Monterey Bay · CA
Moss Landing
A fishing harbor at the mouth of Elkhorn Slough.
- Population
- 237 (2020 census)
- Founded
- Early 1860s
- Bird species
- 350+
Then
- Early 1860s
Texas sea captain Charles Moss builds a landing and wharf for the Salinas Valley grain trade.
- 1950
The Moss Landing Power Plant opens.
- 1966
Cal State founds the Moss Landing Marine Laboratories. The 1989 earthquake destroys them, and they are rebuilt.
- 2025
A fire breaks out in January in the plant's battery storage facility, then one of the world's largest.
Now
The harbor berths more than 600 boats, about 350 of them fishing boats. It sits at the head of the Monterey Submarine Canyon, and MBARI's research ships work from here.
Most of the tide stations are up Elkhorn Slough, one of California's largest wetlands.