During our trip to Israel, I took the free-at-the-time hostages to the dead sea. Technically a lake, the Dead Sea is the lowest place on dry land. It is also one of the saltiest lakes in the world. Thanks to human intervention it is also dying, shrinking at a rate of about 3 feet a year. As the water recede, giant sinkholes form in its wake forcing roads and businesses to close. Some say that without intervention, the lake will be gone by 2050. The Hebrew word for sinkholes can be translated as ‘swallowers’, which is both comical and terrifying. You can find more information and some stunning photos of the sinkholes here. and in the short video below illustrating how these swallowers are formed. Looking at the photo above, one would never guess the dangers that lie below the surface.
If you enjoyed this post, please follow us. You can like our Facebook page, share on your favourite social media page, or drop us a line to tell us about your experiences. When you shop via our affiliate links, shop on Amazon.com in the United States, or Amazon.ca in Canada, and as Amazon Associates we earn from qualifying purchases.
that is terrifying and I so hope we act now to turn it around
It really is! We walked around very gingerly hoping we won’t get swallowed. I really hope that there is a meaningful intervention that will reverse this. It’s such a beautiful place!
that was a fascinating video about the sinkholes. It’s also sad to see what is happening to the Dead Sea. It’s such a big part of history…
It is such a simple and frightening explanation to this phenomenon. So many of this region’s conflicts and strifes were shaped by water, or lack thereof. I hope it can be rectified.
I do too…
How sad and frightening. Here’s hoping something can be done before it is lost!
And before it swallows more of the landscape!
Great information, Margie. The time lapse photography is remarkable. I’m sending the video to my brothers as I know they are all interested in issues such as this.
Thanks, Pete! I’d be interested to hear their thoughts!
My oldest brother already responded and appreciated that I sent it to him. He’s got the scientific gene, and I knew he’d appreciate it. I may have mentioned him before to you. He’s the vice-president of the North American Butterfly Association. In a normal year, he’d be down in Mexico or Central America chasing butterflies around to photograph them right now.
Very cool! Also, I think that being the vice-president of a butterfly association is the coolest thing in the world. Well, the second coolest after the president 🙂
Fascinating. I wonder if there is some relationship, structurally, but of course not from salt, to the way quicksand forms.
It’s a good question, but I don’t know the answer to that. I was wondering how other sinkholes are formed in the absence of salt. Time to Google!
This takes me back to my visit to the Dead Sea in 2010. I collected some water and salt crystals as a souvenir.
Good souvenirs! I love how the salt crystallized on the rocks !
I’ve been hearing about the Dead Sea since my elementary school years. Never been to Israel, but I want to go just to float in the sea! Thanks for sharing this beauty and natural phenomenon on Earth. 🙂
I hope you get to go! Not just to the Dead Sea, but to other parts of the country. There is so much to see and do there, it will give you blogging material until the end of times 🙂
I’d love to visit the Dead Sea someday. I guess I should prioritize this since the water is receding.
Good point! Well, you have until about 2050 unless they do something about it. Some of the best hiking if you manage not to get swallowed 🙂
This is indeed such a devastating situation. I know a lot of people in Israel are trying to solve it, but too many factors are involved. All kinds of solutions were offered, and none came to fruition. Sad… 🙁
It really is very sad. It’s especially jarring for those of us who remember what it looked like before. Really hoping that there is a solution soon!