The Dead Sea

The Dead Sea

One of my favorite places we visited in Israel was the Dead Sea. It is a salt lake between Israel and the West Bank at the end of the Jordan River. This sea is called dead because fish and aquatic animals cannot survive; however, there are tiny microscopic bacteria and fungi that live there. Surprisingly, this sea is the lowest point on earth! It is over one thousand feet deep and more than eight times saltier than the ocean. This saltiness is what makes it impossible for animals to live. The Jordan River is the only water source flowing into the Dead Sea, but I’m sorry to say that it’s rapidly shrinking because the water is being diverted to irrigate the surrounding farmlands. Many people believe that the mud from the Dead Sea is healing. We had such fun covering our bodies with the blackish, mushy, ooey gooey mud. Floating around was the biggest surprise! Whatever we did we would just end up floating. It was also incredible to pick up the clumps of salt in the water and the small pieces of salt that were washed up on the shore. We even got to bring some salt and water home. This was one of my most memorable experiences in Israel that I will always remember! -Sarah in Queensland