Monterey Bay is one of California’s most popular places to experience breathtaking wildlife and geographic features. Just offshore from the Monterey Peninsula, is the Monterey Submarine Canyon. This underwater canyon bisects Monterey Bay, plunging to 6,000 feet below sea level, and providing a cold-water upwelling rich in nutrients supporting unusually abundant food for seabirds (MontereyBay.com). Hundreds of unique forms of wildlife call Monterey Bay home, including whales, sea lion, otter, dolphin, turtle and pelagic and rare birds.
Just two hours south of San Francisco, the Monterey Bay area has about 99 miles of shoreline with more than 10 beaches with varied geographic characteristics such as cliffs, waterfalls, rocky outcroppings and sandy shores. Residents and visitors alike are drawn to these beaches for surfing, fishing and swimming—or simply to stroll and take in the beauty.
During the spring, Monterey Bay is known to host the spectacular sight of migrating gray whales. It has been estimated that over 7,000 of the majestic mammals pass through the area during their spring migration. Every year, the coves of Monterey Bay become the gathering points for whale watchers to indulge in the sight of this extraordinary migration.
In 1992, the federal government selected 7,500 square kilometers of ocean around Monterey Bay to preserve as a marine safe haven. The sanctuary is host to diverse habitats and an abundance of marine life. Given the vast collection of marine species, the area naturally proceeded to attract the large number of bird species. The Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary has become one of the most studied marine ecosystems in the world. It has garnered the attention of National Geographic, which has archive footage featuring the area’s wildlife.