Did you know that the Dead Sea is landlocked? It is a lake, and also the deepest hypersaline lake in the world. On the shoreline, you’re sub-sea at 393m below sea level.
We did what you would expect, which is jump in the sea and try to swim … but the salinity makes you just bob along. Don’t fight it. Get one of your friends to pose for the classic picture where they’re floating about reading the newspaper. We forgot to do that and the beach was steep and a bit of a faff to get out again. I took my one floaty picture of a random swimmer and jumped in.
Afterward we smeared our bodies with handfuls of therapeutic Dead Sea mud from large buckets sitting on the beach. I’m sure it was someone’s idea of a joke. It’s a demon and a half washing the dried mud off !
~ Spotted Cow
Wandering Cows 
I’ve always wanted to go… just haven’t made it there yet!
You absolutely should … put it on the bucket list!
I did not know these facts about the Dead Sea. I have heard much about the therapeutic effects, but sub-sea level??? Thanks for the lesson!
Yeah that sub-sea bit got me too when I learnt about it. Mind boggling.
Awesome Floating in the dead sea
It was indeed very cool ! You read about these things and it’s awesome when they don’t disappoint you when you turn up!
Oh the memories of the Dead Sea Mud – I was so NOT expecting it way back last century when I visited there – all I wanted to do was float – now I have two children making me promise them I will one day take them there so they can float and muddy up, lol! 🙂
I know! I wasn’t expecting the mud either. I was just curious about the floating. The kids will love it !
🙂
And it’s the most northerly point of Africa’s Great Rift too! Getting muddy looks good.
So, I did not know that about being the northernmost point of the Great Rift. Getting muddy was great fun. Getting the mud off was something else altogether !
I’d love to bob around in the Dead Sea. I’m one of those people who floats easily, so I’m usually bobbing anyway, but wonder how different it would be there?
You literally would not have to make any effort. You can get into any position and you will float. It’s not like you will feel a force pushing your legs or body up. You’re just there … high on the water. It’s bizarre.