The Dead Dead Sea

Dead Sea. February 2012

We left the club at dawn, pale red lines in the sky were already announcing the coming of the sun. Leaving  the Mediterranean coast, we climbed up to "the Jerusalem mountains" (about 700 m altitude) and went down to the Judean desert and the great rift valley. We actually drove the width of Israel, with 2 coffee breaks, 2 kayaks on the roof, and it still took about 2.5 hours. When we say we have a small country…we mean it.
Going down to the Dead Sea is a beautiful drive. Across the Judean desert, the last few rains left  hints of soft green grass covering the northern side of the hills. Down to Sea level, minus 100, minus 200, signs of the altitude lead you to the lowest place on earth, the bottom of the great rift valley. Lowest and getting lower by the year. In fact, the Dead Sea is a meter lower every year. Still beautiful turquoise water, still in a spectacular location with the walls of the rift valley closing from east and west…

The name is taken from the salinity of the water, making it impossible to for any living creature to survive in it. It's uniqueness is also it's curse. Being so fertile with phosphates, the Dead Sea is serving both, the country of Israel and Jordan, being the number one origin for export in both countries. Being such dry countries, along with drying up the sea for its minerals, we also prevent the good water of the Jordan river from arriving at the Dead Sea. The result: a drop of a meter a year in the Dead Sea level.  It is not only the Dead Sea, but it is a dying sea. It's ecological problems screaming to the sky. We might need another Sodom and Gomorra to save it.
However, still the Dead Sea is a unique place to paddle in. When the sun is out the water is a beautiful turquoise, when it is behind the clouds all is grey and in areas of shallow water it's a strange green. Layers of salt cover  the one meter drop of the previous year, enabling snow like photography.  And the high cliffs of the Judean desert are the best scenery to paddle in. Paddling in a postcard.

We paddle in the Dead Sea every year, this year along with comparatively warm weather, we also had a short shower to wash away all the salt. A perfect day in a spectacular place and back home on time for the Sabbath dinner.

Paddling the Sea of Galilee

Movie- Paddling the Sea of Galilee

Every year Optimist kayaking club goes to check the level of the Sea of Galilee. You can't feel truly an Israeli if you don't do that, it is the country's national sport in the winter. News will talk endlessly of the level of the sea, every little boy knows from an early age that it's been years that the level is too law and you don't take long showers because the Sea of Galilee will get dry. We also check the level, annually, but we just do it with our Kayaks.
Mind you…the Sea of Galilee is just a small fresh water lake, one of the rift valley's lakes that gives Israel much of our drinking water, but we like to call it 'SEA'. In a small dry country like ours it is sort of a wishful  thinking.
So, the level is high this year due to several weekends of good rains. One in which we were suppose to paddle and had to cancel.

We waited another week, and it was a cold and wet week and finally, headed north with our Kayaks. The weather was perfect, Friday was calm and warm and Saturday started with heavy eastern wind that made us change our plans. Instead of circling the Sea of Galilee all the way south, we rode the wind back to our vehicles on the other side of the sea. What an amazing weekend it was!!!

Sea of Galilee, Israel. February 2012