Jordan. A Journey to the Lowest Elevation on Earth
Departing in a rental car from Amman, Jordan’s capital city, my two companions and I set out to visit the iconic Dead Sea, a place described in the writings of adventurers, philosophers, and crusaders. Although its name implies a connection with open water, the Dead Sea is a saline lake located more than 75 kilometers from the Mediterranean Sea. It is surrounded by Israel, the Israel-occupied West Bank, and Jordan. The Dead Sea’s name was first used during the Hellenistic Age (323 to 30 BC). It has also been called “Sea of Death,” “Salt Sea,” and “Sea of Lot.” Geologically speaking, the Dead Sea is at the bottom of the Jordan River Valley, formed within a graben (a downthrown block) that is associated with a transform fault between the African and Arabian crustal plates. There are several theories about how the Dead Sea formed. One suggests that the Mediterranean Sea covered the area 3.7 million years ago and that two million years ago, land between the Mediterranean Sea and a large lagoon began to rise, separating the two bodies of water.
At 365 meters below sea level, the shoreline of the Dead Sea is the lowest land elevation on Earth. Extending 50 kilometers in length (north-south) and about 15 kilometers in width, the Sea holds in excess of 151 billion liters of water. Water in the Dead Sea has salinity levels (37%) ten times greater than ocean water (3.5%) with salt distributed in concentrations that increase towards the lake’s bottom. Toxic to fish and plants, the high salinity (and density) causes swimmers to float and the water’s surface to look oily. The Dead Sea’s salt concentration is a byproduct of its geography. Freshwater enters from the Jordan River to the north and from a scattering of tributary streams and drainage from nearby wadis (river valleys). Because the area is below sea level, there is no natural river outflow. As water is lost through evaporation, salinity levels rise. Contributing to high rates of evaporation is the area’s warm climate. With temperatures that can reach 34°C and rainfall of just 50mm/year, the area surrounding the lake is classified as hot desert (BWh within the Köppen Climate Classification System). In recent years the Dead Sea has decreased in size as inflow from the Jordan River has been diverted for irrigation and other uses. At the present time the Sea’s water level is falling at about 110cm/year.
With turquoise waters and sparkling accumulations of salt, the Dead Sea has been a tourist attraction for thousands of years. Nabatean people were frequent visitors and King Herod built fortresses and palaces along the Dead Sea’s shoreline. The Romans established towns on its banks such as Engeda. The Dead Sea is mentioned in historical records of the Byzantine and Medieval periods. Long before soap was invented, the ancient Greeks and Romans used the sea’s mud to clean their bodies. On visiting the Dead Sea in 1867, humorist Mark Twain remarked, “It was the variegated villainy and novelty of it that charmed us. Salt crystals glitter in the sun about the shores of the lake. In places they coat the ground like a brilliant crust of ice.”
It has long been believed that bathing in the Dead Sea brings health benefits. Along with sodium chloride, the water contains magnesium, potassium, chloride, and bromine, antiseptic elements that are believed to be beneficial to skin ailments such as psoriasis and vitiligo. Visitors often cover their bodies with mud from the Dead Sea in an effort to absorb minerals into their skin. The mud is also thought to relieve pain associated with ailments such as osteoarthritis.
It took about an hour to drive 62 kilometers to the Dead Sea’s shoreline. With no harbor or watercraft visible, the Sea’s waters looked desolate. Arriving at Amman Tourist Beach, we entered the water and were careful not to splash or allow our faces to get wet. We were immediately aware of minor cuts and scrapes that became irritated by the water’s high salinity.
I sank my feet into mud as I waded into deeper water. A popular activity for tourists is to have a photo taken while floating and holding a newspaper. Before leaving I checked the elevation using the barometric sensor on my watch. It read: -1200 feet.
