Salton Sea – Abandoned North Shore Beach & Yacht Club
ByA quick tour of the abandoned North Shore Yacht Club at the Salton Sea in the middle of the desert in California. Bask in its glory. The North Shore Yacht Club is an historically significant–not to mention architecturally significant–part of California’s legacy. The North Shore Yacht club was the whimsical design of noted architect Albert Frey, who just happened to be a resident of the Coachella Valley. Completed in 1958 by developers Ray Ryan and Trav Rogers, North Shore Beach Yacht Club was one of the largest marinas in Southern California and carried a price tag of million. Celebrities like The Beach Boys, Jerry Lewis, and the Marx Brothers partied there and / or docked boats at the marina. Renovation of the old Yacht Club on the North Shore of the Salton Sea; the Albert Frey building will be restored and turned into a community center and child care facility. The .5 million project will create 80 construction jobs. This location is featured in the video Swing Out Sister – Fooled By A Smile The Salton Sea was recently featured on Life After People on the History Channel. I have several hundred Salton Sea photos – including many of what is seen in this video – on my Flickr page at www.flickr.com
26 Comments
February 6th, 2010 at 7:50 am
Yeah, it’s a pity. Frey would have gotten a big kick out of it. He almost lived long enough to see it, too.
One of the home magazines did a piece about a couple who bought one of his fifties houses in Palm Springs, and hired him, at ninety-something, to restore it. The magazine showed him standing on his head, which was part of his fitness routine.
February 7th, 2010 at 5:53 am
Indeed. I’ll have to look up that house that you mentioned. It sounds like Mr. Frey would be very happy to know that the Yacht Club is being restored to its original appearance: bare cinder block walls, suspended staircase, etc. The East Valley Historical Society seems to be doing a good job of restoring the place.
February 11th, 2010 at 1:08 am
The showed this city on the TV show Life After People.
February 12th, 2010 at 9:15 am
Very cool. Someone else told me about that show the other day. I’m going to have to check it out now.
February 20th, 2010 at 3:59 am
@slworking2 My grandpa went to the salton sea in the 1950′s as a kid he explaned how the place used to be so great with the beaches he said the vacation home he was at was great nad he got to eat in one of the yacht clubs
February 20th, 2010 at 6:05 am
1Historygenius: Cool. There were grand plans for the Salton Sea back in that day and age. It was to become the next Palm Springs – then things suddenly starting going downhill.
You’ll be happy to know that the North Shore Yacht Club has undergone a major renovation and will be reopening as a museum and community center sometime in March. More info and lots of photos at saltonseamuseum (dot) org
February 21st, 2010 at 5:53 pm
I haven’t been by the Salton Sea since about 1985, shortly after the place had a big flood, I think. It has such a mysterious aura about it. I’ve heard stories about how there’s a volcano underneath the Salton Sink, and that’s why the area has had such bizarre occurrences. Many, many interesting stories about the area. I simply must visit in the spring to see the restored yacht club. It’s a little too hot in the summer for my taste.
February 22nd, 2010 at 8:04 am
kraftymomma1979: I just started exploring the Salton Sea a couple of years ago. I saw a photo exhibit of the Salton Sea at the San Diego Museum of Photographic Arts several years ago – and just had to go see the place someday. There is a lot of seismic activity at the Salton Sea, indeed. Small earthquakes very frequently. Have you checked out the mud pots (see my other videos)? I’ll be visiting the Sea again at the end of March and will shoot some videos of the renovated yacht club and more.
February 22nd, 2010 at 8:10 am
And… as for it being too hot in the summer… maybe the lake will get cleaned up and made inviting to swim in again someday….
February 22nd, 2010 at 2:45 pm
I heard they closed the beaches. How does one close a beach? Yes, I saw the mud pots! Fascinating phenomenon…
February 24th, 2010 at 9:20 am
Most of the marinas have been closed, but one can still freely wander around on the beach. The beaches aren’t your typical sandy beaches – most of the “sand” these days is actually barnacle shells and crushed fish bones. One definitely doesn’t want to walk around barefoot here.
February 24th, 2010 at 2:37 pm
If there were more people walking around, it would help with the shells and bones. Is it still okay to swim? I remember being there in June. The sky was beautiful, and the beach was radiant. When I stepped onto the sand, I could feel a surge of heat through my flipflops. I’ll never forget how warm the water was. My ex swam all over the place. I basically waded that time, and the water felt really soothing. I hope to visit again soon.
February 27th, 2010 at 7:55 am
kraftymomma1979: True. I’ve heard that it is technically still safe to swim in the water – despite the sulfur odor. I plan on visiting and camping here again during the full moon at the end of March.
March 22nd, 2010 at 4:11 am
I like the palm trees
March 23rd, 2010 at 8:41 am
@jenkmesser Thanks. Surreal, aren’t they?
March 26th, 2010 at 1:53 am
I say turn all those old buildings into prisons and move all the illegal alien prisoners and all the convicted child molesters there.
March 26th, 2010 at 5:54 am
@icthruu4evr LOL.
March 26th, 2010 at 6:00 am
and no air conditioning!
March 26th, 2010 at 6:01 am
If they want to cool off they can blow (on)each other…which they, no doubt, do anyways….buncha putos.
April 7th, 2010 at 9:06 am
@icthruu4evr This place has been fully restored now, so they’ll have to move them to Bombay Beach or Salton Sea Beach instead.
April 7th, 2010 at 5:52 pm
Just spent the weekend at the salton Sea and it was very nice and peaceful. I did stop by the Yacht Club on the way out and WOW! Its really nice now. Complete restored
April 14th, 2010 at 7:22 am
@DutchSD Indeed. The renovation job was very well done. I’m going to be attending the grand opening on May 1st.
May 14th, 2010 at 5:48 pm
The Salton Sea is one of a kind.
May 30th, 2010 at 11:55 pm
@votejello You can say that again. I’ve never seen anything like it.
June 8th, 2010 at 9:37 am
It would appear that HUMANS have been here !!!
December 10th, 2011 at 10:42 am
hello slworking2,
searching for salton sea beach i found your fotos and videos and if I understand it right, you are from that area although bombay beach, or?
I accidentally happenend to be in salton sea beach at the end of october and it really fascinated me. I would really like to get more information about life in that place.
Would you be able to give me more information via email as I am living far away?
my email adress ukbruer@web.de. I am looking forward to your answer.
thanx
ulrike