by Frank Sabatini Jr.

—[ secret san diego ]—

If you are traversing Catalina Boulevard near Cabrillo National Monument, you may never get to see the outsized naval research pool perched on a bluff high above the Pacific Ocean. Used as a test basin for sonar systems and other top secret water maneuvers since it was built in 1964, the pool’s formidable dimensions can actually be seen from public property along the road’s shoulder when outside your car. Bisected by a steel, bridge-like structure, it’s a whopping 38 feet deep and spans 200 by 300 feet. The facility was recently used by teams of international students in a competition involving autonomous underwater vehicles.