Jordan Diaries: Chapter 3

The Dead Sea: An Enigmatic Experience

Even a one day visit to Amman dictates that you find some time to go and experience the wonder that is Dead Sea. Located 55 kms South of Amman, it is the most hyper-saline water body in the world. With salinity levels at 9.5 times higher than any ocean in the world survival of any form of life is out of question, resultantly the name - Dead Sea.

Flanked by Jordan on the east & Israel and West Bank in the west, the surface of the lake is 1412 ft below sea level, making its shores the lowest point on earth. If you have good cellular reception down there, you can literally check-in at The Lowest Point On Earth. Makes your Face Book post pretty cool and interesting!

The road leading to Dead Sea from Amman, is a highway that cuts through small villages and

Enroute to Dead Sea

agricultural farms. It isn’t as picturesque as the way to Jerash (please refer to my previous post on the site) and since it isn’t a long drive, you reach in almost no time. The Dead Sea shore is spotted with some of the best resorts and attracts a lot of tourists. The mud from the waterbody is full of rich minerals and other natural ingredients which are used in beauty products. Each resort there, sport a special Spa which are usually full the during peak seasons (Spring & Autumn). There is no reason to fret, in case you are not booked in any of the hotels to stay. Almost all of them run a special day package, which includes food and drinks and of course, VIP access to their beaches.You can also drive past these hotels and access a public beach, which is now fully developed and is a great option to access this place. The charges although is a bit exorbitant for non-arabs at JOD 20 per person, however, the facility is really well managed with enough cloakrooms, showers and sitting areas where you just sit and chill.

I had visited this place quite a few times and mostly with my friend Ahmed Emad.

Ahmed Emad

An Egyptian sales professional with a knack for classic rock music, I couldn’t have asked for a better company for most of my adventures in Jordan. I have seen many a shades of the Dead Sea over the years, however, the most profound of them all, was the first time. It was just a few hours before twilight and a fog had started setting upon the water, turning it an eerie shade of grey. The sun, on its way to call it a day, was glowing like a white hot sphere as it reflected on the water like streaks of mercury. The water was placid, like someone had hit the pause button on life. There was no wind, unlike any sea beach that I had seen before. As if the stillness of the sea had sucked the air out of that place. I just stood there, in wonder, the spectral silence engulfing everything around me.

I reached down to touch the water and as it trickled down my fingers, it left a sheen on my skin. The mystery of the water was calling me in and I had to give in to its desires. I realised that it is true that you can’t sink or drown in the Dead Sea, it is also true that you can’t swim as well, even if you wanted to. The water is so dense, that any sort of displacement is next to impossible. As you just lower yourself and lie on your back, the water almost cradles you on itself. To be honest, it was a bit unsettling at first. As you lay there, you can reach into the water and take out the mineral laden mud and slather yourself with it in abundance. It’s quite fun, however, don’t stay in for long, as the salinity of the water can dry up your skin quite quickly. DO NOT try to taste the water, it will burn your taste buds, I learnt the hard way…

What was most enigmatic in my experience was my second visit. This was during the day, when the Dead Sea was in a completely different incarnation. Never had I seen an inland water body to be so blue. Whilst the middle of the sea was almost a deep turquoise blue, the rest of the water near the shores were all shades of aqua. It was quite a stupefying experience.

A Panoramic Dead Sea

The Dead Sea is sadly in trouble now for some time. Over the years, the water has been receding and it is losing its volume rapidly. From a surface area of over 1000 Sq.Kms, back in 1930, today it stands at less than 600 Sq.Kms. Several proposals have been put in place to maintain the water level of the sea. If things don’t improve in due time, the damage will be irreversible to one of earth’s naturally formed wonders. That would be a sheer shame…

Mineral Stone Salt Rocks Salt Pebbles

#deadsea #jordan #travel #goodreads

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