walk here MPC

Oceanography Fieldtrip to Pt Lobos
Meet at the entrance to Pt Lobos at 9:20 (W) or 9:50 (Th).
We will be walking to Moss Cove, Whaler’s Cove, and the Whaler’s Museum.

Wear comfortable walking shoes and warm clothes appropriate for the coast. Bring water,

food, and your camera.

We will MPC
walk here

Drive/Meet Here

Directions
Drive south on Highway 1 past Carmel and past the Crossroads shopping center. After
driving over the bridge that crosses the Carmel River, drive approximately 1 more mile.
Park (legally) on the side of Highway 1 near the entrance to Pt Lobos State Reserve.

Pt Lobos Field Guide
While we are visiting Pt Lobos, we will see sedimentary deposits that were

deposited in a submarine canyon, one very similar to the present-day Monterey Canyon.
In the museum, we’ll also see exhibits that depict some of the resources that have

been utilized from the sea throughout the human habitation of the Pt Lobos area.

At the rock outcrops

Draw a picture of the Carmelo Conglomerate here:

What features can you see in these
sedimentary rocks that indicate that the
Carmelo Congrlomerate at Pt Lobos was
deposited in a submarine canyon?

Explain why the marine terraces at Pt Lobos can be used as evidence that the land in this
area is rising relative to sea level.

At the Museum

Besides whales, name at least four additional natural resources that have been utilized in
the Pt Lobos region over the last 150 years?
What is the main natural resource being utilized in the Pt Lobos region today?
How did the Azoreans catch the whales? What weapons did they use? Can you imagine
actually doing what they did?

Why did they want to catch whales?

Find the whale oil. What does it look like? What did people use the oil for?

Find the whale baleen. How do whales use their baleen?

Waves and Underwater Models

What did we see at the underwater model? What about the bathymetry makes this area
special?

What is the period of the waves entering the Pt Lobos Area

What relationships between wave behavior and bathymetry can you see or infer?

Some Identification tips

SEA LIONS: SEALS:
 Earflaps  Earholes
 Long hairless foreflippers  Short, hairy foreflippers & long claws
 Hindflippers rotate underneath to allow  Move on land by wiggling on belly &

them to walk on land keep hindflippers straight out
 Swim underwater using foreflippers like  Swim by steering with foreflippers

wings of a bird and powering with hindflipers
 Long smooth whiskers or vibrissae  Whiskers are crimped or beaded

Sea Otters
The image at right shows two sea otters
floating on their back on kelp beds. One of
the otters is eating a sea urchin, which it
holds on its stomach. Down below, a third
sea otter dives for more sea urchins.