The Southern California Bight is a 692-kilometer-long (430 mi) stretch of curved coastline that runs along the west coast of the United States and Mexico, from Point Conception in California to Punta Colonet in Baja California, plus the area of the Pacific Ocean defined by that curve. This includes the Channel Islands of California and the Coronado Islands and Islas de Todo Santos of Baja California.
The region is known for having a climate similar to that of the Mediterranean, consisting of rainy winters and dry summers. The Southern California Bight has a thriving ecosystem that is home to many species of plant life, fish, birds, and mammals.
History
Various Native American peoples occupied the lands in and around the Southern California Bight for tens of thousands of years before the arrival of Europeans. When Spanish explorers arrived in the 16th century the Chumash people occupied the northern coastal region of the bight, as well as the four Northern Channel Islands, and the Tongva (or Gabrieleño) occupied the Los Angeles Basin and Southern Channel Islands. The Payómkawichum and Kumeyaay occupied the southern portion of the bight.
In 1542, at present day San Diego Bay, Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo of Spain, along with his crew, were the first European explorers to land in the region. Cabrillo is said to have been buried on one of the Channel Islands. The first permanent European settlers of the Southern California Bight, led by Juan Pérez, arrived in 1769 on the San Antonio. The Spanish government had planned a three-part occupation plan to check Russian settlement in Alta California.
In 2013-14, scientists witnessed the largest die-off of sea stars ever recorded along the Pacific Coast. The outbreak of sea star wasting disease caused significant changes to the ecosystem as sea stars are a keystone species that plays an important role in controlling the numbers of other creatures.
Geography
The Southern California Bight stretches for about along the Pacific coast of North America, of which about is located within the United States and is located within Mexico. The rough midpoint of the bight is located about southeast of San Clemente in San Onofre State Beach.
Coastal topology
The coastal topology of the Southern California Bight is varied, featuring alluvial plains and marine terraces broken up by mountains of the Transverse and Peninsular Ranges. Numerous islands lie off the coast, the largest of which is Santa Cruz Island of the Channel Islands.
The northern and central portions of the bight are largely urbanized within the Greater Los Angeles and San Diego-Tijuana metropolitan areas, while the rest remains largely rural. Other major cities located along the bight include Santa Barbara, Ventura, Oxnard, Playas de Rosarito, and Ensenada. The Gaviota Coast in Santa Barbara County, California is the last undeveloped stretch of Southern California coastline with dramatic bluffs, isolated beaches and terraced grasslands.
Submarine topology
Notable submarine features include Hueneme Canyon, La Jolla Canyon, Newport Canyon, and Redondo Canyon.
Bodies of water
Major bodies of water that are part of the Southern California Bight include: Alamitos Bay All Saints Bay Capistrano Bight Gulf of Santa Catalina La Jolla Cove Newport Bay Salsipuedes Bay San Diego Bay San Pedro Bay Santa Barbara Channel Santa Monica Bay
Climate
The northern portion of the bight features a predominantly Mediterranean climate (Köppen Csb) with hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters. The central and southern portions of the bight feature a predominantly semi-arid climate (Köppen Bsk) with hot, dry summers and cool, wet winters. A marine layer typically forms just off the coast during late spring and early summer, blanketing coastal communities in cooler air which, if saturated, also contains fog.
There is a difference in monthly mean temperature of between the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego. Most precipitation in this coastal area takes place in the months of December, January, and February with a monthly mean rate of
Biology
The Southern California Bight acts as a transition between many different water masses, including the Pacific subarctic, Pacific equatorial, and the North Pacific central water masses. Due to its central location, the fish fauna includes species native to these other water masses. A total of 481 species of California marine fish, 195 species of birds, and seven species of pinnipeds inhabit the Southern California Bight.