Stretching along one-fifth of the California
coast, the 5,300-square-mile (13,700-square kilometer) Monterey
Bay National Marine Sanctuary extends an average of 30 miles (48 kilometers)
from shore, reaching as far as 53 miles (85 kilometers) out to
sea. On shore,
it begins just north of San Francisco and winds
south to Cambria.
Along the way, its shore varies from
sheer cliffs to
sandy beaches to rocky coves. The equally varied topography
beneath the sea is constantly replenished with cool, nutrient-rich
waters carried by the California Current, creating a nurturing
habitat for all kinds of marine life.
Humans have made their homes along these shores for more than
10,000 years. They have depleted some natural resources and
nearly wiped out others. But the region’s varied landforms
and unpredictable currents have also exacted a sort of revenge:
More than 1,250 shipwrecks have been reported in local waters.
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