Santa Monica Bay

Santa Monica Bay is actually located in Los Angeles, California on the Pacific Ocean. Its boundaries are slightly difficult to figure out, though it is considered to be between Point Dume, Malibu and Palos Verdes Peninsula. The line is imaginary since these are water points. The eastern boundary is Los Angeles Westside and South Bay. Santa Monica Bay is fed by Los Angeles River, though most of the water flows from Ballona Creek. Malibu Creek and Topanga Creek also flow into Santa Monica Bay.

During the 1930s the bay was well known for gambling ships. The law was that gambling had to be at least three miles from the beach and mainland. Thus the gambling boats would anchor just outside the three mile line and ferry people from and to the docks. Eventually, the area was recalculated to exclude the bay.

Santa Monica Bay was once a huge area for commercial fisheries; however, the 20th century saw such a decline in fish that the clean water act and heal the bay program had to be started in order to preserve what was left. Today communities and settlements around Santa Monica Bay include Malibu, Pacific Palisades, Santa Monica, Venice and many others who use the area for recreation.