BY NINA STROCHLIC PHOTOGRAPH BY GUY DAVIES
‘ THE ONLY WAY TO GET
THERE IS BY SWIMMING.
IT’S REALLY PAINFUL BECAUSE
THE WATER IS SO SALTY.’
—Ricardo Braz
T MINUS ONE DAYHEADING TO
THE SEA
Braz spent a week
exploring the desert of
Jordan, the ruins of Petra,
and the Red Sea during
a photography workshop.
Then he and friends Vilma
Öhrman and Guy Davies
rented a car and headed
to the border with Israel.
The three waited hours
for a military drill to finish
before they could cross.
From there, a shuttle
dropped them in Jerusa-
lem, and the next morning
they headed off in another
rental car for the Dead
Sea and a small resort area
called Ein Bokek.
T MINUS ZERO DAYSESSENTIAL
PACKING LIST
The Dead Sea is nearly 10
times as salty as average
ocean water. Swimming in
the sea and exploring the
other attractions around
it require a unique set of
supplies—including some
that Braz wished he had
thought to bring.
- Swimming goggles
- Extra water
- A towel
- A drone or contact
for drone rental
- Compact down jacket
for cold desert nights
- A wide-angle lens
- Hiking boots
T MINUS ZERO HOURSREADY FOR
LAUNCH
“W e tried to take pictures
of the island from a dis-
tance, but it wasn’t even
worth it,” says Braz. After
a test flight with the
drone, the group drew
straws to decide who
would stay to operate it
(Davies) while the others
swam to the island. During
the 15-minute swim, salt
water stung the eyes and
dried the mouths of Braz
and Öhrman. Neither had
brought goggles or a bot-
tle of water. On the island,
they basked in the sun
while the drone flew over-
head, snapping photos.
A FEW YEARS AGO Ricardo Braz was scrolling through Instagram when he
spotted a picture of a tiny island made of salt in the Dead Sea. He added
it to his bucket list. In December the 24-year-old freelance photographer
traveled to Israel, borrowed a drone, and set off in search of the island.
Sea meant a swim in one of the world’s briniest bodies of water.
ISLAND IN THE SEA
JULY 2019 35