Abalone pearls.

Here is a link to a col web site on abalone pearls just thought  I would post.

http://www.karipearls.com/natural-abalone-pearls.html

One the California coast the abalones are gathered in large quantities for the natural abalone pearls, for the shells, and especially for the flesh, which is dried and used for food.

The principal fishing grounds are at Point Lobos in Monterey County, and along the shores of Catalina and Santa Rosa islands in Santa Barbara County, with smaller quantities form Half-moon Bay and from the rocks along the shores of Mendocino Country.


At half tide the fishermen wade out in shallow water, and, by means of a knife, separate the mollusk from its resting lace. Unless this is done quickly and before the mollusk has time to prepare itself for the attack, it closes down on the rock by means of its sucker like foot, form which it cannot be removed without breaking the shell. A story is told at Santa Barbara of a Chinese fisherman having been drowned off one of the outer islands by having his hand caught underneath the shell of an abalone.

A few years ago, Japanese fishermen introduced the use of diving suits in taking these mollusks in three fathoms of water; but in March, 1907, the California legislature interdicted the form of fishery. That "less than twelve inches around the outer edge of the shell, or any other abalone, the shell of which shall measure less than fifteen inches around the outer edge."



lol....who wrote this stuff??

lol....who wrote this stuff??

"The following information about abalone pearls is from a book published in 1908"

Not me just re-posting ! I thought it would be nice to put up with ab season right around the corner.

According to the aricle it was someone named agarcia...



Seems he's also an expert at abalone diving from low riders...

 

Nice ride, Art!