Anchor Bay, a small southern Mendocino County coastal village, lies in the heart of the "banana belt", because of it's unique microclimate; a warm column of air from inland spills over the protective coastal mountains, making the area warmer, with less fog and wind, than the surrounding areas. In the striking photo to the right by West of One, note the fog bank that blankets the coast just north of the curve of Fish Rock Beach.

The seclusion of this bay and Fish Rock Beach was enormously attractive to rumrunners during Prohibition. For a brief history of Anchor Bay, click here. The long wind-protected white sand beach offers fishing, abalone and scuba diving, ocean kayaking, surfing, boogie boarding and skim boarding in season, sea lion and whale watching, beachcombing and tide pooling. Public access is through Anchor Bay Campground for a nominal access fee to use the beach or launch watercraft. Tent and RV camping is also available.