Morro Rock: Prominent Landmark on California’s Central Coast
Its surroundings offer photographers much to focus on
Stand on almost any beach near San Luis Obispo, California on a clear day and you can probably see Morro Rock. It stands in Morro Bay, a popular tourist destination in San Luis Obispo County. This monstrous 576-foot high volcanic rock is part of Morro Bay State Park. One can drive to its base, but climbing isn’t allowed. Although I haven’t done it yet, I still intend to walk around the rock. It’s supposed to be a great place to view wildlife.
People often camp in the state park to escape the inland heat during our hot summers in California’s interior areas. People in Fresno and Bakersfield often land here or in another of our Central Coast beach towns when they flee to beat the heat.
Morro Bay is a fishing town, but it has restaurants with beautiful ocean views. You can eat what the fishermen catch while it's fresh. Someday I may try one of the restaurants, but I now just wander around, watch the fishing boats, the fishermen on the Embarcadero, and the antics of the seagulls. There seem to be seagulls everywhere. I love watching and photographing them.
For those who want to avoid all the commercial activity of the Embarcadero and the harbor, there is a beach that’s quieter a short drive down the road from the rock. The road is just on the other side of the trees.
Many cameras capture a shot of the coastal town’s most notorious landmark: the smokestacks. Here’s what mine captured.
The sky over the rock is not always this blue, but I can usually count on a few clouds or some fog to make it interesting. Whether days are overcast or sunny, there is always something new for a camera to focus on in Morro Bay.
