Can the lowest spot on earth rise to the top?

On 11/11, voters will decide whether the Dead Sea will be recognized as one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature.

By SHARON UDASIN
Gliding only about 120 meters above the Dead Sea, it feels as if the the three-person propeller plane is ducking in and out of rock crevices, grassy patches and multi-colored mineral pools often overshadowed by the aquamarine sparkle of the majestically salty body.

The burnt oranges, the browns and the deep forest greens are not signs of pollution but are, rather, deposits of rusting iron and other natural resources native to the Dead Sea, according to veteran pilot Haviv.
Whizzing by Ein Gedi, Masada, date orchards and the Ein Bokek hotels – all of which look like dollhouse villages from up here – Haviv reminds The Jerusalem Post that despite everincreasing water levels in the sea’s southern portion, the Dead Sea is shrinking by an average of one meter per year.The famous body of water – the lowest place on Earth – is currently competing on behalf of Israel, the Palestinian Authority and Jordan to become one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature and is one of the remaining 28 contestants from whom the winners will emerge on November 11. Israel’s Tourism Ministry has launched an extensive marketing campaign across the globe in hopes of securing the Dead Sea’s win, and encourages supporters to send in their votes by SMS messaging the words Dead Sea in Hebrew, Arabic or English to 2244 or by visiting votedeadsea.com or new7wonders.com