The title “Swimming in the Dead Sea” is really a bit of a misnomer – you cannot swim. You sit in the water and “blob”. No flotation device is required.
The Dead Sea is around 30 percent salt. There are many Health benefits of not only the Salt water but also they say the air density is quite different due to being 400 metres below sea level!. It is the lowest point of the earth and not being under water.
The water feels different and the floor of the Dead sea is a bed of Salt. It is suggested that if you walk on the salt for any length of time, you do run the risk of getting cuts on the soles of your feet. Regardless, we did have shoes to get to the Sea’s edge – but quickly discarded the shoes. I would suggest using something like “Crocs” that are easy to slip on and they do not absorb the water.
We scooped up some of the salt from the bottom of the Sea and rubbed this onto our skin and this made the skin feel refreshed by getting rid of all the dead skin cells from our skin.
However, here are some warnings that you need to be aware of.
- Do not under any circumstance get water in your eyes – it will “burn” – Hence no splashing
- Be cautious if you have any cuts on any part of your body – it will sting. If you do have, you can help minimise the effect by putting a bit of vasoline on the cut, but this can become washed off and the salt will then get into the wound.
- May be a good idea not to shave for a day or so before going into the Dead Sea – just incase you nick yourself!
- Wear old bathers – the salty water will discolour whatever you are wearing!
- Make sure that you wash yourself thoroughly after swimming in the Dead Sea – The salt will penetrate your clothes – shoes etc.
Regardless of all these things to be careful about, we did thoroughly enjoy ourselves at the Dead Sea.
For more information about the Dead Sea
- 2014-03-29 – Amman to the Dead Sea
- 2014-03-30 – Dead Sea – Masada
- Dead Sea – Ein Gedi
- Dead Sea – over 400 Metres below Sea Level
- Ein Gedi – Dead Sea
- Le Meridien Hotel – Dead Sea
- McDonalds – Israel Style
- Photography Tip – Get up Early
- Qumran – Dead Sea Israel (Ruin of Qumran)
- Qumran – Dead Sea Scrolls
- Qumran – View of the Dead Sea
- Rift Valley
- Swimming in the Dead Sea – Israel