"The U.S. Geological Survey began a major geologic and oceanographic study of the Gulf of the Farallones in 1989. This investigation, the first of several planned adjacent to major population centers, was designed to establish a good scientific data base on a segment of continental shelf adjacent to the San Francisco Bay area so as to evaluate and monitor human impact on the marine environment. Two cruises were conducted in January 1989 on the continental shelf between Cordell Bank and Half Moon Bay east of the Farallon Islands (Chin et al., 1989). Reconnaissance side-scan sonar and high-resolution seismic-reflection surveys were conducted along a rectilinear grid of tracks spaced nominally 4 km apart. This report describes the collection and analysis of 268 surficial sediment samples collected during the second cruise, F2-89-NC."