Bombay Beach was once a thriving resort town in the 50’s and 60’s.  It's located along the Salton Sea, a large inland lake in the middle of the Californian desert.  It was lovely beach; a picture perfect oasis in the desert. Unfortunately, from the 70’s to the 90’s, environmental issues began making it a less-than-desirable place to be.  The sea was heavily polluted from the runoff of nearby farms.  Dead fish, along with their smell, lined the shore.  Water levels were rising and flooding the town.

Many business and residents simply abandoned what they had there.  Today, there are still remnants of this forgotten town.  I visited Bombay Beach in September 2017 and this is what it looked like:

A nearby gas station and good ol' video rentals shop.

Pretty much what most of the town looks like - abandoned trailers.

The local church.  No idea if it is functioning or not.

As I kept wandering, I found a few houses that did seem to have forms of life actively living in them. The recycled art and randomness was very reminiscent of Slab City, where I would head off to next.

Rock collection?

Missile launch station?

November 11, 2017, a future date!  A sign of life here.  I only saw a couple people during my time here, and they seemed to be passing through, just like me.  It was midday and I assumed the few residents were all hunkered inside the cooler comfort of their own homes. 

This is the alien portal.  It is not part of Bombay Beach, but rather, another odd thing in the Salton Sea area.  Someone literally built this on the side of the highway. Why? Who knows.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed exploring Bombay Beach and the Salton Sea area in general.  Abandoned stuff always interests me.  The added aspect of not knowing if some things were in fact abandoned, or still in use, was also quite cool.  It will be interesting to see what becomes of this place 10...20...30 years from now.