The Dead Sea


	The Dead Sea is the deepest (dry) spot on Earth, 400m below sea level on the floor of the Great Rift Valley that runs from Turkey right down into central Africa. To get to it, we drove steadily down hill from Beersheeva, throught the Arid sandstone of the Megev Desert, along the side of a deep Wadi and past signs showing how far we were below sea level. Originally one large expanse of water, use of water from the Sea of Galilea for irrigation has reduced the flow of the River Jordan, and the level of the Dead Sea is dropping. There are now two distinct bodies of water. There are plans to pipe sea water from the Mediterranean to refill the Dead Sea.
We stopped at the major tourist complex, Ein Bokek, with many hotels and beaches. Before we even stopped, we got a feel for what was ahead of us for the week, as Hermann explained that we had just 65 minutes in which to fit in lunch and, if we wanted to, a dip in the Dead Sea. Sitting in the front of the bus, we were almost first in the restaurant, so just about fitted everything in. Those further back in the queue has more of a problem. We forgot to bring towels, but that was only a problem in financial terms. Towels and soap were readily available and not too expensive, so we really didn't have any excuse for not going in.
	Floating in the Dead Sea is a strange experience. Not only is it impossible to sink, it is also quite difficult to stand once floating. What gives the Dead Sea is buoyancy is a mix of salts which combine to make the water feel somewhat oily and caustic. Any open cuts or grazes sting like the devil and men are advised not to shave before bathing. (Guess who didn't read the instructions!). The feeling on the face is similar to after-shave but doesn't stop. Bathing in the Dead Sea is supposed to be healthy, but there is a long list of health warnings. Contact with the eyes causes stinging and swallowing the water induces vomiting. Last and by no means least, the Dead Sea smells. The shower on the beach is not a luxury. A fresh water shower is an absolute necessity.
Judging by the number of hotels, tourism to Ein Bokek is booming. The location, between the Dead Sea and shear cliff walls of the Rift Valley is impressive, but not particularly attractive. The weather varies between hot and unbearable. When we were there, it was just above hot. The depth below sea level, together with the amount of water vapour in the atmosphere results in a permanent haze which helps reduce sun burn.
	The choice of Ein Bokek as the site for the resort is almost certainly the result of the availability of fresh water, which means that the town is like an oasis in the Negev. There are palm trees on and around the beach areas, and plenty of other vegetation, providing welcome shade around the restaurants and cafes.
After our brief stop at Ein Bokek we were herded back onto the bus for the short drive to the citadel of Masada, where we stopped and took a cable car up to visit the ruins. The top photograph looking down on the Dead Sea was taken from the citadel. Then we traveled North along the Western shore of the Dead Sea, with a varied landscape of shallow sandy slopes and more impressive cliffs down to the water's edge with its border of salts.
	Just before turning West to head up towards Jerusalem, we stopped briefly at Qumran to look at the caves where the Dead Sea scrolls were found by a Bedouin shepherd boy searching for a lost goat. Extremely well preserved because of the dry climate, and sealed in earthenware jars, the scrolls provide valuable confirmation of the accuracy of modern versions of the Old Testament. They include the complete book of Isaiah which is unchanged in 2000 years. The caves are high in the cliffs and difficult to access. We just had the opportunity to look from the side of the road.
Despite the number of visitors to Israel, there were no other coaches at Qumran and the road along the side of the Dead Sea was free of traffic. This photo shows just some of the CTO tour members taking advantage of the stop. It was the end of the very long day, so others chose to stay on the bus.
	Across the Dead Sea we were able to see the mountains of Edom on the Jordanian side. Looking South along the shore of the Dead Sea it was hard to realise that everything, including the tops of the cliffs is well below sea level.