Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary is a federally protected marine area offshore of California's Big Sur and central coast in the United States. It is one of the largest US national marine sanctua
Big Sur coastline looking north to Bixby Canyon Bridge. Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary.
Kelp forests offshore Big Sur, in MBNMS, 2013
2008 Ocean's Fair at the Coastal Discovery Center at San Simeon, California
Young elephant seal at rookery, MBNMS
Monterey Canyon
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Monterey Canyon, or Monterey Submarine Canyon, is a submarine canyon in Monterey Bay, California with steep canyon walls measuring a full 1 mile in height from bottom to top, which rivals the depth of
Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary
…shoreward boundary the mean high tide. Its area is 6,094 square miles (4,602 sq nmi; 15,783 km2). The deepest point is 12,743 feet (3,884 meters) in the Monterey Submarine Canyon, which is deeper than the Grand Canyon. The average ocean surface temperature is 55 °F (13 °C). The sanctuary provides habitat for at least 36 species…
NOAA 3-D computer image depicting the Monterey Canyon system
MBUSGS