Salton Sea

✨ Star Trails Streak and Shine Over the Salton Sea and Ssippi's Swing on a Saturday. ✨

If you look closely, you can find at least 5 Geminid meteors in this photo. The meteors are almost vertical with a slight lean to the left. Shot with a Canon EOS R and Sigma 24mm f/1.4 Art lens. Total exposure time is a little over 3.5 hours. The name of the swing set art installation is "The Water Ain't That Bad, It's Just Salty" and it was created by Chris "Ssippi" Wessman & Damon James Duke with the Bombay Bunny Club in an effort to get people into the water to realize that the water is fine... it's just really salty. This piece has definitely produced the outcome desired by the artists - and that's an understatement! Numerous everyday people (including myself), amateur and professional models from around the world, Instagram influencers, and more have stepped through the water (between knee and thigh depth - depending on your height and build) to play or pose on this swing. As someone that wants to see the Salton Sea restored, I think it's great. Too many people are afraid to go in the water at the Salton Sea, but most of the time it's as safe as the Pacific Ocean water off the coast in San Diego, L.A., and other major coastal California cities. The fish are dying due to the water being too salty - NOT due to toxic chemicals. Despite the appearance of being abandoned, the Salton Sea water is regularly tested by the health department. One should avoid contact with the algae blooms (mostly present during the hotter times of year), however.

🌠 Orion and a Geminid Meteor Over the Salton Sea at Bombay Beach 🌠

A bright Geminid meteor manages to shine through the clouds at 2:19 A.M. on the morning of December 14, 2020 at Bombay Beach. The night of the peak of the Geminids was met with cloudy skies most of the time, but I had my camera rolling just in case. Fortunately I was able to capture a few bright meteors regardless. Shot with a Canon EOS R and Sigma 24mm f/1.4 Art lens at 30 sec f/3.2 ISO 2500. The name of the swing set art installation is "The Water Ain't That Bad, It's Just Salty" and it was created by Chris "Ssippi" Wessman & Damon James Duke with the Bombay Bunny Club in an effort to get people into the water to realize that the water is fine... it's just really salty. This piece has definitely produced the outcome desired by the artists - and that's an understatement! Numerous everyday people (including myself), amateur and professional models from around the world, Instagram influencers, and more have stepped through the water (between knee and thigh depth - depending on your height and build) to play or pose on this swing. As someone that wants to see the Salton Sea restored, I think it's great. Too many people are afraid to go in the water at the Salton Sea, but most of the time it's as safe as the Pacific Ocean water off the coast in San Diego, L.A., and other major coastal California cities. The fish are dying due to the water being too salty - NOT due to toxic chemicals. Despite the appearance of being abandoned, the Salton Sea water is regularly tested by the health department. One should avoid contact with the algae blooms (mostly present during the hotter times of year), however.

-=- Full Moon Over "The Lighthouse" at Bombay Beach -=-

The full beaver moon rises over a metal sculpture at Bombay Beach at the Salton Sea on November 29, 2020. This piece was built by "Shig". S. Shigley "Shig" is a self taught artist and metal fabricator whose unconventional techniques and “no rules” approach to art, inform and define all of his work. Shig's works can be seen at his studio in Yucca Valley. His bells and metalworks are also on display during the Hwy 62 Open Studio Art Tours. This photo is a single exposure shot with a Canon EOS R and Sigma 150-600mm lens at 1/60 sec f/11 ISO 400. Bombay Beach is a census-designated place (CDP) in Imperial County, California, United States. It is located on the Salton Sea, 4 miles (6.4 km) west-southwest of Frink and is the lowest community in the United States, located 223 feet (68 m) below sea level. The population was 295 at the 2010 census, down from 366 in 2000. It is part of the El Centro, California Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population declined for years and the buildings were rotting away, but by 2018, a number of people had moved into the settlement. An article in The Guardian stated that it was "enjoying a rebirth of sorts with an influx of artists, intellectuals and hipsters who have turned it into a bohemian playground". The Bombay Beach Biennale (pronounced like "be an ollie"), an annual art festival, is held here. The population estimate for 2020 was 415 persons.

🌊 Swing Sky Scenic Serene Still Salton Sea 🌊

The name of the swing set art installation is "The Water Ain't That Bad, It's Just Salty" and it was created by Chris "Ssippi" Wessman & Damon James Duke with the Bombay Bunny Club in an effort to get people into the water to realize that the water is fine... it's just really salty. This piece has definitely produced the outcome desired by the artists - and that's an understatement! Numerous everyday people (including myself), amateur and professional models from around the world, Instagram influencers, and more have stepped through the water (between knee and thigh depth - depending on your height and build) to play or pose on this swing. As someone that wants to see the Salton Sea restored, I think it's great. Too many people are afraid to go in the water at the Salton Sea, but most of the time it's as safe as the Pacific Ocean water off the coast in San Diego, L.A., and other major coastal California cities. The fish are dying due to the water being too salty - NOT due to toxic chemicals. Despite the appearance of being abandoned, the Salton Sea water is regularly tested by the health department. One should avoid contact with the algae blooms (mostly present during the hotter times of year), however. Bombay Beach is an unincorporated community on the eastern shore of the Salton Sea. Note that the area is NOT abandoned: there are still several longtime residents as well as several artists that have moved into the area in recent years. Photo shot with a DJI Mavic Air 2 drone on October 30, 2020.

🌊 Saltonshoe Bend 🔥

Aerial sunset panorama on the crusty shore of Bombay Beach at the Salton Sea. I decided that this could be the Salton Sea's version the famous Horseshoe Bend along the Colorado River in Arizona. Shot with a DJI Mavic Air 2 drone on October 31, 2020. The Salton Sea is a shallow, saline, endorheic rift lake on the San Andreas Fault at the southern end of the U.S. state of California. It lies between, and within, the Imperial and Coachella valleys, all of which lie within the larger Salton Trough, a pull-apart basin that stretches to the Gulf of California in Mexico. The lake occupies the lowest elevations of the trough, known as the Salton Sink, where the lake surface is 236.0 ft (71.9 m) below sea level as of January 2018. The deepest point of the lake is only 5 ft (1.5 m) higher than the lowest point of Death Valley. The New, Whitewater, and Alamo rivers, combined with agricultural runoff, are the primary sources that feed the lake. Bombay Beach is an unincorporated community on the eastern shore of the Salton Sea. There are still several longtime residents as well as several artists that have moved into the area in recent years.

Star Trails and Cloud Trails Over Bombay Beach.

I shot this on October 30, 2020 with a Canon EOS R and Canon 17-40mm f/4L lens. Total exposure time is about 65 minutes. Since it was a nearly full moon, it was difficult to capture the light of the stars, but I managed to pull it off. No star reflections in the water since the brightness of the stars was too low relative to the bright light of the moon in the surrounding sky. The name of the swing set art installation is "The Water Ain't That Bad, It's Just Salty" and it was created by Chris "Ssippi" Wessman & Damon James Duke with the Bombay Bunny Club in an effort to get people into the water to realize that the water is fine... it's just really salty. This piece had definitely produced the outcome desired by the artists - and that's an understatement! Numerous everyday people (including myself), amateur and professional models from around the world, Instagram influencers, and more have stepped through the water (between knee and thigh depth - depending on your height and build) to play or pose on this swing. As someone that wants to see the Salton Sea restored, I think it's great. Too many people are afraid to go in the water at the Salton Sea, but most of the time it's as safe as the Pacific Ocean water off the coast in San Diego, L.A., and other major coastal California cities. The fish are dying due to the water being too salty - NOT due to toxic chemicals. Despite the appearance of being abandoned, the Salton Sea water is regularly tested by the health department. One should avoid contact with the algae blooms (mostly present during the hotter times of year), however. Bombay Beach is an unincorporated community on the eastern shore of the Salton Sea. Note that the area is NOT abandoned: there are still several longtime residents as well as several artists that have moved into the area in recent years.

Lake of Fire

Epic and surreal Halloween sunset at Bombay Beach at the Salton Sea. I can't decide which shot I like better. Southern California was treated to an amazing sunset on Halloween. And, of course, one of the best places to view a sunset is at the Salton Sea. Shot with a Canon EOS R and Canon 17-40mm f/4L lens. A mailbox and swing set art installations are in the water here. The name of the swing set art installation is "The Water Ain't That Bad, It's Just Salty" and it was created by Chris "Ssippi" Wessman & Damon James Duke with the Bombay Bunny Club in an effort to get people into the water to realize that the water is fine... it's just really salty. This piece had definitely produced the outcome desired by the artists - and that's an understatement! Numerous everyday people (including myself), amateur and professional models from around the world, Instagram influencers, and more have stepped through the water (between knee and thigh depth - depending on your height and build) to play or pose on this swing. As someone that wants to see the Salton Sea restored, I think it's great. Too many people are afraid to go in the water at the Salton Sea, but most of the time it's as safe as the Pacific Ocean water off the coast in San Diego, L.A., and other major coastal California cities. The fish are dying due to the water being too salty - NOT due to toxic chemicals. Despite the appearance of being abandoned, the Salton Sea water is regularly tested by the health department. One should avoid contact with the algae blooms (mostly present during the hotter times of year), however. Bombay Beach is an unincorporated community on the eastern shore of the Salton Sea. Note that the area is NOT abandoned: there are still several longtime residents as well as several artists that have moved into the area in recent years.

Lake of Fire

Epic and surreal Halloween sunset at Bombay Beach at the Salton Sea. I can't decide which shot I like better. Southern California was treated to an amazing sunset on Halloween. And, of course, one of the best places to view a sunset is at the Salton Sea. Shot with a Canon EOS R and Canon 17-40mm f/4L lens. A mailbox and swing set art installations are in the water here. The name of the swing set art installation is "The Water Ain't That Bad, It's Just Salty" and it was created by Chris "Ssippi" Wessman & Damon James Duke with the Bombay Bunny Club in an effort to get people into the water to realize that the water is fine... it's just really salty. This piece had definitely produced the outcome desired by the artists - and that's an understatement! Numerous everyday people (including myself), amateur and professional models from around the world, Instagram influencers, and more have stepped through the water (between knee and thigh depth - depending on your height and build) to play or pose on this swing. As someone that wants to see the Salton Sea restored, I think it's great. Too many people are afraid to go in the water at the Salton Sea, but most of the time it's as safe as the Pacific Ocean water off the coast in San Diego, L.A., and other major coastal California cities. The fish are dying due to the water being too salty - NOT due to toxic chemicals. Despite the appearance of being abandoned, the Salton Sea water is regularly tested by the health department. One should avoid contact with the algae blooms (mostly present during the hotter times of year), however. Bombay Beach is an unincorporated community on the eastern shore of the Salton Sea. Note that the area is NOT abandoned: there are still several longtime residents as well as several artists that have moved into the area in recent years.

✨ Sparkling Stars Shine on the Smooth Still Shiny Salton Sea Surface at Ssippi's Swing on A Saturday 🌌

Milky Way galaxy core and stars shine brightly in the sky and reflect on the water at the swingset in the water at Bombay Beach. Shot on October 3, 2020 with a Canon EOS R and Sigma 24mm f/1.4 Art lens. The name of this art installation is "The Water Ain't That Bad, It's Just Salty" and it was created by Chris "Ssippi" Wessman & Damon James Duke with the Bombay Bunny Club in an effort to get people into the water to realize that the water is fine... it's just really salty. This piece had definitely produced the outcome desired by the artists - and that's an understatement! Numerous everyday people (including myself), amateur and professional models from around the world, Instagram influencers, and more have stepped through the water (between knee and thigh depth - depending on your height and build) to play or pose on this swing. As someone that wants to see the Salton Sea restored, I think it's great. Too many people are afraid to go in the water at the Salton Sea, but most of the time it's as safe as the Pacific Ocean water off the coast in San Diego, L.A., and other major coastal California cities. The fish are dying due to the water being too salty - NOT due to toxic chemicals. Despite the appearance of being abandoned, the Salton Sea water is regularly tested by the health department. One should avoid contact with the algae blooms (mostly present during the hotter times of year), however. Bombay Beach is an unincorporated community on the eastern shore of the Salton Sea. Note that the area is NOT abandoned: there are still several longtime residents as well as several artists that have moved into the area in recent years.

Ssippi's Salton Sea Swing During Twilight.

The swing in the water off the shore of Bombay Beach at the Salton Sea during twilight with the nice color gradient of the Belt of Venus in the background. The name of this art installation is "The Water Ain't That Bad, It's Just Salty" and it was created by Chris "Ssippi" Wessman & Damon James Duke with the Bombay Bunny Club in an effort to get people into the water to realize that the water is fine... it's just really salty. Please click on the photos to view them in the proper cropping. This piece had definitely produced the outcome desired by the artists - and that's an understatement! Numerous everyday people (including myself), amateur and professional models from around the world, Instagram influencers, and more have stepped through the water (between knee and thigh depth - depending on your height and build) to play or pose on this swing. As someone that wants to see the Salton Sea restored, I think it's great. Too many people are afraid to go in the water at the Salton Sea, but most of the time it's as safe as the Pacific Ocean water off the coast in San Diego, L.A., and other major coastal California cities. The fish are dying due to the water being too salty - NOT due to toxic chemicals. Despite the appearance of being abandoned, the Salton Sea water is regularly tested by the health department. One should avoid contact with the algae blooms (mostly present during the hotter times of year), however. Bombay Beach is an unincorporated community on the eastern shore of the Salton Sea. Note that the area is NOT abandoned: there are still several longtime residents as well as several artists that have moved into the area in recent years.

Ssippi's Salton Sea Swing During Twilight.

The swing in the water off the shore of Bombay Beach at the Salton Sea during twilight with the nice color gradient of the Belt of Venus in the background. The name of this art installation is "The Water Ain't That Bad, It's Just Salty" and it was created by Chris "Ssippi" Wessman & Damon James Duke with the Bombay Bunny Club in an effort to get people into the water to realize that the water is fine... it's just really salty. Please click on the photos to view them in the proper cropping. This piece had definitely produced the outcome desired by the artists - and that's an understatement! Numerous everyday people (including myself), amateur and professional models from around the world, Instagram influencers, and more have stepped through the water (between knee and thigh depth - depending on your height and build) to play or pose on this swing. As someone that wants to see the Salton Sea restored, I think it's great. Too many people are afraid to go in the water at the Salton Sea, but most of the time it's as safe as the Pacific Ocean water off the coast in San Diego, L.A., and other major coastal California cities. The fish are dying due to the water being too salty - NOT due to toxic chemicals. Despite the appearance of being abandoned, the Salton Sea water is regularly tested by the health department. One should avoid contact with the algae blooms (mostly present during the hotter times of year), however. Bombay Beach is an unincorporated community on the eastern shore of the Salton Sea. Note that the area is NOT abandoned: there are still several longtime residents as well as several artists that have moved into the area in recent years.

Sitting and Stargazing on Ssippi's Salton Sea Swing on Still Shiny Smooth Seawater on a Saturday.

While the main focus of my trip out here yesterday was to shoot drone footage, I decided to take advantage of the very calm water and bright Milky Way galaxy once the last of the day's sunlight was gone. This shot is a single exposure done with a Canon EOS R and Sigma 24mm f/1.4 Art lens at f/2.8 6 sec ISO 5000. The name of this art installation is "The Water Ain't That Bad, It's Just Salty" and it was created by Chris "Ssippi" Wessman & Damon James Duke with the Bombay Bunny Club in an effort to get people into the water to realize that the water is fine... it's just really salty. This piece had definitely produced the outcome desired by the artists - and that's an understatement! Numerous everyday people (including myself), amateur and professional models from around the world, Instagram influencers, and more have stepped through the water (between knee and thigh depth - depending on your height and build) to play or pose on this swing. As someone that wants to see the Salton Sea restored, I think it's great. Too many people are afraid to go in the water at the Salton Sea, but most of the time it's as safe as the Pacific Ocean water off the coast in San Diego, L.A., and other major coastal California cities. The fish are dying due to the water being too salty - NOT due to toxic chemicals. Despite the appearance of being abandoned, the Salton Sea water is regularly tested by the health department. One should avoid contact with the algae blooms (mostly present during the hotter times of year), however. Bombay Beach is an unincorporated community on the eastern shore of the Salton Sea. Note that the area is NOT abandoned: there are still several longtime residents as well as several artists that have moved into the area in recent years.

Aerial Views of the New Salton Sea Mudpot

The mudpots in these photos are located along the San Andreas Fault at the Salton Sea. They are a couple miles from the more well known and less active mudpots at Schrimpf and Davis. A mud pot is a natural double boiler! Surface water collects in a shallow, impermeable (usually due to a lining of clay) depression that has no direct connection to an underground water flow. Thermal water beneath the depression causes steam to rise through the ground, heating the collected surface water. Hydrogen sulfide gas is usually present, giving mud pots their characteristic odor of rotten eggs. Some microorganisms use the hydrogen sulfide for energy. The microbes help convert the gas to sulfuric acid, which breaks down rock into clay. The result is a gooey mix through which gases gurgle and bubble. Another mudpot in nearby Niland resulted in the SR-111 Highway having to be rerouted around it. The nearby train tracked have had to be rerouted as well. Note that these particular mudpots cannot be driven to (unless you have a vehicle capable of driving through very deep and sticky wet clay) and are not practical to walk to (unless you're prepared to trudge through muddy wet clay that is nearly waist deep in some parts. They're best seen from above like you're seeing here. I'll be posting some high-resolution 4K videos of this area in the next few days. While in the process of filming, my drone ran out of battery power (I should have started flying back to the home position sooner) and dropped out of the sky into the water. I thought all hope was lost, but the next day I returned with my inflatable boat and sailed out to the exact coordinates of the crash site according to the flight log. The water was about 2.5 feet deep and too murky to get any visual confirmation. I hoped out of my boat and my feet sank at least a foot into the soft bottom of the lake. I shuffled around for less than 5 minutes until my toes bumped into something. I reached down and it was the drone! So, now that I was able to recover the drone, I can make an insurance claim and get a replacement drone. I will NOT be making this same mistake again! No more pushing the limits of battery power when I fly! Also, I must commend SanDisk for their "Extreme" microSDXC memory card that survived being submerged in hyper saline water for nearly 24 hours. After rinsing the card in clean water and drying it off, I was able to recover all the high definition photos and videos without any trouble. (The photos and videos I posted the other day were lower-resolution versions transmitted wirelessly to the flight controller).

Aerial Views of the New Salton Sea Mudpot

The mudpots in these photos are located along the San Andreas Fault at the Salton Sea. They are a couple miles from the more well known and less active mudpots at Schrimpf and Davis. A mud pot is a natural double boiler! Surface water collects in a shallow, impermeable (usually due to a lining of clay) depression that has no direct connection to an underground water flow. Thermal water beneath the depression causes steam to rise through the ground, heating the collected surface water. Hydrogen sulfide gas is usually present, giving mud pots their characteristic odor of rotten eggs. Some microorganisms use the hydrogen sulfide for energy. The microbes help convert the gas to sulfuric acid, which breaks down rock into clay. The result is a gooey mix through which gases gurgle and bubble. Another mudpot in nearby Niland resulted in the SR-111 Highway having to be rerouted around it. The nearby train tracked have had to be rerouted as well. Note that these particular mudpots cannot be driven to (unless you have a vehicle capable of driving through very deep and sticky wet clay) and are not practical to walk to (unless you're prepared to trudge through muddy wet clay that is nearly waist deep in some parts. They're best seen from above like you're seeing here. I'll be posting some high-resolution 4K videos of this area in the next few days. While in the process of filming, my drone ran out of battery power (I should have started flying back to the home position sooner) and dropped out of the sky into the water. I thought all hope was lost, but the next day I returned with my inflatable boat and sailed out to the exact coordinates of the crash site according to the flight log. The water was about 2.5 feet deep and too murky to get any visual confirmation. I hoped out of my boat and my feet sank at least a foot into the soft bottom of the lake. I shuffled around for less than 5 minutes until my toes bumped into something. I reached down and it was the drone! So, now that I was able to recover the drone, I can make an insurance claim and get a replacement drone. I will NOT be making this same mistake again! No more pushing the limits of battery power when I fly! Also, I must commend SanDisk for their "Extreme" microSDXC memory card that survived being submerged in hyper saline water for nearly 24 hours. After rinsing the card in clean water and drying it off, I was able to recover all the high definition photos and videos without any trouble. (The photos and videos I posted the other day were lower-resolution versions transmitted wirelessly to the flight controller).

Aerial Views of the New Salton Sea Mudpot

The mudpots in these photos are located along the San Andreas Fault at the Salton Sea. They are a couple miles from the more well known and less active mudpots at Schrimpf and Davis. A mud pot is a natural double boiler! Surface water collects in a shallow, impermeable (usually due to a lining of clay) depression that has no direct connection to an underground water flow. Thermal water beneath the depression causes steam to rise through the ground, heating the collected surface water. Hydrogen sulfide gas is usually present, giving mud pots their characteristic odor of rotten eggs. Some microorganisms use the hydrogen sulfide for energy. The microbes help convert the gas to sulfuric acid, which breaks down rock into clay. The result is a gooey mix through which gases gurgle and bubble. Another mudpot in nearby Niland resulted in the SR-111 Highway having to be rerouted around it. The nearby train tracked have had to be rerouted as well. Note that these particular mudpots cannot be driven to (unless you have a vehicle capable of driving through very deep and sticky wet clay) and are not practical to walk to (unless you're prepared to trudge through muddy wet clay that is nearly waist deep in some parts. They're best seen from above like you're seeing here. I'll be posting some high-resolution 4K videos of this area in the next few days. While in the process of filming, my drone ran out of battery power (I should have started flying back to the home position sooner) and dropped out of the sky into the water. I thought all hope was lost, but the next day I returned with my inflatable boat and sailed out to the exact coordinates of the crash site according to the flight log. The water was about 2.5 feet deep and too murky to get any visual confirmation. I hoped out of my boat and my feet sank at least a foot into the soft bottom of the lake. I shuffled around for less than 5 minutes until my toes bumped into something. I reached down and it was the drone! So, now that I was able to recover the drone, I can make an insurance claim and get a replacement drone. I will NOT be making this same mistake again! No more pushing the limits of battery power when I fly! Also, I must commend SanDisk for their "Extreme" microSDXC memory card that survived being submerged in hyper saline water for nearly 24 hours. After rinsing the card in clean water and drying it off, I was able to recover all the high definition photos and videos without any trouble. (The photos and videos I posted the other day were lower-resolution versions transmitted wirelessly to the flight controller).

Aerial Views of the New Salton Sea Mudpot

The mudpots in these photos are located along the San Andreas Fault at the Salton Sea. They are a couple miles from the more well known and less active mudpots at Schrimpf and Davis. A mud pot is a natural double boiler! Surface water collects in a shallow, impermeable (usually due to a lining of clay) depression that has no direct connection to an underground water flow. Thermal water beneath the depression causes steam to rise through the ground, heating the collected surface water. Hydrogen sulfide gas is usually present, giving mud pots their characteristic odor of rotten eggs. Some microorganisms use the hydrogen sulfide for energy. The microbes help convert the gas to sulfuric acid, which breaks down rock into clay. The result is a gooey mix through which gases gurgle and bubble. Another mudpot in nearby Niland resulted in the SR-111 Highway having to be rerouted around it. The nearby train tracked have had to be rerouted as well. Note that these particular mudpots cannot be driven to (unless you have a vehicle capable of driving through very deep and sticky wet clay) and are not practical to walk to (unless you're prepared to trudge through muddy wet clay that is nearly waist deep in some parts. They're best seen from above like you're seeing here. I'll be posting some high-resolution 4K videos of this area in the next few days. While in the process of filming, my drone ran out of battery power (I should have started flying back to the home position sooner) and dropped out of the sky into the water. I thought all hope was lost, but the next day I returned with my inflatable boat and sailed out to the exact coordinates of the crash site according to the flight log. The water was about 2.5 feet deep and too murky to get any visual confirmation. I hoped out of my boat and my feet sank at least a foot into the soft bottom of the lake. I shuffled around for less than 5 minutes until my toes bumped into something. I reached down and it was the drone! So, now that I was able to recover the drone, I can make an insurance claim and get a replacement drone. I will NOT be making this same mistake again! No more pushing the limits of battery power when I fly! Also, I must commend SanDisk for their "Extreme" microSDXC memory card that survived being submerged in hyper saline water for nearly 24 hours. After rinsing the card in clean water and drying it off, I was able to recover all the high definition photos and videos without any trouble. (The photos and videos I posted the other day were lower-resolution versions transmitted wirelessly to the flight controller).

Aerial Views of the New Salton Sea Mudpot

The mudpots in these photos are located along the San Andreas Fault at the Salton Sea. They are a couple miles from the more well known and less active mudpots at Schrimpf and Davis. A mud pot is a natural double boiler! Surface water collects in a shallow, impermeable (usually due to a lining of clay) depression that has no direct connection to an underground water flow. Thermal water beneath the depression causes steam to rise through the ground, heating the collected surface water. Hydrogen sulfide gas is usually present, giving mud pots their characteristic odor of rotten eggs. Some microorganisms use the hydrogen sulfide for energy. The microbes help convert the gas to sulfuric acid, which breaks down rock into clay. The result is a gooey mix through which gases gurgle and bubble. Another mudpot in nearby Niland resulted in the SR-111 Highway having to be rerouted around it. The nearby train tracked have had to be rerouted as well. Note that these particular mudpots cannot be driven to (unless you have a vehicle capable of driving through very deep and sticky wet clay) and are not practical to walk to (unless you're prepared to trudge through muddy wet clay that is nearly waist deep in some parts. They're best seen from above like you're seeing here. I'll be posting some high-resolution 4K videos of this area in the next few days. While in the process of filming, my drone ran out of battery power (I should have started flying back to the home position sooner) and dropped out of the sky into the water. I thought all hope was lost, but the next day I returned with my inflatable boat and sailed out to the exact coordinates of the crash site according to the flight log. The water was about 2.5 feet deep and too murky to get any visual confirmation. I hoped out of my boat and my feet sank at least a foot into the soft bottom of the lake. I shuffled around for less than 5 minutes until my toes bumped into something. I reached down and it was the drone! So, now that I was able to recover the drone, I can make an insurance claim and get a replacement drone. I will NOT be making this same mistake again! No more pushing the limits of battery power when I fly! Also, I must commend SanDisk for their "Extreme" microSDXC memory card that survived being submerged in hyper saline water for nearly 24 hours. After rinsing the card in clean water and drying it off, I was able to recover all the high definition photos and videos without any trouble. (The photos and videos I posted the other day were lower-resolution versions transmitted wirelessly to the flight controller).

Aerial Views of the New Salton Sea Mudpot

The mudpots in these photos are located along the San Andreas Fault at the Salton Sea. They are a couple miles from the more well known and less active mudpots at Schrimpf and Davis. A mud pot is a natural double boiler! Surface water collects in a shallow, impermeable (usually due to a lining of clay) depression that has no direct connection to an underground water flow. Thermal water beneath the depression causes steam to rise through the ground, heating the collected surface water. Hydrogen sulfide gas is usually present, giving mud pots their characteristic odor of rotten eggs. Some microorganisms use the hydrogen sulfide for energy. The microbes help convert the gas to sulfuric acid, which breaks down rock into clay. The result is a gooey mix through which gases gurgle and bubble. Another mudpot in nearby Niland resulted in the SR-111 Highway having to be rerouted around it. The nearby train tracked have had to be rerouted as well. Note that these particular mudpots cannot be driven to (unless you have a vehicle capable of driving through very deep and sticky wet clay) and are not practical to walk to (unless you're prepared to trudge through muddy wet clay that is nearly waist deep in some parts. They're best seen from above like you're seeing here. I'll be posting some high-resolution 4K videos of this area in the next few days. While in the process of filming, my drone ran out of battery power (I should have started flying back to the home position sooner) and dropped out of the sky into the water. I thought all hope was lost, but the next day I returned with my inflatable boat and sailed out to the exact coordinates of the crash site according to the flight log. The water was about 2.5 feet deep and too murky to get any visual confirmation. I hoped out of my boat and my feet sank at least a foot into the soft bottom of the lake. I shuffled around for less than 5 minutes until my toes bumped into something. I reached down and it was the drone! So, now that I was able to recover the drone, I can make an insurance claim and get a replacement drone. I will NOT be making this same mistake again! No more pushing the limits of battery power when I fly! Also, I must commend SanDisk for their "Extreme" microSDXC memory card that survived being submerged in hyper saline water for nearly 24 hours. After rinsing the card in clean water and drying it off, I was able to recover all the high definition photos and videos without any trouble. (The photos and videos I posted the other day were lower-resolution versions transmitted wirelessly to the flight controller).

Star & Galaxy

"DO NOT CLIMB!" Says the mostly obscured sign to the left. I don't know if the artist doesn't want people climbing on his work, this is the name of sculpture, or both. Between the big bold sign and the razor wire, I think most people will get the message and NOT attempt to climb on this sculpture. I shot this a couple weeks ago - on July 18, 2020 - while camping at Bombay Beach on the Salton Sea. Gear: Canon EOS R, Sigma 24mm f/1.4 DG HSM art lens. EXIF: 6 sec f/2.2 ISO 3200. Single exposure. There's a bright solar-powered floodlight (out of frame to the left) that shines on this star. I turned off the light by shining a flashlight on the photocell. The orange glow is from HPS street lights in the town behind me. Bombay Beach is a census-designated place (CDP) in Imperial County, California, United States. It is located on the Salton Sea, 4 miles (6.4 km) west-southwest of Frink and is the lowest community in the United States, located 223 feet (68 m) below sea level. The population was 295 at the 2010 census, down from 366 in 2000. It is part of the El Centro, California Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population declined for years and the buildings were rotting away, but by 2018, a number of people had moved into the settlement. An article in The Guardian stated that it was "enjoying a rebirth of sorts with an influx of artists, intellectuals and hipsters who have turned it into a bohemian playground". The Bombay Beach Biennale, an annual art festival, is held here. The population estimate for 2020 was 415 persons. If you go to Bombay Beach, please note that many people still live here. There are more exhibits and sculptures in town, but please respect private property and don't wander through the yards of occupied homes/trailers.

Take a Dive or Go for a Swing?*

Diving board and swing set art installations in the water off of Bombay Beach at the Salton Sea. Made a last-minute decision to head out to the Salton Sea last night with another photographer. At first I wasn't sure whether it would be worth the drive and getting home quite late, but I'm glad I went. The water was smooth as glass and the temperature and humidity levels were surprisingly pleasant for the desert this time of year. Shot with a Canon EOS R and Canon 50mm lens on June 30, 2020. This diving board and the swing set in the distance were installed by local artists as part of the Bombay Beach Biennale. * WARNING: Please do NOT attempt to drive off of this diving board. The water is barely over 12 inches here.

Dive Into Heaven.

Self-portrait (🎵But first, let me take a selfie.) of me on a diving board art installation at Bombay Beach at the Salton Sea. A faint Milky Way (due to the 85% moon) can be seen. Also, a swingset art installation in the water as well. Made a last-minute decision to head out to the Salton Sea last night with another photographer. At first I wasn't sure whether it would be worth the drive and getting home quite late, but I'm glad I went. The water was smooth as glass and the temperature and humidity levels were surprisingly pleasant for the desert this time of year. Shot with a Canon EOS R and Sigma 15mm EX DG lens. I did some cropping in post production to eliminate the fisheye effects. This diving board and the swing set in the distance were installed by local artists as part of the Bombay Beach Biennale.

Dive Into Heaven.

Self-portrait (🎵But first, let me take a selfie.) of me on a diving board art installation at Bombay Beach at the Salton Sea. A faint Milky Way (due to the 85% moon) can be seen. Also, a swingset art installation in the water as well. Made a last-minute decision to head out to the Salton Sea last night with another photographer. At first I wasn't sure whether it would be worth the drive and getting home quite late, but I'm glad I went. The water was smooth as glass and the temperature and humidity levels were surprisingly pleasant for the desert this time of year. Shot with a Canon EOS R and Sigma 15mm EX DG lens. I did some cropping in post production to eliminate the fisheye effects. This diving board and the swing set in the distance were installed by local artists as part of the Bombay Beach Biennale.

I'm not saying it was aliens... but it was aliens.

Milky Way galaxy core above some funky metal sculpture at Bombay Beach at the Salton Sea. I shot this on May 24, 2020 with a Canon EOS R and Canon 50mm lens.

Milky Way Over Abandoned Observation Building at the Salton Sea Naval Station.

Here's a much wider shot of the decaying building seen in the stargazing self-portrait I posted the other day. Shot with a Canon EOS R. Interior of the building illuminited with LED lights. This location was a United States Navy military facility located eight miles south of Salton City, California on the west shore of the Salton Sea. It was an auxiliary field to NAS San Diego commissioned in 1942, had a barracks for over 600 men constructed there. It was disestablished in 1946. NAF El Centro then took over the facility using it for parachute tests of the manned space program and other military systems until 1979. There remains little if anything of the former field. The Salton Sea has taken over much of the runway. In 2001 the United States Bureau of Reclamation used the site to remove salt from the Salton Sea, as high salinity is a major problem facing the inland lake. They used modified snowmaking equipment and mine waste removal vehicles and continued testing for a year; however high energy costs and air quality issues forced the termination of this project.

Open House

Milky Way and some lighting painting at one of many quirky art installations at Bombay Beach at the Salton Sea. Single exposure shot on May 24, 2020 with a Canon EOS R. I used an LED candle to illuminate the porch light and an LED ultraviolet blacklight for the purple effects.

Social Distancing Under the Milky Way at the Salton Sea

Panorama of my campsite at ruins of the abandoned Salton Sea Naval Auxiliary Air Station last weekend. My trailer and truck to the right. No other people around for miles. The wind picked up a bit before the Milky Way rose above the horizon, so I wasn't able to get the night sky reflection shots that I had hoped for. Still, I managed to put together this panorama and several shots of some other abandoned structures in the area. This location was a United States Navy military facility located eight miles south of Salton City, California on the west shore of the Salton Sea. It was an auxiliary field to NAS San Diego commissioned in 1942, had a barracks for over 600 men constructed there. It was disestablished in 1946. NAF El Centro then took over the facility using it for parachute tests of the manned space program and other military systems until 1979. There remains little if anything of the former field. The Salton Sea has taken over much of the runway. In 2001 the United States Bureau of Reclamation used the site to remove salt from the Salton Sea, as high salinity is a major problem facing the inland lake. They used modified snowmaking equipment and mine waste removal vehicles and continued testing for a year; however high energy costs and air quality issues forced the termination of this project.

Stargazing at the Milky Way atop an abandoned building at the Salton Sea.

Many more photos coming soon. But first, let me take a #selfie . Shot with a Canon EOS R and Canon 50mm lens at 6 sec f/2 ISO 3200 at the abandoned Salton Sea Naval Auxiliary Air Station on May 25, 2020.

Stunning Spectacular and Serene Still Salton Sea Sunset Ssippi Swing Set on Saturday.

Here's a much wider angle frame I shot of the swing set. I shot this before the zoomed in one I posted the other day. Shot with a Canon 6D and Canon 17-40mm f/4L lens, 20 sec f/22 ISO 50, and a Hoya ND8 filter. The name of this art installation is "The Water Ain't That Bad, It's Just Salty" and it was created by Chris "Ssippi" Wessman & Damon James Duke with the Bombay Bunny Club in an effort to get people into the water to realize that the water is fine... it's just really salty. @ssippi on Instagram. This piece had definitely produced the outcome desired by the artists - and that's an understatement! Numerous everyday people (including myself), amateur and professional models from around the world, Instagram influencers, and more have stepped through the water (between knee and thigh depth - depending on your height and build) to play or pose on this swing.

Serene Still Salton Sea Swing Sunset Saturday.

Last night (November 30, 2019), southern California was treated to a spectacular sunset that exploded with color and lasted about an hour before the sky turned dark. This is a single exposure shot this at Bombay Beach at the Salton Sea. Unlike many of my previous shots here, the water wasn't totally calm, so I used an ND8 filter, narrow aperture, and long exposure to make the water as smooth as a mirror here. I then used the Graduated Filter tool in Lightroom to make the moon and the upper sky a bit darker. Specifics: Canon 6D and Canon 17-40mm f/4L lens, 25 sec f/4.5 ISO 50, and a Hoya ND8 filter. The name of this art installation is "The Water Ain't That Bad, It's Just Salty" and it was created by Chris "Ssippi" Wessman & Damon James Duke with the Bombay Bunny Club in an effort to get people into the water to realize that the water is fine... it's just really salty. This piece had definitely produced the outcome desired by the artists - and that's an understatement! Numerous everyday people (including myself), amateur and professional models from around the world, Instagram influencers, and more have stepped through the water (between knee and thigh depth - depending on your height and build) to play or pose on this swing. As someone that wants to see the Salton Sea restored, I think it's great. Too many people are afraid to go in the water at the Salton Sea, but most of the time it's as safe as the Pacific Ocean water off the coast in San Diego, L.A., and other major coastal California cities. The fish are dying due to the water being too salty - NOT due to toxic chemicals. Despite the appearance of being abandoned, the Salton Sea water is regularly tested by the health department. One should avoid contact with the algae blooms (mostly present during the hotter times of year), however.

Ssippi's Salton Sea Swing Set Still Stands in the Still Serene Salton Sea on a Saturday in September.

Another shot of the Milky Way over the now famous swing set in the water at Bombay Beach at the Salton Sea. I did some shots similar to this back in July and decided to do another take last Saturday (September 21, 2019). The water level has noticeably receded in a bit over two months since I last shot this swing. Note the exposed concrete pilings that weren't visible before. The name of this piece "The Water Ain't That Bad, It's Just Salty" by Damon James Duke and Chris "Ssippi" Wessman. It was installed as part of the Bombay Beach Biennale of 2019. Originally it was to remain up only during the 3-day event, but the artist has decided to keep it up much longer. The plan has worked: it's encouraged countless people to go into the water that may have never considered doing so before. The water is generally safe to swim in - as safe as the ocean near the beaches of San Diego and L.A. and is regularly tested by the health department. Anyways, I shot this with a Canon 6D and Canon 17-40mm f/4L lens. I did 17 exposures 15 13 sec f/4 ISO 5000. I then masked the sky from the ground and did a median stack for noise reduction.

Boondocking Under The Milky Way At The Salton Sea

My camper and truck at one of my favorite places to camp at the Salton Sea. On this night the sky was nice and clear, the Milky Way was shining nicely, the temperature was around 75° F (28.8° C), no wind, and the water was nice and still. This spot - like many around the Salton Sea - is nice and peaceful as it's never crowded. I spent two nights here at the mostly abandoned Niland Marina County Park. This spot appears to be the old harbor and/or jetty. There are still several abandoned bathroom buildings nearby (not seen in this photo) and an old wooden sign with the park's name in information on it. This shot is a median stack of 27 frames shot at 13 sec f/2.8 ISO 3200 with a Canon 6D and Sigma 15mm EX DG lens.

"Rocket" Ready For Launch

🎵 Ground Control to Major Tom (ten, nine, eight, seven, six) Commencing countdown, engines on (five, four, three) Check ignition and may God's love be with you (two, one, liftoff) 🎵 "Rocket" ready for launch at the Salton Sea "Alien Portal". Milky Way in the background. For lack of any other name, I began calling this the Alien Portal years ago. I'm still not sure what the REAL purpose of this rocket-like bomb/tank/engine/??? is doing up on top of this tower. This is as panorama stitch of six exposures each taken with a Canon 6D and Canon 50mm lens at 6 sec f/2.2 ISO 3200.

Milky Way Over the Salton Sea

The Milky Way shines over a still and shiny Salton Sea in 100° F ( 37.7° C) temperature and high humidity at the abandoned Salton Sea Naval Auxiliary Air Station on August 31, 2019. This is a tracked blend of two exposures shot at the same location and consecutively. First I shot a tracked exposure of the sky with an Omegon tracker at 210 sec f/4 ISO 400. I then shot another exposure - untracked - at 270 sec f/4 ISO 400. After that, I aligned, masked, and layered the exposure. Everything is presented as it was in the sky at the time. Due to the very hot desert temperatures, this photo is a bit more grainy than my usually tracked and blended Milky Way shots. With the Milky Way core being in the southwestern sky this time of year, it's a bit of a challenge to shoot it over the lake from the west shore. I didn't feel like driving to the North Shore or Bombay Beach this trip. Fortunately there's the remains of a pier or other structure in the water at this location. I was able to carefully walk out onto the structure and then aim the camera southwest to a small cove here. The water ends just barely past the right edge of the frame.

Heavenly Swing Set Second Edition

Heavenly Swing Set Second Edition. Milky Way galaxy above a swingset in the water off of Bombay Beach at the Salton Sea. This art installation is in the Bombay Beach community of the Salton Sea and is the work of @ssippi on Instagram. I shot this a bit later at night than the one I posted yesterday. Also, I waded into the water and carefully set my camera rig up in the water as well. The water wasn't as still and reflective at this time, but I like how having the camera closer to the swingset here makes it look much larger. Also, the Milky Way was well-centered above the swing at this time. And the sky had a greener tone to it. The whitish streak on the horizon to the right is from traffic on the highway. I've been wanting to shoot the Milky Way over this swing ever since I learned about it being installed here earlier this year. This past Friday July 5th the conditions were just right: no wind, calm & reflective water, and clear skies. This is a blend of a tracked exposure of the sky and another exposure of the swing, lake, and mountains in the background. As with all my composite shots, everything is where it really was at the time. This took several hours of processing to get the colors, edges of the horizon, masking out the swing from the tracked sky exposure, and more. Exposure time for the tracked sky was 240 sec f/4 ISO 400 and the for the swing, water, and mountains in the distance, 240 sec f/4 ISO 400. Due to the 85° F temperatures, there is a bit more noise here than my recent milky way shots I've done in the mountains. Though the lake is drying up due to famers using much more efficient crop irrigation methods (that results in much less runoff water flowing into the sea), several eccentric artists have begun flocking to the area in recent years. This is one of many fascinating art installations in the area. I've been intrigued (maybe obsessed as well) with the Salton Sea ever since I saw an exhibit about it at the San Diego Museum of Photographic Arts several years ago. The Salton Sea is a shallow, saline, endorheic rift lake located directly on the San Andreas Fault, predominantly in the U.S. state of California's Imperial and Coachella valleys. The lake occupies the lowest elevations of the Salton Sink in the Colorado Desert of Imperial and Riverside counties in Southern California. Its surface is 236.0 ft (71.9 m) below sea level as of January 2018.[1] The deepest point of the sea is 5 ft (1.5 m) higher than the lowest point of Death Valley. The sea is fed by the New, Whitewater, and Alamo Rivers (though just a trickle), as well as agricultural runoff, drainage systems, and creeks. Decades ago, the Sea had its heyday and was booming with tourists, fishermen, boaters, swimmers, water skiers, yacht clubs, and hotels. In time, however, the salinity of the water began killing off the fish by the millions. Also, algae blooms would boom and bust and the stench of the decaying algae would give a a sulphur (rotten egg / sewage) smell and drive tourists away. Despite all this, the Sea is still an amazing and beautiful lake and is worth preserving. Just the other day, the United State House of Representatives passed H.R. 2740, an appropriations bill in support of a federal agreement to allot $30 million for projects which would address the environmental and health crisis at the Salton Sea. While this bill still needs approval from the president before being enacted, this is some great news. #saltonsea #bombaybeach

Heavenly Swing Set

Heavenly Swing Set. Milky Way galaxy above a swingset in the water off of Bombay Beach at the Salton Sea. This art installation is in the Bombay Beach community of the Salton Sea and is the work of @ssippi on Instagram. I've been wanting to shoot the Milky Way over this swing ever since I learned about it being installed here earlier this year. This past Friday July 5th the conditions were just right: no wind, calm & reflective water, and clear skies. This is a blend of a tracked exposure of the sky and another exposure of the swing, lake, and mountains in the background. As with all my composite shots, everything is where it really was at the time. This took several hours of processing to get the colors, edges of the horizon, masking out the swing from the tracked sky exposure, and more. Exposure time for the tracked sky was 240 sec f/4 ISO 400 and the for the swing, water, and mountains in the distance, 180 sec f/4 ISO 400. Due to the 85° F temperatures, there is a bit more noise here than my recent milky way shots I've done in the mountains. The bright blob of light on the top left of the swing is due to a solar lamp mounted here. Though the lake is drying up due to famers using much more efficient crop irrigation methods (that results in much less runoff water flowing into the sea), several eccentric artists have begun flocking to the area in recent years. This is one of many fascinating art installations in the area. I've been intrigued (maybe obsessed as well) with the Salton Sea ever since I saw an exhibit about it at the San Diego Museum of Photographic Arts several years ago. The Salton Sea is a shallow, saline, endorheic rift lake located directly on the San Andreas Fault, predominantly in the U.S. state of California's Imperial and Coachella valleys. The lake occupies the lowest elevations of the Salton Sink in the Colorado Desert of Imperial and Riverside counties in Southern California. Its surface is 236.0 ft (71.9 m) below sea level as of January 2018.[1] The deepest point of the sea is 5 ft (1.5 m) higher than the lowest point of Death Valley. The sea is fed by the New, Whitewater, and Alamo Rivers (though just a trickle), as well as agricultural runoff, drainage systems, and creeks. Decades ago, the Sea had its heyday and was booming with tourists, fishermen, boaters, swimmers, water skiers, yacht clubs, and hotels. In time, however, the salinity of the water began killing off the fish by the millions. Also, algae blooms would boom and bust and the stench of the decaying algae would give a a sulphur (rotten egg / sewage) smell and drive tourists away. Despite all this, the Sea is still an amazing and beautiful lake and is worth preserving. Just the other day, the United State House of Representatives passed H.R. 2740, an appropriations bill in support of a federal agreement to allot $30 million for projects which would address the environmental and health crisis at the Salton Sea. While this bill still needs approval from the president before being enacted, this is some great news. #saltonsea #bombaybeach

Eye of the Sea

Last Friday's Sunset at Bombay Beach. I shot these last Friday (June 28, 2019) at Bombay Beach at the Salton Sea. Though not quite as amazing as the sunset the following night, this sunset certainly didn't disappoint. These are various funky and cool art installations in the area. Bombay Beach is a census-designated place (CDP) in Imperial County, California, United States. It is located on the Salton Sea 4 miles (6.4 km) west-southwest of Frink and is the lowest community in the United States, located 223 feet (68 m) below sea level. In recent years, artists have been moving in to this community and erecting art installations like the swingset in the water here. They're also doing funky and creative "renovations" to many previously-abandoned and decaying buildings nearby.

IMG_2154HiSunset at Bombay BeachRes

Last Friday's Sunset at Bombay Beach. I shot these last Friday (June 28, 2019) at Bombay Beach at the Salton Sea. Though not quite as amazing as the sunset the following night, this sunset certainly didn't disappoint. These are various funky and cool art installations in the area. Bombay Beach is a census-designated place (CDP) in Imperial County, California, United States. It is located on the Salton Sea 4 miles (6.4 km) west-southwest of Frink and is the lowest community in the United States, located 223 feet (68 m) below sea level. In recent years, artists have been moving in to this community and erecting art installations like the swingset in the water here. They're also doing funky and creative "renovations" to many previously-abandoned and decaying buildings nearby.

Lake of Fire

Where do bad folks go when they die? They don't go to heaven where the angels fly They go down to the lake of fire and fry Won't see 'em again till the fourth of July SoCal's spectacular Saturday sunset at the Salton Sea. I shot these at Bombay Beach, California during Saturday's (June 29, 2019) epic sunset. Bombay Beach is a census-designated place (CDP) in Imperial County, California, United States. It is located on the Salton Sea 4 miles (6.4 km) west-southwest of Frink and is the lowest community in the United States, located 223 feet (68 m) below sea level. In recent years, artists have been moving in to this community and erecting art installations like the swingset in the water here. They're also doing funky and creative "renovations" to many previously-abandoned and decaying buildings nearby. The boat seen in one of these photos is actually seaworthy, by the way.

Lake of Fire

Where do bad folks go when they die? They don't go to heaven where the angels fly They go down to the lake of fire and fry Won't see 'em again till the fourth of July SoCal's spectacular Saturday sunset at the Salton Sea. I shot these at Bombay Beach, California during Saturday's (June 29, 2019) epic sunset. Bombay Beach is a census-designated place (CDP) in Imperial County, California, United States. It is located on the Salton Sea 4 miles (6.4 km) west-southwest of Frink and is the lowest community in the United States, located 223 feet (68 m) below sea level. In recent years, artists have been moving in to this community and erecting art installations like the swingset in the water here. They're also doing funky and creative "renovations" to many previously-abandoned and decaying buildings nearby. The boat seen in one of these photos is actually seaworthy, by the way.

Lake of Fire

Where do bad folks go when they die? They don't go to heaven where the angels fly They go down to the lake of fire and fry Won't see 'em again till the fourth of July SoCal's spectacular Saturday sunset at the Salton Sea. I shot these at Bombay Beach, California during Saturday's (June 29, 2019) epic sunset. Bombay Beach is a census-designated place (CDP) in Imperial County, California, United States. It is located on the Salton Sea 4 miles (6.4 km) west-southwest of Frink and is the lowest community in the United States, located 223 feet (68 m) below sea level. In recent years, artists have been moving in to this community and erecting art installations like the swingset in the water here. They're also doing funky and creative "renovations" to many previously-abandoned and decaying buildings nearby. The boat seen in one of these photos is actually seaworthy, by the way.

Knock-knock-knockin' on heaven's door

Milky Way galaxy over a front door art installation in Bombay Beach at the Salton Sea. I shot this on Friday night (June 28, 2009) in Bombay Beach, California. I've been wanting to shoot the Milky Way here for some time - and finally it lined up and the sky wasn't too cloudy. The water was too choppy to do any reflection shots, so I ended up doing what you see here instead. My fairly new tracker quit working big time when I was first attempting this shot. In hindsight, it was a good thing as I was right at the 30 day return window and it was going to expire at midnight. Fortunately I initiated the return process just in time. Not being able to track, I had to make do and stack instead. I shot 11 frames with my Canon 6D and Sigma 15mm EX DG lens at 13 sec f/2.8 ISO 3200. Due to the temperature being around 90° (32° C), I knew noise would be an issue. Fortunately I was able to take care of it via stacking. The auto-align feature in Photoshop works great for the foreground, but for the milky way, I had to painstakingly align and tweak all 11 layers manually. Bombay Beach is a census-designated place (CDP) in Imperial County, California, United States. It is located on the Salton Sea 4 miles (6.4 km) west-southwest of Frink and is the lowest community in the United States, located 223 feet (68 m) below sea level. In recent years, artists have been moving in to this community and erecting art installations like this door. They're also doing funky and creative "renovations" to many previously-abandoned and decaying buildings nearby.

Swing Swang Swung Still Shiny Smooth Silky Salton Sea Saturday Sunset Serenity

This my final shot of this swingset in the three-shot series I've posted over the past few days. This art installation is in the Bombay Beach community of the Salton Sea and is the work of @ssippi on Instagram. Though the lake is drying up due to famers using much more efficient crop irrigation methods (that results in much less runoff water flowing into the sea), several eccentric artists have begun flocking to the area in recent years. This is one of many fascinating art installations in the area. I shot this with a Canon 6D and Canon 17-40mm f/4L lens on June 15, 2019. 3.2 sec f/20 ISO 50. I also used a Hoya ND8 filter. The water was dead calm this evening - making for perfect photo-ops. The Salton Sea is a shallow, saline, endorheic rift lake located directly on the San Andreas Fault, predominantly in the U.S. state of California's Imperial and Coachella valleys. Decades ago, the Sea had its heyday and was booming with tourists, fishermen, boaters, swimmers, water skiers, yacht clubs, and hotels. In time, however, the salinity of the water began killing off the fish by the millions. Also, algae blooms would boom and bust and the stench of the decaying algae would give a a sulphur (rotten egg / sewage) smell and drive tourists away. Despite all this, the Sea is still an amazing and beautiful lake and is worth preserving. Just the other day, the United State House of Representatives passed H.R. 2740, an appropriations bill in support of a federal agreement to allot $30 million for projects which would address the environmental and health crisis at the Salton Sea. While this bill still needs approval from the president before being enacted, this is some great news.

Still Shiny Smooth Silky Salton Sea Saturday Sunset Swinging

Me swinging on the swing. This is one of a few different takes I did photographing this swing in the water of the Salton Sea. More shots to come over the next several days. This art installation is in the Bombay Beach community of the Salton Sea and is the work of @ssippi on Instagram. Though the lake is drying up due to famers using much more efficient crop irrigation methods (that results in much less runoff water flowing into the sea), several eccentric artists have begun flocking to the area in recent years. This is one of many fascinating art installations in the area. I shot this with a Canon 6D and Canon 17-40mm f/4L lens on June 15, 2019. 1/320 sec f/7.1 ISO 200. The water was dead calm this evening - making for perfect photo-ops. The Salton Sea is a shallow, saline, endorheic rift lake located directly on the San Andreas Fault, predominantly in the U.S. state of California's Imperial and Coachella valleys. The lake occupies the lowest elevations of the Salton Sink in the Colorado Desert of Imperial and Riverside counties in Southern California. Its surface is 236.0 ft (71.9 m) below sea level as of January 2018.[1] The deepest point of the sea is 5 ft (1.5 m) higher than the lowest point of Death Valley. The sea is fed by the New, Whitewater, and Alamo Rivers (though just a trickle), as well as agricultural runoff, drainage systems, and creeks. Decades ago, the Sea had its heyday and was booming with tourists, fishermen, boaters, swimmers, water skiers, yacht clubs, and hotels. In time, however, the salinity of the water began killing off the fish by the millions. Also, algae blooms would boom and bust and the stench of the decaying algae would give a a sulphur (rotten egg / sewage) smell and drive tourists away. Despite all this, the Sea is still an amazing and beautiful lake and is worth preserving. There have been numerous studies and proposals to restore the lake, but no real action has actually been done. The lack of action seems odd - given that the State of California seems to be big in environmental activism.

Swing Swang Swung Salton Sea. Take 1.

This is one of a few different takes I did photographing this swing in the water of the Salton Sea. More shots to come over the next several days. This art installation is in the Bombay Beach community of the Salton Sea and is the work of @ssippi on Instagram. Though the lake is drying up due to famers using much more efficient crop irrigation methods (that result is much less runoff water flowing into the sea), several eccentric artists have begun flocking to the area in recent years. This is one of many fascinating art installations in the area. I shot this with a Canon 6D and Canon 17-40mm f/4L lens on June 15, 2019. 8 sec f/22 ISO 50 and a Hoya ND8 filter. The water was dead calm this evening - making for perfect photo-ops. The Salton Sea is a shallow, saline, endorheic rift lake located directly on the San Andreas Fault, predominantly in the U.S. state of California's Imperial and Coachella valleys. The lake occupies the lowest elevations of the Salton Sink in the Colorado Desert of Imperial and Riverside counties in Southern California. Its surface is 236.0 ft (71.9 m) below sea level as of January 2018.[1] The deepest point of the sea is 5 ft (1.5 m) higher than the lowest point of Death Valley. The sea is fed by the New, Whitewater, and Alamo Rivers (though just a trickle), as well as agricultural runoff, drainage systems, and creeks. Decades ago, the Sea had its heyday and was booming with tourists, fishermen, boaters, swimmer, water skiers, yacht clubs, and hotels. In time, however, the salinity of the water began killing off the fish by the millions. Also, algae blooms would boom and bust and the stench of the decaying algae would give a a sulphur (rotten egg / sewage) smell and drive tourists away. Despite all this, the Sea is still an amazing and beautiful lake and is worth preserving. There have been numerous studies and proposals to restore the lake, but no real action has actually been done. The lack of action seems odd - given that the State of California seems to be big in environmental activism.

Knock, knock, knockin' on Bombay Beach's Door

Sculpture depicting the front door of typical American home at Bombay Beach during a colorful sunset. The sculpture / art installation is complete with peephole, mailbox, porch light, and doorbell and is on the playa near the water at Bombay Beach on the Salton Sea. I can't find any information on this piece as of yet. Shot with a Canon 6D and Canon 17-40mm lens at 1/640 sec f/5 ISO 400 17mm on March 10, 2019.