How salty is it, really?

Ever drunk vodka straight? The saltiness is so extreme, it’s like that in your mouth.

I felt like, one accidental gulp of water would OD me with salt.

Know how in most oceans-seas-lakes, you run your hand along the bottom and come up with sand, or plants, or mud?

Here’s what happens when you scoop your hand along the bottom here:

Big chunks of salt.

Extreme amounts of salt coats everything, like melted wax…

Driftwood

What’s the water feel like?

It’s very warm. Interestingly, felt like a coating of olive oil covering my skin.

But every nick and scratch on my skin–previously known and unknown–began burning right away. This was some serious salt action.

There is a strong current that immediately began pulling me down shoreline.

What’s water look like?

A bright, beautiful blue in foreground with white Palestinian mountains, with magenta hues, in backdrop. A gorgeous color combination.

What If I Do Not Know How to Swim?

No problem, jump right in!

Immediately upon entering water, I was pulled upward, like a poltergeist exerting force beneath me.

With no absolutely no effort whatsoever, I was floating. Not just regular floating either. Essentially, I was floating over the sea.

Experimenting, I turned onto my stomach. In the Atlantic, I’d be paddling with arms & legs, trying to keep head above water.

Here, I did not move arms and legs one iota, yet head stayed completely above water.

I yelled out repeatedly, fascinating as it was.

The supernatural force within the water refused to let me use any force.

Left side: float; zero effort.

Right side: float; zero effort.

What if I try to force myself under, as though drowning?

Experimenting, twice regrettably–but for you good readers, a fire hose of pure salt shot directly up my nasal passage in .05 second flat.

Both times, I was literally forced back up to the water surface.

Unbelievably fascinating. But burned like heck.

Jesus probably swam here. John the Baptist lived nearby in his cave.

So much history. So powerful, the stories.

Jesus was baptized in the River Jordan just several kilometers away from where I swam.

I floated. I prayed. Through eyes burning with salt, I could still see ever so clearly…