This blog is a continuation of the recent entry on the Tour of Israel in late May to early June 2014 (Read here).
*************************
A dip in the dead sea is not one of my bucket list. Still, that dip on 30 May 2014 in the saltiest natural water body in the world was considered once-in-a-life-time experience. Dead Sea is shared between Jordan and Israel. We accessed it from the Israelite territory.
We had a rather busy morning that day. After visiting Lazarus Tomb (Read here), we continued our journey to the Baptismal Site at River Jordan or Qasr el Yahud (Read here). After that, we proceeded to the Mount of Temptation (Read here) which is at Jericho (Ariha in Arabic). By the time we reached the Kalia Beach at the Dead Sea after our lunch, it was passed 2pm.
In Jordan, there is a sign board that shows the water surface level of the Dead Sea at 390 m (1,280 ft) below the sea level. However, with the annual receding rate of 110 cm which is 3.6 ft per year, the latest surface level is reckoned to be at least 430.5 m (1,412 ft) below the sea level. Some predicted that the sea will be dried up by 2050. With current global warming, this probably will come earlier rather than later!
The water surface area naturally is also shrinking fast. It has shrank by 42% since 1930 from 1,050 km2 to just 605 Km2 after 90 years.
This receding of water line is causing major problem to both amenity operators and visitors. Some hotels have to be abandoned because they have become too far away from the water edge. Nowadays, visitors have to walk much further from the car parks to reach the water body.
Mud bath in Pulau Tiga. |
No comments:
Post a Comment