37°55′05″N122°40′52″W / 37.918°N 122.681°W /37.918; -122.681
| Designations | |
|---|---|
| Official name | Bolinas Lagoon |
| Designated | 1 September 1998 |
| Reference no. | 960[1] |
Bolinas Lagoon is a tidalestuary, approximately 1,100 acres (4.5 km2) in area,[2] located in theWest Marin region ofMarin County, California,United States, adjacent to the town ofBolinas. It is a part of theGreater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary. In 1974, Aubrey Neasham and William Pritchard wrote in support of Bolinas Lagoon as Drake'sNew Albion landing site.[3]
The lagoon is a back bay ofBolinas Bay on thePacific coast approximately 15 mi (25 km) northwest ofSan Francisco. The trough in which the lagoon sits was formed by theSan Andreas Fault, which runs directly through it. The lagoon is separated from the main bay by abay mouth bar, and the sand bar that encloses the lagoon is full of beachgoers and surfers. Theunincorporated community ofStinson Beach sits on the bar.State Route 1, the Shoreline Highway, runs along the eastern edge of the lagoon.
Bolinas Lagoon is on thelist of wetlands of international importance as defined by theRamsar Convention for the conservation and sustainable utilization of wetlands. Portions of the lagoon are included in Marin County's Bolinas Lagoon Open Space Preserve, and the western shore is part of theGolden Gate National Recreation Area.
The lagoon has a 16.7-square-mile (43 km2) watershed;[2] streams and canyons feeding into it includeAudubon Canyon,McKinnan Gulch,Morses Gulch, Picher Canyon,Pike County Gulch,Stinson Gulch, Volunteer Canyon, andWilkins Gulch.Kent Island is located in the lagoon.
Duxbury Reef State Marine Conservation Area lies offshore from Bolinas. Like an underwater park, this protected marine area helps conserve ocean wildlife and marine ecosystems.
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