THE SALTON SEA IN EARLY MARCH 2017

Met up with fellow photographers from Darkroomers Camera Club for a weekend of photography at the Salton Sea.

I opted to join a couple of others who were camping at Wiest Lake Campground, near Calipatria. There is a small lake there and hook-ups for RVs. I was tent camping and set up next to my friend Rich and four others for the weekend. I was able to join them for dinners and take advantage of their cooler RV during the day when the outside temperatures reached into the high 90’s.

Friday afternoon we had an early dinner where I contributed a much needed sharp knife and cutting board, as well as a bottle of wine. Afterwards we headed for Bombay Beach for sunset. This beach area is North of Niland on the East side of the Salton Sea. We had a lovely sunset with absolutely calm water that made a perfect mirror. It was lovely.

Salton Sea w/Sunset Sky

Enjoying The Moment

 

Salton Sea and Sky

Peaceful Reflection, Salton Sea

 Afterwards we stuck around to take a couple of night shots of a beached boat which we lit with flashlights both inside and out.

Boat and Moon

Saturday morning there was no particular sunrise color so we enjoyed a leisurely breakfast before heading off in search of burrowing owls. We found several and were able to get some nice

photos of them. We had hoped to photograph some migrating birds, but most of them had departed North about a week before we got there.

Long-billed Curlew

Afterwards we drove to see Salvation Mountain. It is located Northeast of Niland, and a few miles from the Salton Sea. The artwork is made from adobe, straw, and thousands of gallons of lead-free paint. Salvation Mountain was created by local resident Leonard Knight (1931–2014). It encompasses numerous murals and areas painted with Christian sayings and Bible verses, though its philosophy was built around the Sinner's Prayer. It was interesting to view, but not a subject for my photography.

We returned to our camp, enjoyed a light lunch, then enjoyed a nap. I went off afterwards to photograph sunset at the “Three Sisters”, three dead trees that stand out on the pan. They used to be sitting in the water of the Salton Sea.

Sunday morning I went off to photograph sunrise at Bombay Beach. Regrettably I missed the best of it due to changes in time from standard to daylight. I was able to photograph a few shore birds before returning to Wiest Lake.

 

Willet

Black-Necked Stilt

Black-Necked Stilt

Willet Pair

Great Blue Heron

After a quick breakfast, I packed up my gear and headed home via Anza-Borrego State Park where the spring flower show was in full bloom. The Spring Bloom was spectacular with lots of Desert Lilies, Verbena, Desert Sunflowers, Desert primrose, and Popcorn flower just to name a few. When I stopped and walked a short distance from the road (SR78) the air was full of the spring bloom. (Pictures will be in the next edition on Anza-Borrego. :-))

Regrettably I got caught up in the traffic in town and slowly crawled up Montezuma Valley Road to San Felipe Road. I opted to go around the congestion and went over to the Banner Grade Road, and then connected with SR79 South to I-8.
It was still worth it to see the flowers and the show that they put on. I will be going back in a week for another look and a hike up Borrego Palm Canyon.