Eastern Pacific High Sea

The Pacific off central California is cooled by the southward California Current and by deep water drawn upward along the coast. Between Point Conception and Cape Mendocino, seasonal winds help bring nutrient-rich water toward the surface. In December 1602 Sebastián Vizcaíno sailed north past Carmel Bay and Point Pinos into Monterey Bay, naming the harbour for the viceroy of New Spain who had sent his expedition.