Treasure In The Majave Dessert

It may sound crazy that an oceangoing ship sunk 160 kilometers (100 mi) inland of the Pacific Ocean-in the Mojave Dessert no less-but if it is true, there are millions of dollars' worth of pearls in the Salton Sea.

Experts believe a large tide from the Gulf of California collided with runoff from the Colorado River. Enough water runoff developed that the ship (presumed to be Spanish) was carried into the Salton Sea. The ship would have been forgotten forever if it weren't for the abundance of pearls on board.

Surprisingly, there is a twist to the story. In 1870, the Los Angeles Star produced a story about a man named Charley Clusker who went out in search of the ship and actually found the treasure. But since the date the story ran, no other mention of Clusker or the ship he "found" has been dug up, leading many people to believe the ship and its pearls are still out there.