navigation. The takings permit for the project – the estimated amount of wildlife that could be killed – includes 15 blue whales, 13 humpback whales, 1,652 bottlenose dolphins, 1,062 California sea lions and 1,485 southern sea otters There is also the possibility of death or injusry to thousands of other marine mammals, and untold scores of fish and birds. This potential loss of wildlife is even more staggering considering it will impact areas specially designated to protect marine life. View our position statement here or send a message to the Coastal Commission asking them to deny the project. LEARN MORE. SHARK SAVES MAN DRIFTING AT SEA A lost fisherman who drifted at sea for 15 weeks, sleeping next to his dead brother-in-law, was eventually helped to safety - by a shark. Toakai Teitoi was stuck on a 15ft wooden boat for more than 100 days after he ran out of fuel and the vessel drifted deep into the Pacific. Teitoi claims it was only after the intervention of a circling shark that he was eventually rescued. CRAZY! A NEW ICE RECORD IS SET IN THE ANTARCTIC In a potential distraction from the news that Arctic sea-ice extent reached a record low, Antarctic sea ice reached its highest level ever recorded for the 256th day of the calendar year on Sept. 12. The physical geography of the two hemispheres is very different, so the effects of global warming would be seen first in the Arctic and not the Antarctic. INFO. JAPANESE TSUNAMI DEBRIS WASHES ASHORE IN HAWAII More than 16 months after an earthquake and tsunami devastated parts of Japan, debris has begun to wash ashore in the U.S.'s Pacific Ocean coastal states.The debris first arrived on beaches in Alaska and Oregon but now Hawaii is being affected.The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has confirmed that a large plastic bin which washed ashore on Friday was a piece of debris from Japan and had floated across the Pacific Ocean. The sad reality is that the massive amount of tsunami debris is still only a fraction of total amount of marine pollution that is out there. The battle exists on many fronts. MORE. NORTHEAST OCEAN TEMPERATURES REACH RECORD HIGH Federal ocean scientists said this year’s sea surface temperatures along the northeast coast of the U.S. set all-time records, with as-yet unknown consequences for marine ecosystems. Above-average temperatures were found in all parts of the ecosystem, from the ocean bottom to the sea surface. The average sea surface temperature exceeded 51 degrees during the first half of 2012, topping the previous record high set in 1951. The average sea surface temperature the past three decades has ranged around 48 degrees. NOT GOOD. MYSTERIOUS DEEP SEA CIRCLES Yoji Ookata, a deep-sea photographer and diver who has been documenting the ocean for more than 50 years, saw something he had never observed before: A circular pattern of rippling sand about 80 feet below sea level and 6 feet in diameter on the ocean floor. Ookata dubbed his new find the "mystery circle" and was shocked to discover that a single puffer fish, no more than a few inches long, had created the circles using just one fin. WOW! DESALINATION NO REMEDY FOR CALIFORNIA WATER WOES Producing drinking water from seawater has been technologically achievable for several decades. Until recently, however, application of seawater desalination ("desal") on a large scale has been primarily limited to arid regions of the world that have a cheap supply of energy, such as in the Middle East. Desalination plants can take water from the ocean or drill down and grab the less salty, brackish water from seaside aquifers. It is a worldwide phenomenon that has been embraced in thirsty California, with its cycles of drought and growing population. But many projects have been stymied by skyrocketing costs and legal challenges. LEARN MORE. SURFRIDER LAUNCHES RISE ABOVE PLASTICS SPEAKER TRAINING PROGRAM The Rise Above Plastics (RAP) Speaker Program, founded by the Surfrider Foundation, has two simple goals - to educate the world about plastic pollution in our oceans, beaches and waterways and inspire and empower individuals to do something about the issue. Using a combination of online tools and classroom and beach education, the RAP Program offers training courses for passionate activists to become educated members of the Rise Above Plastics Speaker Group. INTERESTED? MARINE BIOLOGISTS USE DOG TO TRACK & SAVE WHALES A dog named Tucker, once a stray on the streets of Seattle, is playing a vital role in saving orcas, an endangered species. Tucker, a black lab mix, bears the proud distinction of being the world’s only working dog who is trained to detect and follow the scent of orca scat in the open ocean at distances of up to a mile away. AWWWWWW. How are we doing? Please send your "Soup" feedback to soup@surfrider.org. To join Surfrider click here or to unsubscribe click here.