Article and photography by Natasha Petrosova
Bombay Beach, was established in the 1940s and 50s, as the Salton Sea region
became a playground for rich and powerful. The city was on course to
become Southern California’s own French Riviera, but the steady rise of salinity in
the Salton Sea led to problems, like massive fish and wildlife deaths. In the
1970s, a series of tropical storms ruined most of the beach city, and it never
recovered. Shorefront homes, businesses, and resorts were flooded several
times, before the water finally settled in the 1980s. Today, most of the city stands
in ruins, making Bombay Beach visually striking and dramatic. Despite its
downfall, some residents refused to go, and still gladly live in this semi-ghost
town.
Beach residents, Jane and Wendell Southworth. The Southworths have lived here
their entire lives, and still remember the city’s mid-60s heyday. Getting ready to
retire, they recently put their restaurant up for sale. I asked Jane about swimming
in the Salton Sea, and she said there is nothing at all wrong with the water,
where she swims daily. In fact, she believes that the water is healing, and
removes toxins from her skin, keeping it moisturized, clean, and refreshed.
The couple agreed that Salton Sea tilapia tastes better that any tilapia found in
the supermarket, however, while taking pictures at Bombay Beach’s shoreline, I
saw many dead fish, mostly tilapia. Some of the fish floated, while others washed
up on the shore. Although the July heat made it tempting, I chose not to swim. If
the water killed all those fish, then swimming might not be the best idea for me.
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| The sign of Ski Inn Restaurant |
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| Ski Inn Restaurant |
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| Inside Ski Inn Restaurant |
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Wendell and Jane Southeworth , the owners of Ski Inn and full time residents of Bombay Beach.
Ruins of Shorefront homes in Bombay Beach      
Inside the abandoned house
the Living Room
Children room
Ups, left the toy behind
Living Room
the view
Ruins of shorefront home
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