When the summer moon is full and the tide is high, the grunion run in Southern California. The grunion (rhymes with bunion) are small (6-in.), smelt-like fish. Unique among marine life, they ride the surf onto sandy beaches, there to spawn and quickly go away again. The female dances on her tail, drilling a hole into the sand for her eggs, while the male flops wildly about her. The next full breaker covers the roe with sand, washes the grunion back to sea.
Last week the grunion were running in full flow, and Southern Californians, as usual, were there to...
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