I became very curious about Cortes Bank after Professor Harmon mentioned it in one of his lectures. I had never heard of it and being from Southern California I felt I should have. My first search brought up a video of the Worlds biggest wave ever surfed . I never would have believed that a wave that big could exist if i had not seen it with my own eyes. All of my information on Cortes Bank came from the Youtube video How Cortes Banks Works by SurflineTV. Cortes Bank is a seamount about 100 miles off the coast of California near San Diego. A seamount is a rising piece of land made by a volcano that never quite reaches the surface. The highest point on Cortes Bank is 6 feet below the service. This point is named Bishop rock. Because the Bank is so far off the coast, it can gets swells coming from every direction. When the swell hits the bank, it shoots off of it and create giant waves. Cortes Bank is also one of the last places where white abalone can be seen because they are at risk to becoming extinct. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lz97moE41Xo&feature=BF&list=FLsJVkKoYUP8o&index=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nS_aR8XX_U&feature=BF&list=FLsJVkKoYUP8o&index=2

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seamount

http://swfsc.noaa.gov/textblock.aspx?Division=FRD&id=1289