Twice each year, some 20,000 gray whales pass along the California coast as they swim south to breeding lagoons on the west coast of Baja California during winter months, then back to their summer feeding grounds in the Arctic's Bering Sea in spring. The round trip for these sea giants is roughly 12,000 miles and is considered one of the longest among mammals.
The sight of Morro Rock has greeted countless visitors to this part of California's Central Coast for centuries, from the European explorers who came to the area enticed by its calm waters, to the modern-day surfers who ride the swells that break outside the bay. Morro Bay was once a bustling port city that primarily dealt in the shipment of dairy and beef from the local ranches in the area.