| Pages:
1
2 |
bajalera
Super Nomad
Posts: 1875
Registered: 10-15-2003
Location: Santa Maria CA
Member Is Offline
|
|
How a Peninsula Was Formed
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.
+++++++++++++
\"Very few things happen at the right time, and the rest never happen at all. The conscientious historian will correct these defects.\" -
Mark Twain
|
|
|
longlegsinlapaz
Super Nomad
Posts: 1685
Registered: 11-18-2005
Location: La Paz
Member Is Offline
|
|
| 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
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
Member Is Offline
|
|
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
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 2524
Registered: 10-6-2004
Location: OC So Cal
Member Is Offline
|
|
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
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6481
Registered: 7-31-2006
Location: Kamloops, BC
Member Is Offline
Mood: Gettin' Better
|
|
| 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 
Don't believe everything you think....
|
|
|
bajalera
Super Nomad
Posts: 1875
Registered: 10-15-2003
Location: Santa Maria CA
Member Is Offline
|
|
Shells found at elevated inland also puzzled both Baegert and Miguel del Barco in their accounts of the Jesuit period.
\"Very few things happen at the right time, and the rest never happen at all. The conscientious historian will correct these defects.\" -
Mark Twain
|
|
|
racheldarlin
Junior Nomad
Posts: 69
Registered: 9-30-2010
Member Is Offline
|
|
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. 
|
|
|
karenintx
Senior Nomad
Posts: 540
Registered: 3-16-2008
Location: CSL
Member Is Offline
Mood: Living The Dream
|
|
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
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 2604
Registered: 10-13-2005
Location: Topaz Lake, NV/San Felipe
Member Is Offline
|
|
 Is all this going to happen before or after Global Warming kills us all?
|
|
|
Marc
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 2802
Registered: 5-15-2010
Location: San Francisco & Palm Springs
Member Is Offline
Mood: Waiting
|
|
Washington! That will really screw up the weather!
|
|
|
Barry A.
Select Nomad
Posts: 10007
Registered: 11-30-2003
Location: Redding, Northern CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: optimistic
|
|
| 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.
Not to worry.
Barry
|
|
|
Skipjack Joe
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8088
Registered: 7-12-2004
Location: Bahia Asuncion
Member Is Offline
|
|
| 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.
Select Nomad
Posts: 10007
Registered: 11-30-2003
Location: Redding, Northern CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: optimistic
|
|
| 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
Honored Nomad
Posts: 65282
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
|
|
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
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8088
Registered: 7-12-2004
Location: Bahia Asuncion
Member Is Offline
|
|
| 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.
Select Nomad
Posts: 10007
Registered: 11-30-2003
Location: Redding, Northern CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: optimistic
|
|
Good night, SkipJack. Pleasant dreams.
("cost" is everything, to me)
Barry
|
|
|
mtgoat666
Select Nomad
Posts: 19925
Registered: 9-16-2006
Location: San Diego
Member Is Offline
Mood: Hot n spicy
|
|
godwin's law in nomadlandia
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
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
|
|
|
CaboRon
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3401
Registered: 3-24-2007
Location: The Valley of the Moon
Member Is Offline
Mood: Peacefull
|
|
| 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
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 |
|
|
|
mcfez
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8678
Registered: 12-2-2009
Location: aka BN yankeeirishman
Member Is Offline
|
|
Hun? You sure about that?
| 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... |
Old people are like the old cars, made of some tough stuff. May show a little rust, but good as gold on the inside.
|
|
|
DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
Member Is Offline
|
|
| 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?
|
|
|
| Pages:
1
2 |
![[*]](images/xmbforum/default_icon.gif){kind=icon}
