8 Tips for Floating in the Dead Sea
Ever wanted to float around and read a newspaper? I mean without a floatation device. You know, like those famous images…like this?
Why, to do that, you’d have to be in the Dead Sea! I mean, who wouldn’t want to just lie back in water with absolutely nothing to catch you and just bob up on the surface? I did and that nice, cool water proved to be just the remedy after an early morning hike to Masada. And you know what? It was a wild experience!
But just running and jumping straight into this turquoise, salty water won’t quite give you such an optimal Dead Sea experience… So let me give you a few tips:
Beware of Cuts
Unless you’re hankering for a nice burning sensation, be very aware of any cuts you might have. If you think about it, it’s literally like rubbing salt into a wound. While that might be awfully good for your body (maybe…), it’s not advisable unless you like being in pain!
Avoid Shaving for a Few Days Before
Shaving peels back at your skin and gives you a possibility of inadvertently cutting your skin, neither or which would bode well with all this salt! Again, to avoid a painful burning sensation, this might be in your best interest!
Just Lay Back…
When I first stepped into the Dead Sea, I had no clue what I was supposed to do. I wandered out till the water was at my neck and instinctually began treading water. But how to get from there to floating? “Just lay back,” others shouted. “Just lay back?!,” I thought to myself, “that’s crazy talk!” After all, why would I stop I treading and just lean back in water? That sounds like a death wish right there…
Finally, I put my faith in everyone’s advice and just leaned back as my arms waved around trying to keep myself afloat. And suddenly, I bobbed up and it felt like I was in some surreal lounge chair…minus the chair, that is. And you know what, it was awesome!
Don’t Dunk Your Face
Remember, you’re in one of the saltiest bodies of water in the world. You definitely do not want to get any of this stuff in your eyes or mouth (trust me, it tastes rancid).
Use Your Hands to Navigate
While floating around, you can steer by using your hands, just like you would if you were in an inner tube. Or like you’d do if you were a boat… (Think of your hands as a rudder…)
Don’t Stay in Too Long…
Your body will tell you when you’ve been in for too long, as you may notice that certain areas (like your armpits) will start to burn a little. Again, you can thank the salt…
Want to Know How Salty it is? Just Dry Off!
It doesn’t take too long to dry off in the hot Middle Eastern sun and when you do, you’ll notice something a little strange. Though the water has evaporated, most the salt has not and is left caked on your skin in these interesting little clumps. Just think, take a few dips in the Dead Sea, dry off and bam! You’re the source for your very own sea salt!
Of course, you probably don’t want to keep all this salt on you for long, so you should probably…
Shower Off Soon After Floating
The beach I went to (Ein Bokek on the Israeli side) had plenty of showers right there on the beach and I would highly suggest making good use of them. Sure it’s cool to see the salt remaining on your skin, but I doubt you’d want to wear it home!
Any Tips to Add?
Have you floated in the Dead Sea? Do you have any tips to add to this list? Leave them in the comments below!