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Monterey Bay

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A view of Monterey Bay
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A view of Monterey Bay

Monterey Bay is a bay of the Pacific Ocean, on the coast of California, south of San Francisco. The roughly semicircular bay is ringed by a segment of California State Route 1 which connects Santa Cruz at the north end to Monterey, at the south end.

Monterey Bay is home to many species of marine mammals, including sea otters, harbor seals, and bottlenose dolphins; as well as being on the migratory path of Gray and Humpback Whales and a breeding site for elephant seals. Many species of fish, mollusks such as abalone and squid, birds, and sea turtles also live in the bay. Several varieties of kelp grow in the bay, some becoming as tall as small trees, forming what is known as a kelp forest.

The Monterey Canyon, one of the largest underwater canyons in the world, begins off the coast of Moss Landing, exactly in the center of Monterey Bay. In 1992 the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary was created, protecting over 4,000 square nautical miles (14,000 km²) of the bay and surrounding ocean.

See also: Monterey Bay Aquarium, California State University, Monterey Bay

Cities around Monterey Bay

External links

 


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