We're back on our road trip through the climate crisis and on this stop there's no need for

sci-fi because we have arrived at a place that's stranger than fiction.

You are looking at a remarkable idea.

This is from an old ad called Miracle in the Desert.

An idea that has intrigued and attracted and literally thrilled

thousands upon thousands of men, women and children,

the Salton Sea. the Salton Sea.

The Salton Sea refers to both the region and a body of water in Southern California

almost to the Mexican border, that back in the 1950s and 60s was marketed as Palm Springs, but with water.

385 square miles of water formed by accident back in 1995 when the Colorado River ran wild over man-made dites.

Hollywood stars like Sunny Bono and Frank Sinatra vacationed here.

Here is truly a miracle in the desert where you can find the good life in the sun.

At the Salton Riviera, there is never a let-up in progress.

Driving up and down at the north shore of the sea, you can still see the viby old signs for beaches, hot springs, resorts, a yacht club.

But these days the businesses are long gone.

The sea itself, long fed by agricultural runoff is receding into a salty

increasingly toxic concentrate and visiting the landscape around the

Salton Sea while it feels like you're going to a different planet.

Awesome, I'm rolling.

Okay, so we're about to exit the vehicle,

which is a terrible idea because it is 111 degrees.

But we're going to look at the moving geyser.

...