Morro Bay. Morro Harbor

The coastal American city of Morro Bay is primarily known for its Morro Rock, which you can see on the right side of the image. Even during the expedition of the Spanish discoverer, Gaspar de Portolá i Rovira, crew member, Juan Crespi, wrote in his diary that the team “saw a great stone in the shape of a round hill.”

The word “hill” is “morro” in Portuguese, hence the name of the city. The volcanic hill has a height of 177 meters. It is interesting that such a significant landmark does not have free access. Only the Indian people of the Salina and Chumash tribes can climb Morro Rock. The Salina can climb it on a holiday dedicated to the legend of a hawk and a crow that destroyed the two-headed monkey-dragon, Taliyakapeldy, and the Chumash can climb the Morro Rock during the annual solstice ceremony.

The great stone on the shore of the Pacific Ocean was noticed by many navigators and travelers, but the city was only founded, at its foot, in 1870. In those years, it was used as a port for the export of dairy products and products grown on local ranches. Since the beginning of the twentieth century, Morro Bay has taken a course on the development of tourism and, since then, has developed as a popular American recreation place.

The camera, on the shore of the manmade Morro Harbor, is installed in Morro Bay Yacht Club. Right by the shore, we can see yachts belonging to members of this marine club.