Morro Bay, CA

Morro Bay Harbor is guarded by a 576 foot tall rock some have called the "Gibraltar of the Pacific" but locally it is now known as Morro Rock.  It can be seen from miles away especially coming south on Highway One-a solitary sentry of the coastline surrounded by a relatively flat coastal dune line compared to those in Oceano.  An inlet opens to a small bay filled with fishing boats and sailboats.  The town of Morro Bay fronts the east side of the bay and is mostly a tourist and beach destination with quaint shops and several restaurants along its waterfront as well as kayak rental enterprises.  You can get wonderful saltwater taffy or fish and chips just north of town along the docks.  

Morro Rock itself was once in the core of a volcano that had begun erupting 26 million years ago along the California coast with eight other volcanos all somewhat evenly distributed southwardly to Islay Hill.  This gigantic mound of stone ultimately would become a plug in the volcano made of dacite which is similar to granite.  Years of erosion by the sea would eventually wear away the slopes of the volcano to reveal Morro Rock.  It's location at the edge of the sea would create its initial function as a marker for the indigenous people who settled the area because of the mild climate and abundant food sources found here.  Later sailing vessels and European missionaries used the rock as a sea faring marker or landmark due to its spectacular visibility from miles away.  At one point from 1890 to 1963 more than a million tons of the rock were quarried for use as local building material.  In 1968 the rock became a State Historic Landmark.  Now home to a bountiful seabird population including the rare peregrine falcon, the rock is protected from climbers and miners.

We watched children playing on the beach and waves breaking over a jetty at the inlet to the bay.  A flutist serenaded us with a delightful melody and we watched a father try unsuccessfully to fly a kite for his young son.  There is a now closed electric plant which the locals call their "landmark" that stopped producing electricity this past February.  It looms over downtown with three tall smoke stacks.  The town is hosting its annual "Classic Car Show" this weekend.  More on that later.  We are comfortable in this little town and being a tourist here is relaxing.  Even the seals find it relaxing as a half a dozen of them float on their backs amid the kelp in the bay enjoying the calm water.