9/27/2013
Bombay Beach, California
Bombay Beach, California
Bombay Beach is a much discussed and documented, small community on the shore of the Salton Sea. Many of the town's 295 residents live in mobile homes or ad-hoc structures built around mobile homes, but there are also permanent houses in town. It was developed during the time when the shores of the accidentally created Salton Sea were attracting tourists and retirees. Several resort communities briefly flourished on the Salton Sea from the 1950s to the 1970s. Increasing salinity in the Salton Sea has killed many of it's fish and water levels in the sea have risen, flooding communities on it's shore and are now falling rapidly. Bombay Beach is very isolated. It's location and elevation below sea level insure that it stays warm in the winter but gets very hot in the summer. When Salton Sea levels rose, Bombay beach was flooded and the town had to build a levee to protect itself. This levee now traps water inside the town when it rains. Lots in Bombay Beach are sold for $10,000 or less and once someone owns a lot they can (apparently) put pretty much anything they want on it. Bombay beach has attracted the attention of many photographers and recently, film maker Alma Har'el who's film Bombay Beach received much critical acclaim.
Bombay Beach, California
There is a small store in Bombay Beach but no gas station or any other conveniences. There are some interesting and often photographed ruins of 1950's mobile homes on the sea side of the levee that encircles the town and many ruined trailers within the town. The Salton Sea is a fascinating place. North Shore is another small town on the Salton Sea shore not far from Bombay Beach. There is a public park and campground at the Salton Sea State Recreation Area North of Bombay Beach. Desert Shores, Salton Sea Beach and Salton City are interesting communities on the other side of the Salton Sea.
Bombay Beach, California
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