The Other Sea

I recently took you south to Masada in our Israel journey. As you travel south from Jerusalem along Highway 90 toward Masada you drive along a sea. This time, it's not one of my favorite seas, definitely not the Sea of Galilee or the beautiful Mediterranean. It is a very interesting sea with its own kind of beauty, a sea in which nothing can live, a sea where a person can not sink when swimming and a sea that can be very toxic if the water is swallowed. It is a fascinating place! It is the Dead Sea.

The Dead Sea lies 1328 fleet below sea level, the lowest spot on earth within a land mass. It is bordered  by Israel on the west and Jordan on the

A View the Dead Sea from the Top of Masada

east and is one of the saltiest bodies of water on the earth at 33.7% salinity. It's main tributary is the Jordan River and it receives a scant 4 inches
of rain a year. More water evaporates from the Dead Sea each year than it receives; it continues to increase in salinity and is receding from its banks. This is being accelerated because of the diversion of water from the Jordan River causing the sea to not only become smaller in size, but also causing giant sink holes to form along its edge which can be very dangerous in places as well as creating other ecological problems.

The Dead Sea begins at the south end of the Jordan river near Jericho and extends south to Masada. The area along the sea is sparsely populated, with a few small towns (the largest of which is Ein Gedi) and resorts and mineral spas used for health treatments and cosmetic purposes. There are also beaches where one can go to bathe in the water, sometimes after slathering oneself entirely with black mud before entering the sea: this is reported to be very good for the skin. There are also a few nature reserves in the area containing oasis with springs and interesting plant and animal life. Potash (used in fertilizer) and Bromine are several products of the sea and tar was often mined from it by the ancients, particularly the Egyptians who used it in mummification.

Looking Down the Ein Gedi Beach Across to the Hills of Jordan.

            The Dead Sea,
            where everyone
        floats and black mud
             is the fashion.
     (I just don't get the mud!)

Crystals of salts and other minerals line the shores of the sea.

Giant caves were a refuge for David as well as the
hiding place of the Dead Sea Scrolls.

There are also areas of historical significance the area. The traditional baptismal site of Jesus is along the Jordan River just north of the sea. The Judean Desert and its many caves around the sea was a haven for David as he sought refuge from his enemies. Other prominent sites are Ein Gedi, the Qumran Caves – where the Dead Sea  and other Scrolls were found – and, of course, Masada, of which I spoke in my last post. Also, research has shown that the remains of the Sodom and Gomorrah, destroyed by God's  judgement more than likely lie below the sea (Genesis 18 and 19).

It's a place like no other on earth - fascinating!

The shores of the Dead Sea are sparsely populated.