BajaNomad - How a Peninsula Was Formed

How a Peninsula Was Formed

bajalera - 1-22-2011 at 01:25 PM

Sidebar 1-b
A Peninsula Is Formed

During the 1500s, when Spaniards first came ashore on what is now Baja California, most Europeans considered the Bible to be a true account of human history as well as our planet’s origin. Serious thinkers of that age believed that some time around 5000 B.C., God had devoted six days to creating Earth, giving the continents their familiar forms, and surrounding them with the existing oceans.

A few careful observers doubted that features like Africa’s Great Rift Valley and the Grand Canyon of the Colorado could have been formed in only six days, however, and researchers continued to develop more efficient tools and methods, which they used in studying landforms and ocean floors.

In the early 1900s a German meteorologist/geophysicist proposed that the continents had in the very ancient past been united in a single landmass—and he was roundly ridiculed.

A prominent geologist complained that such a theory would require doing away with all that was then known and starting all over.

And by the early 1960s that’s exactly what had happened, because evidence of Earth’s ancient—and almost unbelievable—recycling had been identified and interpreted.

Although estimates of time and other details are still being debated, most geoscientists now agree that Baja California’s shape and location can be explained in terms of plate tectonics, the concept that Earth’s outer layer—its “crust”— consists of seven or eight huge, thick chunks of land and/or ocean floor called “plates” (along with a lot of smaller ones).

Translated into very simple terms and stripped of its many complexities, the plate tectonics theory holds that around a billion years ago, our planet apparently had only a single gigantic landmass. After 600 million years or so, this supercontinent began to separate into plates that are still moving slowly off in different directions.

The land that was to become Baja California was once situated on the western edge of the North American Plate, which includes most of our continent. This plate is generally moving toward the west at less than 5 centimeters per year. (That’s about the same rate as fingernails grow, or an estimated 100 miles in 300 million years—so don’t expect to notice.)

Thirty million years ago (give or take a few million here and there) the adjacent Pacific Plate—which is moving northwest rather than west—latched firmly onto the edge of the North American Plate, and ever since then a narrow strip of land is being tugged slowly away from the rest of our continent. The Gulf of California began to open some time around five million years ago, and is continuing to widen today.

Baja California was once thought to be and island, and geologists predict that within several more millions of years it will have become one—probably situated somewhere off the coast of Washington state or British Columbia.

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longlegsinlapaz - 1-22-2011 at 01:36 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by bajalera
Baja California was once thought to be and island, and geologists predict that within several more millions of years it will have become one—probably situated somewhere off the coast of Washington state or British Columbia.

Thank GAWD it'll be several million more years before it makes it's way up to what is now known as the Pacific Northwest....where I moved from to get away from the rain & cold! I probably won't care by then!

Thanks Lera....interesting!

DENNIS - 1-22-2011 at 02:21 PM

Other theories have the peninsula seperating from the land mass in a rolling movement, like rolling a hotdog [without bacon, of course] across a table top.
I've often wondered how the ground on the hilltops in back of my house, 600 feet above sea level I think it is, is full of sea shells. Lots of really small abalone and other types.

sancho - 1-22-2011 at 02:47 PM

I remember reading of rock deposits on the end of the
Peninsula being the same composition as rocks somewhere
in the Puerta Vallarta area. Also heard the Peninsula is
moving no., and leaving the so. end there, that is
pulling away from the area west and so. of La Paz,
leaving an island. My favorite is in one of the Baja books, it mentions
Scripps Oceanography sending cameras down in the
Midriff area, LA Bay, around the Isles that
create a venturi effect, and seeing boulders the size
of train box cars being moved on the
bottom of the Cortez when a full moon big tide swing
is empting out the upper Cortez moving at a few knots

motoged - 1-22-2011 at 03:56 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by bajalera
Sidebar 1-b
A Peninsula Is Formed

Baja California was once thought to be and island, and geologists predict that within several more millions of years it will have become one—probably situated somewhere off the coast of Washington state or British Columbia. +++++++++++++

Could whoever is in charge of that hurry it up a bit....It takes me several days of sensible driving to get there....if it were off the coast here I could get to Baja WAY more often :biggrin:

bajalera - 1-22-2011 at 06:21 PM

Shells found at elevated inland also puzzled both Baegert and Miguel del Barco in their accounts of the Jesuit period.

racheldarlin - 1-23-2011 at 08:10 AM

Motoged

Unfortunately the southern part of "alta" California will come with it. Do you really want LA/SF/SD as neighbors? Of course the State of Jefferson will finally get its wish. :lol:

karenintx - 1-23-2011 at 08:49 AM

Last night we watched a documentary on Hulu..."The Other California". It showed the seperation of The Baja from the mainland and how both plants and animals had to learn to evolve in order to survive. Lot of similarities between The Galapagos Islands and The Baja. Didn't know there is a large colony of "blue and brown footed boobies" on San Pedro Martir Island.

http://www.islandconservation.org/where/?id=56

.

[Edited on 1-23-2011 by karenintx]

Bajajorge - 1-23-2011 at 10:58 AM

:?:

Is all this going to happen before or after Global Warming kills us all?

Marc - 1-23-2011 at 06:46 PM

Washington! That will really screw up the weather!

Barry A. - 1-23-2011 at 07:45 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bajajorge
:?:

Is all this going to happen before or after Global Warming kills us all?

It's the 'global warming' phenomena (sp?)that caused the oceans to become much deeper, and covered the highlands with sea shells and stuff, long long ago (perhaps). We won't be around to see it tho-----probably all be naturally extinct by then like the other 99% of creatures that roamed the earth have gone extinct over the eons. :lol:

Not to worry.

Barry

Skipjack Joe - 1-23-2011 at 08:59 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bajajorge
:?:

Is all this going to happen before or after Global Warming kills us all?

The Continental Drift theory was ridiculed in it's days much like Global Warming is today.

Barry A. - 1-23-2011 at 10:08 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Skipjack Joe

Quote:

Originally posted by Bajajorge
:?:

Is all this going to happen before or after Global Warming kills us all?

The Continental Drift theory was ridiculed in it's days much like Global Warming is today.

True, but we did not then trash the economies of the world in order to change the outcome by maybe 1 to 2 %.

Barry

David K - 1-23-2011 at 10:09 PM

Yah, but continental drift can be observed and measured even in one life time.

Nobody is saying global warming isn't happeneng... it happens over and over... The question is if it is warming or cooling now... and last time it warmed, there were no man made reasons to blame... it is all natural and normal and there is NOTHING man can do to change it.

One thing is for sure... the past 50 years, the sea level hasn't changed... more than the length of a cigarette, anyway.

[Edited on 1-24-2011 by David K]

Skipjack Joe - 1-23-2011 at 10:38 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Barry A.

Quote:

Originally posted by Skipjack Joe

Quote:

Originally posted by Bajajorge
:?:

Is all this going to happen before or after Global Warming kills us all?

The Continental Drift theory was ridiculed in it's days much like Global Warming is today.

True, but we did not then trash the economies of the world in order to change the outcome by maybe 1 to 2 %.

Barry

OK - I'm gonna bite.

The cost of repair has nothing to do with it's presence or absence. It may affect the amount of proof you demand before concluding. But since scientists are not involved with this cost they are free to report matters as they measure them.

It's true that the theory of Continental Drift was easier to swallow than Evolution. After all who wants to admit they're related to an ape. That one's not going down easy either. Both parochial schools I attended never brought it up. Fossils - yes. Evolution - no. My mother actually hated Darwin for even suggesting his theories.

Anyway, we've covered this ground before.

good night.

Barry A. - 1-23-2011 at 10:55 PM

Good night, SkipJack. Pleasant dreams.

("cost" is everything, to me)

Barry

godwin's law in nomadlandia

mtgoat666 - 1-23-2011 at 11:32 PM

it would not be a nomad thread if tweedle dee and tweedle dumb did not show up to tell us that global warming is a myth :lol:

godwin's law does not work in nomadlandia. godwin's law said that as an online discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving N-zis or Hitler approaches 1. in nomadlandia as an online discussion grows longer, the probability of a debate about global warming (or DK acusing liberals of censorship) approaches 1 :lol:

CaboRon - 1-24-2011 at 06:18 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by mtgoat666
it would not be a nomad thread if tweedle dee and tweedle dumb did not show up to tell us that global warming is a myth :lol:

Hun? You sure about that?

mcfez - 1-24-2011 at 07:46 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by David K

One thing is for sure... the past 50 years, the sea level hasn't changed... more than the length of a cigarette, anyway.

[Edited on 1-24-2011 by David K] [/quote

Maybe I misread your statement above. .................

http://planetgreen.discovery.com/travel-outdoors/8-countries...

DENNIS - 1-24-2011 at 08:51 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by David K
One thing is for sure... the past 50 years, the sea level hasn't changed... more than the length of a cigarette, anyway.

I'm not into the global warming cooling manmade au natural discussion at the moment, but a cigarette is about 4 inches long and you're saying the increased depth of the oceans by that much in only 50 years isn't cause for concern?

David K - 1-24-2011 at 09:24 AM

Nope, I am saying from personal and photographic observations at various points in Baja, there is no noticable change in sea level. One of the greenies popped in and said oh yes it was proven... gave a metric figure... another Nomad replied, well that is no longer than a cigarette. :lol:

Now, where the high tide raises the sea up to 20 feet twice a day... is 100 mm more even matter?

DENNIS - 1-24-2011 at 09:31 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by David K
Now, where the high tide raises the sea up to 20 feet twice a day... is 100 mm more even matter?

I think your reference is to the almost horizontal plane. :light:

When you see scientific terms like "almost horizontal plane", you know I'm an expert. :biggrin:

dk the mad scientist

mtgoat666 - 1-24-2011 at 09:57 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by David K
I am saying from personal and photographic observations at various points in Baja, there is no noticable change in sea level.

that is not science. that is garbage. dk: you dismiss scientists as partisan liars. i dismiss your observations as partisan nonsense.

David K - 1-24-2011 at 10:01 AM

Yup and your hero Algore is the mad politicain trying to pedal his version of science... with temperature graphs he reads backwards!

Physical observation is what science is... that is what I have done... I don't need some loser to tell me that what I can see is not really there. :rolleyes:

DianaT - 1-24-2011 at 10:30 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by bajalera
Sidebar 1-b
A Peninsula Is Formed

During the 1500s, when Spaniards first came ashore on what is now Baja California, most Europeans considered the Bible to be a true account of human history as well as our planet’s origin. Serious thinkers of that age believed that some time around 5000 B.C., God had devoted six days to creating Earth, giving the continents their familiar forms, and surrounding them with the existing oceans.

+++++++++++++

Thanks Bajalera---as always, an interesting read.

Seems strange that in some areas of the US and among certain groups, science is now taking a backseat to the old 6 day, 6000 year belief system. For 8 recent years, even our government turned its back on science.

[Edited on 1-24-2011 by DianaT]

Cypress - 1-24-2011 at 10:52 AM

You're worrying about global warming caused by man or otherwise? Get real! :lol:

There are quite a few more immediate threats facing us at present.

DENNIS - 1-24-2011 at 11:20 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Cypress
You're worrying about global warming caused by man or otherwise? Get real! :lol:

There are quite a few more immediate threats facing us at present.

Ain't it the truth. In Baja, we can't even buy beer before 10:00 AM. Talk about a screwed up world.

toneart - 1-24-2011 at 12:08 PM

Here's your Aunty Science:

"Step up here, Big Boy! I gotta Science project for ya..."

sarah-palin-naughty.jpg - 38kB

DENNIS - 1-24-2011 at 12:32 PM

WOW...great rack. Let's watch those seperate over the millenium.

Skipjack Joe - 1-24-2011 at 01:37 PM

:lol:

Good one, Dennis.

The San Andreas fault never look so good.

That reminds me of a joke. Something about having so many face lifts you end up shaving.

DENNIS - 1-24-2011 at 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Skipjack Joe
That reminds me of a joke. Something about having so many face lifts you end up shaving.

That brings back memories, Igor, of Phyllis Diller when she would say, "If I have one more facelift, I'll have a goatee. :lol:

Good ol' Phyllis.

http://tinyurl.com/m6nj8u

Bajamatic - 1-24-2011 at 05:59 PM

Is that Sarah Palin? I'll have a tea party with that....

motoged - 1-24-2011 at 06:04 PM

No, that's not the real Sarah....a photoshopped effort !

If it was, I still would think she's a danger....she could poke someone's eye out with those... :no:

bajalera - 1-24-2011 at 06:28 PM

Who'd have ever thunk that plate tectonics could be highjacked by Sarah's boobs?

Bajamatic - 1-24-2011 at 07:03 PM

oh jeez here we go

Sarah's boobs topic

mcfez - 1-24-2011 at 07:27 PM

Hell.....Sarah's boobs topics is a lot better than some of these posts lately!

Marc - 1-24-2011 at 08:17 PM

Yea! Less talk, more boobs!

Sizemology

toneart - 1-24-2011 at 08:34 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by bajalera
Who'd have ever thunk that plate tectonics could be highjacked by Sarah's boobs?

"Seismology is the scientific study of earthquakes and the propagation of elastic waves through the Earth or through other planet-like bodies."-Wikipedia :spingrin:

tripledigitken - 1-24-2011 at 08:41 PM

I think I'm feeling some Global Warming............