Salton Sea

Centuries ago the Gulf of Baja extended all of the way up to what is now the Cochella Valley of California. Silt from the Colorado River slowly created a natural dam creating an inland sea.

Over the years, the water has evaporated way down, creating the Imperial Valley (a major source of fresh produce) and the Salton Sea. Because it is landlocked, the Salton Sea is significantly more salty than the regular ocean. The beaches and rocks along the shoreline become encrusted with layers of salt.

You can see some rocks and pilings in the water near the shore that are salt-encrusted.