They say you can't sink or swim in The Dead Sea.. just float.

They say you can't sink or swim in the Dead Sea, you can only float. And, I couldn't wait to test that theory since I am pretty good at sinking!

Floating in the Dead Sea is one of the must-do things in Jordan. Here the salt content in the water is so high that it is virtually impossible to sink, even for me… or at least that’s what I was told.

It is late afternoon as we reach the Dead Sea after a full day on the bus. As we near we  get glimpses from the bus window as we wind down toward the Sea, the lowest point on the planet.

The salt content is so strong that it stings your eyes. You can not swim in it, only float. The salinity level is 31%, about nine times higher than the oceans. It sits at 415 m below sea level.

The numerous minerals that exist in the mud of The Dead Sea make it a very sought-after beauty treatment and there is a specific regime to follow:

First:
Cover yourself in mud. There are bowls of the precious mud and a mirror so you can make sure you are suitably coated. Then bake in the sun for about 10 minutes.



















 Next... go into the sea and wash it off while you relax and float in the water. The mud should only stay on your skin a maximum of 20 minutes.

You can wash off any excess in the showers on the beach.

Alas, we excitedly planned our visit to the beach for about 8:30 right after breakfast only to be told the wind last night and in the morning was too strong and it was unsafe to enter the water. We could still do the ritual but would not be able to float in the water. We could use the showers or maybe wash off the mud in the edge but no floating.

By the way, as we packed up to leave after lunch the wind had died down and we could see people floating in the water… isn’t that just the way it usually works!   Comwee With Me as we board our bus and make our way to The Feynan Ecolodge  in the Dana Biosphere Reserve, the largest nature reserve in Jordan...