If You Can't Scuba Dive, Might as Well Mud Dive

The torrential winter rain storms of January 17-18 cut off travel along Route 40 at a number of places. The road between Sede Boker and Mitzpe Ramon was severed by overflowing wadis in several locations and there were major floods along Nachal Paran, south of Mitzpe Ramon toward Eilat.

Route 40 between Sede Boker and Eilat

One major area of flooding was in Sede Boker, right at the entrance to Ben Gurion's desert home and his burial place overlooking the Ein Avdat Valley.

  

Flooding at Sede Boker and Ben Gurion's desert home and burial site. Note the overturned bus stop.

With the main road south to Eilat blocked for several days, tourists were forced to improvise their vacation plans.

What's a tourist to do if you can't get to Eilat?

 If you can't scuba dive, might as well mud dive. Let me tell you, that water is COLD!