Great White Shark Diving at Guadalupe Island

Written by C.C.


Guadalupe Island’s 100-foot visibility is evident in its crystal-blue water. Unlikerepparttar Farallons or South Africa, Guadalupe Island has great visibility. This allowed us to seerepparttar 134009 great whites from a distance giving notice to getrepparttar 134010 cameras ready.

Our white shark encounters provided action from daybreak until sunset. Swimming slowly and cautiously around our shark cages were male and female white sharks ranging betweenrepparttar 134011 sizes of 12 to 16 feet in length. During close-up passes,repparttar 134012 sharks looked directly at us, revealingrepparttar 134013 different color variations in their eyes. The center of their eyes is not black as described; they are actually brown. While staring intorepparttar 134014 eyes of one ofrepparttar 134015 great whites, I noticed a thin, beautiful, blue circle. The great whites also have cones in their eyes. Animals having such cones are able to see different colors; therefore, it is likely that great whites also see color variations.

The water temperature atrepparttar 134016 island ranges between 70 – 75 degrees Fahrenheit. A 7mm wetsuit with a hood and boots, or a drysuit is recommended for exposure protection. I used a ¼ inch wetsuit, but I plan on having a drysuit for next year’s trip. Most ofrepparttar 134017 participants wore wetsuits and were just fine---some were even a bit warm.

The last day ofrepparttar 134018 trip we enjoyed an extensive visit from two California sea lions. Enchanting encounters to sayrepparttar 134019 least---watchingrepparttar 134020 ballet-like movement ofrepparttar 134021 sea lions as they swim throughrepparttar 134022 water. Next year's escorted trip to Guadalupe Island will be September 20- 24, 2004. The cost ofrepparttar 134023 trip is $2,350 per person bunk quarters, and $2,550 for private stateroom. The adventure is worth every cent to seerepparttar 134024 ocean’s apex predator up close and personal. For those who wish to come along for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity contact TerraSea Travel & Tours toll free at 1-800-403-8488 or visit their website at www.terrasea.net

Important Chinese Festivals

Written by Wong Yee Lee


Chinese New Year/Lunar New Year (January/February) It is usually inrepparttar winter of a year. The exact date would followrepparttar 134008 one in Lunar Calendar. Enteringrepparttar 134009 New Year month, every family would clean and tidy bothrepparttar 134010 inside andrepparttar 134011 outside of their houses. New Year food would also be prepared. 'Lin Gao',repparttar 134012 Chinese cake symbolizingrepparttar 134013 rise of family every year, would be a must. New Year couplets would be displayed around house. All families would be busy untilrepparttar 134014 New Year's Eve and a big New Year eve's dinner would be served forrepparttar 134015 gathering to welcomerepparttar 134016 beginning of a New Year. Children and unmarried adults would loverepparttar 134017 occasion because red packets would be given to them from all married couples and older generations. As a tradition, onrepparttar 134018 first few days ofrepparttar 134019 first lunar month, people would spend their time visiting relatives and friends. Spring Lantern Festival/ Yuen Siu Festival (January/February) It is also known asrepparttar 134020 Chinese Valentine's Day and it marksrepparttar 134021 end ofrepparttar 134022 Chinese New Year. Young couples would celebrate on this day. Lanterns of different designs would be hung in different places.

Ching Ming Festival (March/April) It is a day when people pay their visits torepparttar 134023 graves of your ancestors. Joss sticks, incense and paper offerings would be burnt forrepparttar 134024 dead people. Roasted while piglets, steamed chicken, fruit and wine would be offered torepparttar 134025 dead too. Some people tend to bring chrysanthemum instead of those mentioned above, so remember not to give chrysanthemum to Chinese people. It is saidrepparttar 134026 it is also a day whenrepparttar 134027 dead wander about above ground and so sometimes people carry willow branches or hang them outside their doors on this day to scare awayrepparttar 134028 ghosts.

Birthday of Tin Hau (April/May) It is not a very big festival but a very important one forrepparttar 134029 people living on fishing islands. It is a festival to show respect torepparttar 134030 Goddess ofrepparttar 134031 Sea, Tin Hau for good catches inrepparttar 134032 sea and a safe year ahead.

Cheung Chau Bun Festival (April/May) It is a festival which belongs torepparttar 134033 Cheung Chau Island. Inrepparttar 134034 past, people climbed bun towers built with bamboos which were covered with blessed buns outside. The higher people climbed on it meantrepparttar 134035 more luck they would receive inrepparttar 134036 year. Sincerepparttar 134037 accident happened in 1978, this competition was no longer allowed. People onrepparttar 134038 island would keep vegetarian for three days duringrepparttar 134039 festival.

Dragon Boat Festival (June) It is a festival to show respect to a patriotic scholar - Chu Yuan, who drowned himself to protest against his emperor. Rice dumpling, which is popular duringrepparttar 134040 festival, is made of glutinous rice, salted meat with a salty egg yolk and wrapped with bamboo leaves. It is believed that these dumplings would scare away any fish which would harmrepparttar 134041 body of Chu Yuan after him jumping intorepparttar 134042 sea. However, some believe that dragon boat festival started beforerepparttar 134043 death of Chu Yuan. The dragon boat hasrepparttar 134044 head and a tail of a dragon. Sincerepparttar 134045 dragon isrepparttar 134046 god ofrepparttar 134047 water world, Afterrepparttar 134048 dragon boats sail inrepparttar 134049 water,repparttar 134050 water will be blessed. It is also a tradition for people to wash their hair and body withrepparttar 134051 blessed water onrepparttar 134052 day so as to be blessed forrepparttar 134053 coming year.

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