Part of my short two day vacation to Indian Wells with my mom and sisters included a side trip to the Salton Sea. I spent two nights in a beautiful room at a gorgeous resort, and here I am talking about a drive to a deserted, dead, salty sea!
I had no idea that this sea was below sea level and that it sits on the San Andreas Fault. Because of the lack of fresh and circulating water, the salinity in this sea is higher than the ocean and only talapia fish can currently survive. That would explain the shoreline being littered with the stench and debris of dead fish.
Over 400 species of birds have been documented at the Salton Sea. The Sea supports 30% of the remaining population of the American White Pelican and it is also a major resting stop on the Pacific Flyway. I saw quite a few Pelicans floating on the sea with their distinctive throat pouches dangling below their bills. An employee at the Salton Sea Museum said that there have at times been over 4000 birds who land on the water. That would be a sight to behold.
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| View of the Salton Sea from inside the History Museum |
"The Mission of the Salton Sea History Museum (SSHM) is two-fold. The museum will spotlight the physical, cultural and natural history of the Salton Sea and surrounding areas. In addition we will promote available options for restoration of the historic Salton Sea that ultimately maintains both the lake and salinity levels.
The SSHM will collect, preserve, record and provide access to its historical collections. Through educational opportunities for both adults and our youth, we hope to instill a sense of pride in regional history with the ultimate goal of support for preservation. We believe this can be attained through exhibits, publications, media, programs and events.
In order to accomplish these goals volunteer support and collaboration with other private and public organizations and agencies is critical. We invite you to email us if you would like to help make the museum a success. We are looking for oral history, old newspapers from the area including the Salton Seafarer, North Shore News, Desert Barnacle and others, old photographs, memorabilia, artifacts and of course volunteers who would like to help out at the museum. And don't worry about your skill level, we can find a job that suits you."
So, if you have any interest in preserving the history, or perhaps the Salton Sea itself, the Museum would love to hear from you. I know I enjoyed my short visit to this museum and the state park located on the North Shore.
Ta Ta for now...
