The Hindu Business Line : Floating on the Dead Sea

The Judean Desert on the Israeli side of the Dead Sea is a geological wonder; there are no sand dunes but the terrain comprises rocky flats, craggy weather-beaten mountains and deep canyons.

There were a lot of misgivings about our safari into the Judean Desert on the Israeli side of the Dead Sea. Not only was the weather hot and oppressive but, to make matters worse, we found ourselves climbing into a ramshackle old jeep; one that did not even have a windscreen. But our guide, Allan Levine, assured us that this was the best way to experience the desert which was located on the lowest spot on earth, over 1,000 ft below sea level. And sure enough, we could feel its dry hot breath as we set out on the adventure, rattling over bumpy unmarked trails across the grim dessert sands.

All apprehensions were soon dispelled when the desert started to reveal its many wonders. Instead of sand dunes, the terrain comprised rocky flats, craggy weather-beaten mountains and deep canyons. The only relief in the monochromatic canvas, painted in all the subtle shades of white-brown, was the occasional sprout of green shrubs and the arch of deep blue sky above.

As the 4-WD jeep lurched towards the desolate mountains, it was hard to imagine that any form of life could survive on this hostile terrain. Yet, ever so often, we would see the pugmarks of wild animals: mountain goats, rock hyrax, lizard, oryx and even leopards that eked out an existence in this desert. Of course, during the blistering heat of the day, most creatures hid in underground burrows or shaded spots, venturing out only during the cool of the night.

But more than just the miracle of life that survived on this unfriendly yet beautiful land, the seemingly barren wilderness was a geological wonderland that served as the setting of events which shaped civilisation. "The desert is a very spiritual place," Allan observes. Jesus, Moses and many of the prophets of the Old Testament, as also Prophet Mohammed, sought the sanctuary of these forbidding realms to communicate with the creator before taking His message to the people.

"Apart from the sense of solitude, space and serenity, I think it has to do with the fact that the ecosystem in a desert is so fragile and precious and yet so resilient that it makes you appreciate life rather than take it for granted," says Allan.

Soon we pulled up at Mt Sodom and under the shade of the salt mountain Allan explained how salt, which was used to store food, shaped the social structure of primitive man. Ever since its discovery, the emphasis shifted from communal living and sharing (for meat had to be consumed before it would spoil) to the individual who could now preserve his wealth (food) for lean times. Not surprisingly, the bleak desert became a significant mining and trading outpost around which the people who controlled the salt deposits must have built big cities. And these ancient cities even had air-conditioning.

Allan led us to the mouth of a small shaft that was washed by a blast of cold air; a phenomenon that is created when the salt mountain absorbs whatever little moisture there is in the air, resulting in a drop in temperatures. And cold air, being denser than the hot air outside, rushes through the cavern creating a cooling wind tunnel like effect.

We emerged from the mountainous region and drove across a flat rocky plain devoid of any notable features till we came upon a fence that protected a deep, gaping hole in the land. Here Allan picked up an innocuous looking desert plant and wowed us by sprinkling a little water on its seed. What we saw was not a slow-motion take from a movie; the plant literally started to germinate right before our eyes! The harsh desert conditions called for desperate measures and the seed literally sprang to life in a desperate bid to take root before its precious source of water dried out.

There was more evidence of life right under our feet for we were standing upon the bed of an enormous inland sea that, eons ago, flooded the area. The ground beneath us comprised layers of organic sedimentation of the marine life that thrived in these waters for millions of years. On closer examination, we could detect the fossilised remains of bones and even the heads of the last layer of fish that died when the sea eventually dried out.

Occasionally a few fish still reappear in pools of water that collect across the desert after a rain shower. The answer to this miraculous manifestation of life, according to Allan, is that migratory water birds that stop by to cool off in the puddles, seed them through their droppings which contain the roe of fish they consumed in waters elsewhere.

The rains also cause flash floods that carve out deep canyons or wadis across the desert floor. We descended into one of these narrow twisting gullies and pulled up at the mouth of a large cavern. Here we followed our guide in single file into the pitch-black tunnel that led to the very same chasm that we had been looking down a little while ago.

By the time we re-emerged, the wadi was aglow in the warm rays of the setting sun. We drove back to the hotel on the shore of the Dead Sea. That evening we sat at the water's edge, happy and content that we had not only floated upon the waters of the Dead Sea but also discovered a living desert.

Picture by the author

Fact file

How to get there: El Al operates two flights a week between Mumbai and Ben Gurion International Airport that lies between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. The drive down from Jerusalem to the Dead Sea is about two hours.

How to get around: Desert safaris are of two, four and eight-hour durations. They start at the many hotels that line the banks of the Dead Sea.

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