
The supremely serene slipway leading out to Salton Sea.
nosher.net
Part two of a grand tour of the desert of Southern California (well, 380 miles of it), goes from El Centro north up to the strange and deserted Salton City, by the edge of the Salton Sea. The sea, which has come and gone over thousands of years, is the largest lake in California and is 227 feet below sea-level, was last filled by accident from a breach in the Colorado River around 1907, but has been drying out since. Opinions vary on whether the sea is dying a slow death or is a thriving oasis of sea-life. Whichever, after a bit of a searching, Nosher drove to the water's edge expecting it to be a bustling port with boats and stuff. Instead, the place is utterly deserted - silence hangs heavy in the air, interupted only occasionally by the cry of one of the pelicans nearby as it takes listlessly to flight. The sea is 25% saltier than the Pacific, and the smell is similarly more concentrated - dead fish litter the beach, which is made from countless millions of small shells. Nearby, a salt crust covers a small pool. Throughout the entire city, there's barely a sign of life - maybe that's just the season, as it was very hot - apart from another passing visitor who seems somewhat staggered to find a British tourist in the area. Even after chatting for a few minutes he thought I must be from Arizona. Leaving Salton, driving through the Anza-Borrega badlands, it was back to the town of Julian and the familiar drive down Route 79 to re-join the I-8. The Salton Sea remains, to-date, one of the weirdest, and yet most memorable places, ever visited
next album: Scenes and People of Balboa Park, San Diego, California - 25th September 2005
previous album: California Desert: San Diego to El Centro, California, US - 24th September 2005
The supremely serene slipway leading out to Salton Sea.
The top of the pier
Looking north out over the sea. The placid surface conceals the strange reddish colour of the water
Some of the many dead Tilapia fish, which litter the shell beach
Some sort of navigation aid
A water-safety sign doesn't seem to get much attention: 'Boat smart from the start - wear your life jacket'
The pier in black and white
Some pelicans wait on salt-encrusted stumps for passing fish
A salt crust
Signs hoping to tempt passers by to the waterfront at the West Shores RV Park on Johnson's Landing
Vanishing-point road, in the Carrizo Badlands
A perfect example of gently-tilted sedimentary geology
Some desert scrub
An RV camp out in the desert
Moonscape in the badlands
The desert road disappears off in to the mountains
Desert foliage - an Ocotillo plant
Close-up of prickly spines
Some nice clouds looking like dots on dice
Abandoned golf shop, Borrego Springs
Another nearby derelict building
Old sign and palm trees on S22, Borrego Springs
Cute fluffy-looking (but definitely not) cacti near Julian, Route 78
Aloe plants and mountains, Route 78
Rays of the setting sun picked out in the haze, between Borrego Springs and Julian
Julian's post office
The mountains of Cuyamaca State Park
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