The Sea Is Alive With Bodies Floating
Written: Apr 16 '01
|
Product Rating:
|
|
|
Pros: scenic, calm beautiful water, perfect for swimming or floating
Cons: can get sunburnt without realizing it, salty water burns eyes, very rocky
The Bottom Line: One of the most enjoyable afternoons of my life, I spent four hours swimming in the Dead Sea. If I could have stayed I would still be there now.
|
|
|
| quasar's Full Review: The Dead Sea |
Last week I wrote a review of Tiberias, a small town along the Sea of Galilee my friend and I stopped at on our trip to Israel last year (see http://quasar.epinions.com/content_17477045892). I had so much fun recounting our trip that I decided to continue with our next destination, the Dead Sea.
We spent our morning at Tiberias, then drove south to the Dead Sea. We had a mostly uneventful drive (aside from taking a wrong turn and almost ending up in Jordan) and arrived at the northern part of the western shore of the Dead Sea around one in the afternoon. We stopped at the first little road past the turnoff to Jerusalem and paid 20 shekels each (about $5 US each) to get on the beach. Inside we found facilities where we could change into our bathing suits. Within minutes we were ready to enjoy sun, sand, and water.
The first thing that struck me was how white the sand was. I can't remember ever seeing sand that white, not even on the white sand beaches in Hawaii. Then I stepped on the sand and realized just how hot it was. I hightailed it over toward the water pronto before I burned my feet. Marci was slightly behind me; she had been sensible and left her shoes on. By the time we neared the water mud and rocks were mixed in with the sand. There were plastic patio chairs strewn all over provided by the beach management. We claimed two of them very close to the water and I asked Marci if she wanted me to wait for her. Bless her, she could tell I was itching to get in the water and sent me ahead.
The area reserved for getting in and out of the sea was very rocky. In fact, most of the shoreline just at the point where the water starts is rocky. They provide a ladder to get in and out of the water. As I stepped down I was met with cool but not cold water. It felt just like normal ocean water to me; I didn't feel particularly buoyant. The water at this point was about knee to thigh high (I am 5'6" if you need a reference point.
I started to swim away from the dock area and noticed that the sea floor was composed mostly of rocks, some of them large enough to break the surface. Swimming near shore was like navigating an obstacle course.
As I got farther out, I was amazed by how easy it was to swim. A good deal of my body stayed underwater as I swam, and I could swim fully underwater without difficulty. Floating in the Dead Sea didn't seem any easier than in any other body of water (but I never have any trouble floating). The only times I even noticed the salt were when I accidentally tasted some of the water and when I rubbed my eyes. It was definitely the saltiest water I have ever tasted, and my eyes stung for several minutes.
I looked around and noticed that most people were indeed floating and not swimming. I don't know if that was because you are supposed to float when you go to the Dead Sea, whether these were people who didn't know how to swim but still wanted to experience the water, or if other people had more trouble swimming than I did.
The Dead Sea is long and narrow - when standing on the long side (water going north-south) you can easily see the other side even from the shore. I found myself not wanting to leave the water, and I was seriously tempted to swim to the other side. I am an excellent swimmer and it looked close enough to manage. Had I been alone I might very well have given in to temptation. But Marci had long ago decided to get out of the water, and even though she was happily sitting on the shore reading on her Palm, I felt guilty. I kept swimming back near shore to chat for a minute as I floated near her. She kept insisting I stay in the water as long as I wanted. If I'd listened I'd still be there today. After four of the most enjoyable hours of my life, I finally made myself get out of the water.
There were several faucets and shower spray stations on the beach near the exit to clean sand and grime off of swimmers. I used one on the way out. There was also a small snack bar and gift shop. We picked up some postcards of swimmers wearing Dead Sea mud. We used the facilities near the entrance to change back to street clothes then headed off to Jerusalem.
One last note - the water is so soothing that you probably will not be able to judge how much sun you are getting or just how burnt you are getting. I know I couldn't. The sun is strong. Wear sunscreen. My four hours of frolicking earned me the worst sunburn I have ever had in my life.
Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Families
Best Time to Travel Here: Mar - May
|
|
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.