It looks like the 2016 season for grapes will be a good one for Seagate. The mild and wet Spring is now turning into a hot dry Summer, perfect for growing grapes. The photo below shows the new buds growing on the vines.
The red grapes (sp. Vitis vinifera) that Seagate uses to process into whole Grape Seed Extract are grown in the Guadalupe River Valley in a mountainous area east of Ensenada, the location of the Seagate factory. This is a very rugged and dry region. Daytime temperatures normally average above 100F during the Summer months.
This is a very desolate part of Baja California, Mexico. The hills surrounding the farmland dry out leaving only the most resistant species like the cactus, chaparrral (tangled thorny shrubs) and manzanita surviving on their own.
This is an environment that tolerates only the healthiest and most resistant plants. It is also perfect for year-round growing. Notice not only the area set aside for farming, but also the land around it that is barren and vacant. Sometimes, races such as the Baja 500 may take this route though the hills.
Sometimes I like to escape this dry heat and actually end up in places with similar temperatures, but almost 100% humidity to do my diving. I have now accumulated over 3,000+ hours underwater since 1972 and am in perhaps my final phase of participating in this activity. I am completely focused on eating right and swimming a couple of miles a 3-4x per week to try and extend my dive career. Inevitably, time does catch up with you and wins. In the meantime, I can share some of the wonders that I find hidden beneath the sea. The fish below were taken in a shallow cave along the Cayman Islands. I usually find this species of Blackbar Soldierfish swimming in mated pairs. Overhanging rocks give them a feeling of security from predators.
Sometimes patience and a practiced eye will give you details that most will people can miss. If you look closely at the lower fish, you will see a crab hitching a free ride.
