Salton Sea's Bombay Beach

 Always looking for interesting destinations off the beaten path

Jeff and I made the drive from Palm Springs  out to

the Salton Sea.

From Palm Springs it's about an hour and a half very scenic drive.

Our love for iconic dive bars

had us going to 

Bombay Beach

on the southeast side of the Salton sea.

The Salton Sea 

was accidentally  created in 1905 

when the Colorado River  breached 'poorly constructed agricultural channels  for almost 2 years.

Filling in the salt flat to create one of California's largest lakes.

In the 1950' and 1960's it became a booming tourist resort

pulling in Hollywood celebrities like Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby.

In the 1970's and 1980's the lake became toxic from the agricultural runoff and toxic dust.

In 1976 Bombay Beach flooded with the rains from hurricane Kathleen.

Many business and homes never recovered from the flood waters.

Now the Salton Sea's Bombay Beach  is  more of 

a living ghost town

as well as an

 eccentric Art Enclave.

Not only still standing, but open is the iconic dive bar

Ski Inn

"A genuine California desert hangout"

and 

"the lowest bar in the western hemisphere"

sitting at 223 feet below sea level.

And literally one of the only open businesses in town.

There is a haunting beauty to the area.

Stunning nature mixed with the forgotten tales of a once booming resort town.

I remember growing up in Huntington Beach, California

having neighbors that would drive out to Salton Sea with their boat every weekend.

I never made it out in it's heyday,

but I heard all the stories of wild times on the lake.

The  vast skies  of Bombay Beach remind me of Marfa Texas

which is also an art enclave out in the middle of a huge desert.

The Ski Inn 

bar is known for it's dollar bill covered walls.

So of course Jeff and I had to contribute.

You can find a lot of art in 

Bombay Beach

once you start looking for it.

The Bombay Beach Biennale

(a biennale is a large scale international Contemporary Art experience)

has helped transform a decaying 1950's resort town

into a surreal, vibrant desert art enclave.

Thank you so much for visiting here

my friends.

I truly appreciate every visit here on my blog.

As always my friends

I wish you love and joy

as you style your life