Monterey Bay Travel to the “Serengeti of the Sea” to see whales, seals, sharks, sea otters, and more.
Dive into Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary! Experience one of the most biodiverse areas on the planet as you explore the sanctuary's kelp forests, rocky reefs, and the deep, dark seafloor. Discover colorful sea stars, ghostly anemones, playful sea lions, and other mysterious creatures from the depths!
Davidson Seamount is an inactive underwater volcano located in the sanctuary. The undersea mountain is an impressive 7,480 feet tall, 26 miles long, and 8 miles wide, yet its summit still sits 4,100 feet below the ocean surface in complete darkness. Though without sunlight, this pristine seamount is an "oasis in the deep," hosting an abundance of deep-sea corals, vast sponge fields, deep-sea fishes, crustaceans, and jellies, many of which emit light and are new to science. In 2018, incredible octopus gardens were discovered, with thousands of females brooding their eggs on the flanks of the seamount.
Illustration by Matt McIntosh/NOAA
