Bodega Head facts for kids
Bodega Head is a small piece of land that sticks out into the Pacific Ocean. It's on the coast of northern California in the United States. You can find it in Sonoma County, about 40 miles (64 km) northwest of San Francisco. It's also about 20 miles (32 km) west of Santa Rosa.
This land, called a peninsula, is about 4 miles (6.4 km) long and 1 mile (1.6 km) wide. It reaches out from the coast towards the south. Bodega Head helps protect Bodega Bay, which is a shallow, sandy area. Inside the bay is a calmer part called Bodega Harbor.
Along the south side of Bodega Head are beaches and sand dunes that are part of Sonoma Coast State Beach. The University of California, Davis has a special place here called the Bodega Marine Laboratory. Scientists there study ocean life as part of an ongoing marine biology program. This lab is inside the Bodega Marine Reserve, which is a protected area for nature.
Bodega Head is a great place to watch whales as they migrate along the coast. It's also one of three main spots in the "Red Triangle." This area is known as a major feeding ground for great white sharks. Many people enjoy hiking on the trails around Bodega Head.
The waters around Bodega Head are protected by special underwater parks. These are called the Bodega Head State Marine Reserve & Bodega Head State Marine Conservation Area. They help keep ocean wildlife and marine ecosystems safe and healthy.
Before Europeans arrived, the Coast Miwok people likely lived on this peninsula. Some historians think that Sir Francis Drake might have landed at Campbell Cove in 1579. This cove is on the east side of Bodega Head.
Bodega Head's Geology
Bodega Head sits right on the west side of the San Andreas Fault. This famous fault line runs between the base of the peninsula and the mainland. During the big 1906 San Francisco earthquake, Bodega Head moved about 15 feet (4.6 meters). This shifted the harbor to the north compared to the mainland.
Rocks and Land Movement
The rocks at Bodega Head are very different from the rocks on the mainland to the east. Bodega Head is made of exposed continental granite. But the mainland rocks are from the ocean, part of something called the Franciscan Complex.
Bodega Head is the northern tip of a huge geological area known as the Salinian Block. The rocks in its core are similar to the rocks in the core of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. About 20 million years ago, the San Andreas Fault began to form. This fault tore the Salinian Block away from the rest of the continent. It then carried the block hundreds of miles northward. Other nearby places that are part of the Salinian Block include the Point Reyes Peninsula and the Farallon Islands.
Nuclear Power Plant Attempt
Years ago, the Pacific Gas and Electric Company tried to build a nuclear power plant on the peninsula. However, this plan was stopped in 1964. People were worried about the environment and the risk of earthquakes at the site.
See also
In Spanish: Cabo Bodega para niños
