May 2009
Welcome to one of the weirdest destinations on the West Coast… The Salton Sea. Last weekend, we spent a day driving around it. It was one of those places I’d always wanted to go to and now it is one that I hope to never see again. Well, maybe once more.
The Salton Sea is located just south of Palm Springs and just north of the Mexican border. Oddly enough, it is the largest lake in California. But unfortunately, it is also the saltiest, most depressing, deserted place ever.
Although the Salton Sea is an important resource for migrating birds and waterfowl, the lake has become increasingly toxic due to pollution, salinity levels and bacteria. The only fish that have withstood the peculiar water are Tilapia and even they are dying off from deoxygenation and parasites. All along the coast are creepy dead fish with hollowed out eyes.
From the 1920’s through the 1960’s, the Salton Sea was a tourist attraction and water recreation destination. Now, it is anything but.
Isn’t this the perfect setting for a horror movie? Can’t you just envision a bunch of crazed locals hanging out at the “Fireside Lounge?” This was one of the eeriest places of all!
Dotted along the coast are several small beach communities. Each one, a ghost town with abandoned buildings, burnt trailer homes, shells of what once perhaps thrived.
What appears to be sand from a distance is actually broken barnacles, salt encrusted shells, and fish bones.
I wonder if these two were friends or lovers?
Do you believe? I’m pretty sure that aliens invaded and took over this entire area.
I could not wait to get out of there.
From the road and tucked in the safe confines of your car, the Salton Sea looks like a pretty body of water set in the middle of the desert. But this is a classic case of things are not always what they seem…
Appearances can be deceiving… and this place smells like death.
