It sits on the receding shores… Bombay Beach is one of the casualties of the Salton Sea's demise, and serves as a broken reminder of the sordid past. Get directions, maps, and traffic for Bombay Beach, CA. There are only two stores in the town, one of which is a convenience store, and the closest hospital is over 45 minutes away in Brawley. I didn't like anyone. Salton City and Bombay Beach, which lay near the lake, are now shells of their former selves with abandoned motels and rusted out RVs looking like tombstones of a forgotten era. Its languid surface, at 228 feet below sea level, is only five feet higher than the lowest point in Death Valley. It is called Bombay Beach and part of a former resort area that developed at this artificial lake in the twenties. It is located on the Salton Sea, 4 miles (6.4 km) west-southwest of Frink[3] and is the lowest community in the United States, located 223 feet (68 m) below sea level. During the 1950s, Bombay Beach was a popular beachgoing destination. Bombay Beach may be the most famously depressing place in California; the poster child for the post-apocalypse. However, the promise of delectable, A unique wasteland borne from the notorious, ecological fuck-up know as the Salton Sea, Bombay Beach is a fascinating, sad and depressing disaster zone of a town. There are still residents in the area but it is a pretty rundown neighborhood; slightly resembling a ghetto trailer park. Votes: 1,334 Fishing, boating, hotels and even a yacht club force beachfront property around the sea to skyrocket in value. The perception has changed since the artists got a hold of the place. Salton City and Bombay Beach, which lay near the lake, are now shells of their former selves with abandoned motels and rusted out RVs looking like tombstones of a forgotten era. For every 100 females, there were 92.6 males. The age distribution was 18% under the age of 18, 3% from 18 to 24, 20% from 25 to 44, 26% from 45 to 64, and 33% 65 or older. Birds and fish died. In the California State Legislature, Bombay Beach is in the 40th Senate District, represented by Democrat Ben Hueso,[27] and the 56th Assembly District, represented by Democrat Eduardo Garcia. The city’s official name change, to Mumbai from Bombay happened when regional political party Shiv Sena came into power in 1995. Famous for housing the tallest mountain. In 1986, California banned catching fish in the area due to high toxicity levels of the water. I just didn't care what happened to the whole bunch of them. BOMBAY BEACH, Calif. — At first glance, Bombay Beach really looks like an area decimated by bombs. The area still has a small population, but most of its 15,000 residents left long ago, leaving behind the remnants of a forgotten piece of Americana. [38][39][40][41] He later cited boredom in Bombay Beach as his inspiration for pro football. To give it a brief overview: think the terrain of Mad Max mixed with the people of Gummo.Â. If we had to sum up the dining experience in one word, it would be phenomenal. Dead fish on the beach of Bombay Beach The Salton Sea was created by accident in 1905, but it was eventually developed for tourism with it’s heydays in the 1950’s and 60’s when Hollywood celebrities made their way to resorts in newly developed towns like Bombay Beach, where swimming and waterskiing were popular activities. We can’t tell the story of what happened to Bombay Beach, without first talking about the Salton Sea. Bombay Beach One of the best things to do at the Salton Sea if you want to see remnants of the yesteryear days when the Salton Sea was a tourist haven, this is the place to go. [45], In the CBS police procedural series The Mentalist, the first episode of the sixth season "The Desert Rose" was filmed in Bombay Beach, California. The town of Sandy Shores in the 2013 video game Grand Theft Auto V is partially based on Bombay Beach. The Death Of A Sea. Of the 178 households 18% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39% were married couples living together, 11% had a female householder with no husband present, and 47% were non-families. Frank Sinatra, the Beach Boys and Bing Crosby frequented its luxury resorts perched at the edge of the Salton Sea, California’s largest lake. Our first stop was Bombay Beach. Bombay Beach, Salton City and other surrounding towns were instantly flooded and the businesses along the shore were severely damaged. From vacation getaway, to art infused wasteland. [29], Fire protection and emergency medical services in Bombay Beach are provided by the Imperial County Fire Department[30] and the Bombay Beach Volunteer Fire Department, the latter of which consists of one member. Bombay Beach, CA Directions {{::location.tagLine.value.text}} Sponsored Topics. Here are a few. Help. Following the warm worldwide reception of the award-winning documentary film "Bombay Beach" (Winner at the Tribeca Film Festival 2011), many people have reached out to us and asked how they can help the characters of the film. "[34], Bombay Beach is the subject of the 2019 single "Bombay Beach" by the Minneapolis blues rock band The Dead Century. Here here enjoy making something, even if we don't know what it is. At this time of day it’s eerily quiet; just the sound of water, a few desolate cries of waking birds and the sound of our Polaroid cameras. The Apocalyptic Town Of Bombay Beach - Urbex. [38][39][40][41] He became one of the primary subjects of the 2011 documentary Bombay Beach directed by Alma Har'el. I've been trying to get there for a long time but it being 2+ hours away was an obstacle. Pumps were set up to irrigate crops close by, which would dissolve into the ground and carry salt and pesticides back into the lake. The Ski Inn bar and restaurant is the only eating and drinking establishment in the town. [7][8], Bombay Beach's decline began around the 1970s, when the runoff (which was full of salty chemicals) led to a warning that the salinity of the lake would no longer sustain wildlife; that occurred by the early 1980s. During the 1950s, Bombay Beach was a popular beachgoing destination. … Just over a year ago, the fantastically musical documentary won a top prize at the Tribeca Film Festival, where it had its U.S. debut, and ever since people have been wanting to help the subjects or at least see how they’re doing. "Bombay Beach" is an oasis of creativity in the documentary landscape. The per capita income for the CDP was $10,535. The perception has changed since the artists got a hold of the place. Bombay Beach may be the most famously depressing place in California; the poster child for the post-apocalypse. There are some that are well better. Dotted with many famous hotels ( Marriot, Novatel, Sun n Sand etc) touching the beach. Bombay Beach is a small, barely populated desert town in rural California. "[6] The community has held the Bombay Beach Biennale each spring since 2016, inviting "artists, academics, writers, and film-makers to create work, give lectures, and stage happenings". This started killing off the fish whose bones litter the sand. Without it, none of the small towns or art would exist. | Photo: Ian Anderson. A number of problems arose: increasing salinity in the Salton Sea, which created major fish and bird die-offs, and a series of floods from tropical storms in the 70's. The area around the lake quickly fell into decline. It's a place for the curious, DEAD KOI MEMORIAL PLAGUE: A Sordid Tale of Fried Fish & Forgotten Fraternities, THE CARPENTERS APARTMENT COMPLEX: Morbid Memories of Music’s Tragic Duo, HAUNTED PICNIC TABLE 29: Chasing Horny Ghosts and Urban Legends in Griffith Park, NIGHTMARE ROCK: Scary Dreams Amongst the Rocky Hills of Lone Pine, Museum of Ice Cream: Frozen Treats, Served with a Hefty Slice of Selfies. Back in the 1950’s and 60’s it was a thriving resort for vacationers. That is the biggest problem I had with "Bombay Beach". Dead fish on the beach of Bombay Beach The Salton Sea was created by accident in 1905, but it was eventually developed for tourism with it’s heydays in the 1950’s and 60’s when Hollywood celebrities made their way to resorts in newly developed towns like Bombay Beach, where swimming and waterskiing were popular activities. Toxic dust swirled. 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