SS Montebello Wreck

The oil tanker SS Montebello was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine on December 23, 1941, only weeks after Pearl Harbor, while carrying more than 3 million gallons of crude oil. NOAA places the wreck about seven miles off Cambria in roughly 900 feet of water, where it has become one of the central coast's most studied wartime losses. The ship has no buried-chest folklore, but it is one of the region's most famous historic wrecks and a classic deep-water lost-history site. Because of depth, protection, and safety concerns, it is a records-and-remote-sensing target rather than a hobby-diving target.

Open in interactive map Open source record

Record typeshipwreck

LocationOff Cambria, San Luis Obispo County, central coast

Probability indexHigh

Land statusFederal offshore waters in the Chumash Heritage sanctuary planning area; National Register-listed wreck, protected from unauthorized disturbance

Research coordinates35.5833, -121.2667

SourceMaritime Heritage: Field Research: Montebello

Field Research Notes

Work from shoreline overlooks, war-era routing history, and NOAA/MBARI survey material rather than any attempt to visit the exact wreck. The useful field exercise is understanding the Cambria offshore topography and wartime tanker routes. Any salvage or disturbance would require formal authorization and specialized deep-water capability.

Recommended Gear

Marine chart, Binoculars, Camera with telephoto lens

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