Is it possible to drown in a salt lake? Which sea can't you drown in?

The sea is located just 10 kilometers from Jerusalem. As soon as the city ends, the road immediately begins to go sharply down. Ears are blocked often and noticeably. And it’s not surprising, because it’s phenomenal natural miracle located at more than 400 meters below sea level. It is alleged that this is the place where two continents break - Eurasia and Africa, which are moving away from each other. The Dead Sea gradually descends into the resulting fault. Its possible fate is complete disappearance.

The road to the sea runs through a real desert. We, as was said, were very lucky that there was no dry wind. According to eyewitnesses, it is then completely impossible to breathe (especially for asthmatics) from the columns of salt dust. To be honest, looking out the window of the bus at a rather bleak landscape, where only occasionally one could come across ruined Bedouins, the first thing that comes to mind is the question of what people are fighting for here. There is nothing! Jews joke that Moses led them through the desert for 40 years with one goal: to finally find a place where there is no oil.

The sea is not amazing in size. The opposite shore, which already belongs to Jordan, is clearly visible. All the infrastructure for recreation on the Dead Sea is located there; on the Israeli side there are only more or less sanitized beaches. But there is one minus in Jordan. The mud gradually hardens, there it is actually petrified. In Israel, numerous “mischievous little hands” do not allow it to freeze. The surface of the water, however, is very deceptive because of this. There are quite impressive (and in some places deep) funnels everywhere under the water. These are places where the product was recently “mined”. You can make a very serious noise. And I don’t really want to wet my face. When salt gets on the mucous membranes, it makes you laugh. You need to wash it off immediately clean water, fortunately there are enough showers on the shore.

The safest way to move through the water is to lie on your stomach and move your hands along the bottom. If your hands do not reach the bottom, then row lightly. One thing... If the bottom is far away, you will hardly be able to get back on your feet. At least it didn't work out for me. Short attempts ended in loss of coordination and salt getting into all the unwanted places. I had to row much faster to the shore, and I had to gallop along the shore to the shower at a decent pace.

Dirt is amazing and fun. According to the initiates, it is made healing by a certain archaeobacterium that has survived to this day from time immemorial. This is the only living organism found here. It spreads well and does not tug on the skin when it dries. It washes off just as well and instantly. At the same time, water lingers on the skin and resembles glycyrin. The feeling from such a SPA is amazing. It’s funny to watch how a crowd of people first concentrates on picking real poop out of the water. Then he anoints it with concentration and walks around proudly in it. And after flushing, it also strokes itself for a long time and with pleasure in all imaginable and inconceivable places. And the pleasure cannot be expressed in words!

Bathing takes place under the watchful eye of security.

"Extraction" is underway. Everything I pick up is yours! One such piece, by the way, now lives in my bathroom.

One of the most unique creations of nature is located on the border of Israel and Jordan. Perhaps in the whole world you will not find a body of water that is equally significant for the history of mankind.

Over the centuries, the Dead Sea has played a huge historical, cultural and religious role, so today it is not only popular destination for lovers beach holiday and wellness treatments.

It occupies an extremely important place on the maps of the ancient Egyptians, Arabs and Jews. In addition, numerous traditions of these peoples are associated with it. We bring to your attention the most interesting information about the Dead Sea that you may have never heard of.

Drainless salt Lake

In his book “Innocents Abroad or the Progress of the New Pilgrims,” Mark Twain described his impression of the Dead Sea: “An oppressive silence hung over him. And you involuntarily begin to think about funerals and death.”

The Dead Sea gets its grim name from its lifeless landscape and the almost complete absence of underwater organic life. The salinity level of the water here is approximately nine and a half times higher than ocean water. Neither algae, nor fish, nor other large marine life are able to survive such a colossal concentration of salt. Only at the bottom of the sea were some species of bacteria and fungi that adapted to the extreme environment discovered.

In fact, the Dead Sea is an endorheic salt marsh lake, that is, it is in no way connected by waterways with other seas and oceans and therefore has no natural drainage. As a result of intense evaporation of fresh water coming from the Jordan River and several streams, a huge amount of sodium chloride has accumulated at the bottom of the sea over many centuries.

The lowest landmass on the planet

The water level in the Dead Sea is approximately four hundred and twenty meters below sea level. Thus, the local coast is the lowest landmass on the planet. The longest Israeli highway, No. 90, crosses the entire country from the northern border with Lebanon to the southern border with Egypt, and is considered the lowest road in the world, as its section runs along the western shore of the Dead Sea. Highway 90 also has a reputation as one of the most dangerous roads in the world due to large quantity road accidents reported here.

Unique climate

Thanks to the exceptional geographical location Among desert and mountains, the Dead Sea has a unique microclimate. So, about three hundred and thirty days a year there is clear sunny weather here. The climate is characterized by low humidity and low precipitation. During the year, the temperature ranges from 15 to 38 degrees Celsius. But most importantly, this is the only place in the world where, even with prolonged exposure to the sun, you can not be afraid of sunburn thanks to natural protection from ultraviolet rays.

The Dead Sea is difficult to swim in, but you can drown

Due to the high salt content, any person will stay afloat without much effort, so the Dead Sea will certainly appeal to those who have never bothered to learn how to swim. But good swimmers should not forget that they are unlikely to be able to arrange a freestyle swim in a salty solution, since a person gets the impression that he is constantly wearing a life jacket.

The Dead Sea ranks second among Israeli bodies of water in terms of the number of deaths. It may seem strange, but the risk of drowning in the salty sea is not a fiction at all. It turns out that it is incredibly difficult for a person to move by swimming, so he can unintentionally take an uncomfortable, awkward and even dangerous position. Also, don't swallow salt water in large quantities, it can cause poisoning and lead to kidney disease.

Healing properties of the Dead Sea

Since time immemorial, people have known about the miraculous healing properties of the Dead Sea. Aristotle, Cleopatra and other great celebrities visited these lands to undergo health and rejuvenation procedures. On top of one of the rocks, above south coast The ancient fortress of Masada is located in the Dead Sea. King Herod the Great of Judea built it for himself and his family in 25 BC. King Herod loved to visit the Dead Sea area for the hot springs. He used the fortress not only as a refuge in case of danger, but also as a place of rest for soul and body.

The air of the Dead Sea is unique; it is maximally saturated with oxygen, which has a beneficial effect on mood and overall well-being. At the same time, the concentration of bromine, known for its pleasant relaxing effect and calming effect on the nervous system, exceeds the usual concentration several times. Nowadays, numerous spa centers, hotels and clinics have been built along the entire coast of the Dead Sea, where vacationers can experience the healing effects of medicinal mud, salt and local climate. Scientists, doctors and cosmetologists are studying various treatment options for skin diseases. Additionally, Dead Sea salt is a popular ingredient in many lotions and creams.

Biblical predictions

Modern scientists have tried to search in the Dead Sea area for the remains of the famous biblical cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. The exact location of the cities is now unknown, but experts have little doubt that these cities were flooded by the Dead Sea.

According to the Bible, cities were destroyed by God for the numerous sins of their inhabitants. Only the family of righteous Lot escaped punishment. The Old Testament describes how, during the departure of Lot and his family from Sodom, sulfur poured from heaven to earth. Lot and his family were forbidden to look back, but Lot's wife disobeyed, for which she was turned into a pillar of salt.

The Bible says that the water of the Dead Sea will one day become fresh. Perhaps this prophecy has already begun to come true, since, according to recent research, fresh water springs have appeared at the bottom of the Dead Sea.

Bitumen Lake

One of the ingredients that the ancient Egyptians used when embalming mummies during burial rituals was asphalt. The Egyptians mined it in the Dead Sea. The ancient Greek historian and geographer Strabo wrote about the fact that there is a lot of natural asphalt in the Dead Sea. In those days, the sea was called a bitumen lake, since asphalt was considered more important than salt.

Today, potassium carbonate continues to be mined at the Dead Sea. known to people Since ancient times, potash has been used as a fertilizer. This is a very profitable modern business.

Historical find

In 1947, a shepherd boy accidentally discovered one of the most significant archaeological finds of the 20th century, the so-called Qumran manuscripts or Dead Sea Scrolls, in a cave near the Dead Sea. Well-preserved biblical and non-biblical manuscripts have allowed scholars to adjust the historical view of religious events to take into account new data.

The water level in the Dead Sea is falling dramatically

The maximum depth of the Dead Sea is just over three hundred meters, but over the past hundred years the water level has dropped by twenty-five meters. Environmental studies show that the sea could dry up completely within fifty years if appropriate measures are not taken. In order to stop the drying process, Israel and Jordan teamed up to implement a joint project to transfer the waters of the Red Sea to the Dead Sea.

Why is it impossible to drown in the Dead Sea? and got the best answer

Answer from Lady[guru]
The water of the Dead Sea is not just salty: it is a real brine, and even stronger than the one that housewives use to pickle cucumbers; salinity Dead Sea an order of magnitude higher than any other. Of course, there is not only NaCl in the water of the Dead Sea, but a whole bunch of all sorts of things; from Dead salts The seas create unique and very expensive cosmetics and medicinal preparations.
The Dead Sea, into which the single Jordan River flows, is gradually decreasing in size: the waters of this river are actively used for domestic and industrial needs, so less and less water reaches the sea every year, and evaporation from the surface of the sea is very intense. But, of course, the complete disappearance of this unique body of water, if it happens, will take many centuries, if not millennia.
Another unusual feature of the Dead Sea: it is located 400 meters below the level of the World Ocean, which creates an increased concentration of oxygen; so the beaches are very popular place recreation - healing water and air attract both tourists and local residents(and from Jerusalem to the northern tip of the sea is only half an hour’s drive).
Bathing itself leaves unforgettable impression. The first thing that catches your eye is that 100-150 meters from the shore you can see not only the heads of the swimmers, but also the shoulders and even the upper chest. At first you think that you are in a very shallow place; but when you go into the water yourself, it turns out that already five meters away your legs don’t reach the bottom. Everything is explained very simply: the “brine” creates such a buoyant force that it is simply impossible to plunge into water even up to your neck, just as it is impossible to drown. In order to lie on the water, you do not need to make any effort at all; and it’s most comfortable to swim on your back, or more precisely, to lie with your belly up, your legs bent at the knees.
The water, by the way, is very warm: even in early November the temperature was about 30 degrees; I really don’t want to get out of the sea, but doctors do not recommend swimming for more than 15-20 minutes at a time. Swimming is also not recommended for people with certain diseases, although the Dead Sea water is healing for many diseases.

Answer from Oliya Marchenko[guru]
Because it is very salty!

Answer from Ekaterina Lomeeva[master]
Because it's so salty!!

Answer from Polina[active]
Because there is a lot of salt, and it keeps you on the surface. But if you want, you can drown :)

Answer from Jitska[guru]
The water of the Dead Sea has a very high salt content, it seems to “heavien” the water. and as we know, everything that is lighter than the mass of water is pushed out by water.

Answer from Daria[guru]
The concentration of salt is too high, so it is impossible to drown. Unless you hang a weight around your neck... then even the city will sink... but (excuse the expression)

Answer from Darya[guru]
The Dead Sea has a very high salt content, and it pushes the body to the surface! I myself was at the Dead Sea and there, if you are not thrown to the surface of the water, then rejoice!

Answer from YESS[guru]
You can only choke... and such cases have happened. But drowning, in the sense of “going under water,” is impossible, since the concentration of salts in the water of the Dead Sea is more than 30 percent. This is 10 times more than in sea ​​water. It’s even impossible to dive there, because the water pushes everyone to the surface.

Answer from Alla Nikiforenko[active]
Yes it is salty))

Answer from Maria Mikhailova[active]
There definitely were cases!!))) But you can’t drown, because it’s very salty!

Answer from Nikolai Grigorievich[guru]
The Dead Sea (Hebrew - sea of ​​salt) is a salt lake between Israel and Jordan. It is the saltiest lake in the world. The Dead Sea coast is the lowest landmass on Earth: it is 417 meters below sea level. Several dry streams and the Jordan River flow into the Dead Sea. The sea is called dead because, due to its high salt content, neither fish nor other organisms can live in it (with the exception of some types of bacteria at the mouth of the Jordan River) and therefore it is impossible to drown in it. According to the Bible, the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were located on the shores of the Dead Sea. Dead Sea - unique place on globe. Known since biblical times, it is located 417 meters below sea level Mediterranean Sea and is the lowest point on the surface of the Earth. This reservoir continues to decline today. Since the concentration of salts in it is the highest on the globe, there are no fish, no shellfish, no protozoa, no algae. But the minerals of the Dead Sea can restore youth and health to a person and have the highest therapeutic effect in the world. There is no analogue to them. Healing mud is a product of the vital activity of the only and unique representative of living beings living in a concentrated salt solution - an archaeobacterium, which has apparently been preserved from the time of the origin of life on the planet. The reserves of healing substances in the Dead Sea are inexhaustible (the weight of metal salts is about 50 billion tons, and the weight of 21 types of minerals is about 50 billion tons). The shores of the strange reservoir can also be considered dead: for a considerable distance they are covered only with a crust of dried salt, which does not allow grass and trees to grow. The age of the sea as it is now known is more than 15 thousand years.
The Dead Sea is actually called big lake, which is 76 kilometers long, up to 18 kilometers wide and maximum depth 400 meters. This body of water is part of the Great Syrian-African Rift. When the eastern mountain formations moved north 105 kilometers, the geological strata in this place formed a deep valley. The sea itself consists of two basins - the northern, with a depth of up to 185 meters, and the southern, where the average depth is only 6.5 meters. The bed for them is a two-kilometer layer of salt left after the ancient Lashon Sea finally dried up. At the bottom of the dead reservoir, in addition, there is a 100-meter sedimentary salt-mud layer. Moreover, the thickness of sediments in the south is much thicker. The smaller, southern basin is connected to the northern one through an isthmus. About three million years ago, the Mediterranean Sea stretched from the Sea of ​​Galilee 40 kilometers south, reaching the current shore of a unique dead body of water. Its level, by the way, was already about 180 meters below the level of the Mediterranean Sea. About two million years ago, this bay became an inland body of water. Its main source of nutrition was the fresh waters of the Jordan River and its tributaries, several small rivers and flood waters carrying large quantities of sand and other sediments. It was they who formed the sandy valley of the Jordan River. Now only she connected Galilee and Dead Sea. 6,000 years ago, the level of the unique reservoir dropped again, as evidenced by underwater canyons. Three thousand years later, the Dead Sea was already 360 meters below the level of the Mediterranean. And since 1950, when Jordan and Israel began to divert water from the Jordan River, the flow of fresh water into the salt lake has been reduced by half. Now the evaporation of liquid from the surface of the reservoir significantly exceeds the supply from all sources, so its level is constantly decreasing.

Answer from Yavshan Makhmudov[newbie]
Despite the fact that the density of water in the Dead Sea is 84 percent higher than the density of the human body, you can drown in it, for example, along with the ship in a locked cabin, in a crashed plane, etc. From 1947 to 2008, 159 deaths were recorded . 44 were drunk people who fell face down into the sea, and 41 people were from Russia, and 3 were from Ukraine. What is especially sad is that 64 cases involve choked children, 39 of which are helpless babies. Sometimes people drown simply because they believe that it is impossible to drown in this sea; they are called “Balakha moigzhi” - victims of delusion. Rescue services are currently operating on the beaches of Ahmbulla and Gesheta. Drownings have stopped.
We must not forget that litters of kittens and puppies have long been drowned in the Dead Sea.

Answer from Mamont X[newbie]
if you are far from the shore, you can completely drown

7 not allowed in the Dead Sea

The Dead Sea is the largest spa in the world. After a few days, the skin becomes velvety, the body becomes relaxed, and the mood becomes elevated (there is a really high content of soothing bromide in the air, which makes even hypochondriacs begin to smile). How can you resist the temptation to go for beauty and health!

But to prevent your mood from being at the Dead Sea from suddenly spoiling, you should know the rules of conduct on the local beaches and especially in the water.

So, 7 tips for those who are going to the Dead Sea.

1. Don't dive
The water contains 10 times more salt than the normal sea. One can only guess how painful it will be if water gets into your eyes. If this does happen, you need to urgently run to the nearby shower, which on official beaches is usually located right next to the water.

2. Do not swallow
According to the rules, if a person swallows water from the Dead Sea, he must immediately contact rescuers. This is, perhaps, one such place in the world where rescuers provide assistance not to those who are drowning, but to those who simply drink water.

3. Don't shave
For men, this, of course, is not applicable, since they are unlikely to dip their heads in water. But women who decide to shave their legs or, even worse, their bikini area, can pay for it with unbearable pain - any abrasion will be burned off mercilessly with salt.

4. Do not go into the water barefoot
This applies to those beaches where the coast is not sandy or muddy. Salt deposits and stones can cause those same cuts and abrasions. It is better to take closed shoes; If necessary, you can buy it here on the beach.

5. Don't enter quickly
The resistance of the water here is high, so due to inexperience, due to a frenzied approach, you can lose your balance and easily fall headlong into the water, and even make splashes, so that others will also get hurt. There is no need to go far - just lean on the water and it will pick you up.

6. Don't take silver
It will quickly turn black in salt water. By the way, it can fade even due to the high salt content in the air.

7. Don't wear a new swimsuit
The colors will wash out very quickly. After dipping, it is better to rinse your swimsuit thoroughly, otherwise it will be very difficult to remove salt stains later.

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I would like to warn you about real dangers that can completely ruin your vacation on one of the strangest and most mysterious seas on the ground.
First, I’ll tell you about the sea itself, the shore of which is 416 meters below sea level. The Jordan River flows into the Dead Sea, and it itself was not so long ago connected to the Indian Ocean. The sea is becoming shallower before our eyes and there is already serious talk about the possible death of this wonder of the world. But while the sea is alive, people enjoy relaxing on its shores. However, there are dangers for uninformed or overconfident tourists.

So, geographically the Dead Sea belongs to the basin Indian Ocean- the birthplace of many secrets, fairy tales and unsolved myths.

There are no fish in it, and there is no natural vegetation around it. Even the ultraviolet radiation of the tropical Sun loses its scorching power, allowing the most careless vacationers to sunbathe with impunity for 2-3 hours. But still, I do not advise you to take this information on faith and not tempt fate.

Protective cream, light clothing, comfortable shoes and sunglasses will not be superfluous.

For those who are planning to go to the Dead Sea even for one day, the stress on the body will be more than enough: a rather tiring swim in oily, incredibly salty water, hydrogen sulfide hot baths, radon showers, powerful mud treatments, a freshwater pool...

If the time for swimming in the Dead Sea is limited by natural fatigue, then it is advisable to control the time of hydrogen sulfide and mud baths using a clock that is posted everywhere. The usual recommendations for healthy people with a healthy heart are no more than 10-15 minutes for each procedure.

Older people, of course, cannot do without a doctor’s advice. Experience shows that moderate procedures are so life-giving that you will remain in great shape for a long time. Overdoing it with procedures in order to “accumulate life-giving force” guarantees you subsequent discomfort - heaviness, headache and other “delights” of excess.

I advise those people who have skin problems to stay at the Dead Sea for more than one day. For young and energetic people, a one-day trip will be enough - on the second day you will simply be bored. There are many other places in Israel that are also a must-see!

Now for tips on safety precautions!
Nothing is so cheap and nothing is so valuable as good advice. I would like to warn about real dangers that can seriously ruin the holiday for both the vacationer and the surrounding public. Safety precautions are simple and can be outlined in several points.

1. The sea constantly recedes, leaving behind strips of shifting mud covered with a deceptively hard crust. Walk only on marked paths so as not to fall into a black mess.

2. The water in the Dead Sea is extremely caustic. Swim so that splashes do not get into your eyes or those around you. The consequences of this are very painful and traumatic.

3. If trouble happens and water gets into your eyes (the sensation is very unpleasant), immediately rinse them in fresh water, the taps of which are located near the shore. By the way, this is one of the reasons not to swim far.

4. The statement that you cannot drown in the Dead Sea due to the high density of water is a myth. Otherwise, what would the rescuers with binoculars on the tower do?

5. The time of mud procedures and radon baths should be dosed - 10-15 minutes for each procedure. Instructions in 4 languages, including Russian, are posted everywhere. The clock too.

6. If you are committed extreme tourism, then be very careful when walking from the highway to the shore. The retreating sea leaves behind voids covered with an outwardly hard crust. Don't tempt fate, don't walk through a minefield! Only on official beaches can you feel safe. Be sure to take a decent supply of water - both for drinking plenty and for a generous shower after swimming.

7. And the last thing - for those who came to one day excursion. Having received the number with the key to the locker, put it on your wrist and do not take it off - neither in water nor on land. Its loss can overshadow a serene holiday and deprive everyone of the charm that this grandiose wonder of the world gives everyone.