Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary Proposal
Maps of Seven Core Areas

by Carol Georgi and Karl Kempton,
Former Energy Planner for San Luis Obispo County,
Lead Author of Proposed Central Coast National Marine Sanctuary, 1990

Seven Core Areas of Importance in the Proposed Sanctuary

The proposed Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary has seven significant core areas of importance.

In a national marine sanctuary, a core area is usually an internationally or nationally significant oceanographic and or ecological unit that needs primary protection and becomes the central focus of a sanctuary. Vital ecosystems supporting significant marine life are clear candidates for protection. Nationally significant historical and cultural features are also nominated for protection.

Within the proposed area of the marine sanctuary, sacred Chumash underwater archaeological sites form Core Area 1, which overlaps all other core areas — except for core area 2, the only persistent upwelling along the west coast and its associated geological features — and is therefore the main focus of this Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary Proposal.

Core Area 1 - Chumash Submerged Sacred Sites Coastline to - 400 feet offshore, Map by Karl Kempton

The importance of Chumash Heritage to National Marine Sanctuaries is discussed in our February 2014 SLO Coast Journal Marine Sanctuary article.

According to Karl Kempton, the Chumash were competent and accomplished mariners. They used the sun, constellations, and the Pole Star to create complex solstice and stellar alignments only now being recovered. He now surmises that the Chumash ancient maritime navigation techniques most probably were the source of these land-based alignments. Many of these sites became submerged as the ice age melted into the present day. For more information on Karl’s research, please read these previous SLO Coast Journal articles: Yak Tityu Tityu, Northern Chumash, and the Chumash: A General Overview – Part One - August 2011; Yak Tityu Tityu, Northern Chumash, and the Chumash: A General Overview – Part Two Section A - September 2011; Yak Tityu Tityu, Northern Chumash, and the Chumash: A General Overview – Part Two Section B – October 2011

Core Area 2 – Santa Lucia Bank, Arguello Canyon, Persistent Upwelling, Rodriguez Seamount - Map by Karl Kempton

Core Area 3 – South of Point Conception to Purisima Point, Kelp Forest Ecosystem, Map by Karl Kempton

Core Area 4 – Point Sal to Arroyo Grande Creek, Map by Karl Kempton

Continue on to Page 2