The Sea of Galilee

The Sea of Galilee, also known as Lake Gennesaret, and called Kinnerat today, is a large, freshwater lake that sits about 675 feet below sea level.  It is the largest fresh water lake below sea level in the world.  It is about 13 miles long, and 8 miles wide, and is bordered by Israel on the North, West, and South, and the Golan Heights on the east.  Underground springs, and the Jordan River, flowing into it from the north provide its source of water; and the Jordan River then flows out of the southern end, providing irrigation to farmland, and water to the country of Jordan.  Due to drought conditions that began in 2013, in 2018 the water level in the lake is expected to reach its lowest point since 1926.

Much of the ministry of Jesus occurred around, and on, the Sea of Galilee.  Including Jesus (and Peter) walking on the water, Jesus calming the storm, and Jesus directing the disciples where to fish after his resurrection.

While we were there, the lake was very calm and peaceful.  It was almost difficult to imagine a storm similar to the ones described in the first two examples above.  However, as you'll see in a couple of photos below, There is a deep valley on the northwest edge of the lake, with Mount Arbel on one side.  That valley essentially runs out to the Mediterranean Sea.  Storms from the Mediterranean can funnel down this valley bringing high winds and rain and causing the waters of the lake to change from calm to stormy very quickly.

A calm and peaceful Sea of Galilee

In the background is the hillside where many historians believe Jesus preached the Sermon on the Mount.  The large grey area is banana orchards covered by a sun shade.  Just above that is a white building with a green roof.  That is a Roman Catholic Franciscan chapel.

The city of Tiberias, located on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee has a little over 40,000 residents.

Taken from the Mount of Beatitudes, you can see Mount Arbel on the left, and the valley that can bring storms from the Mediterranean into Galilee.

Another view of Mount Arbel, on the left, from out on the Sea of Galilee.

Discovered in 1986, the remains of this fishing boat have been dated back to between 50 BCE and 50 CE based on a cooking pot found in the boat, the nails used in the boat, and radiocarbon dating.

The boat is 27 feet long, 7 1/2 feet wide, and made up of ten different types of wood.  Archaeologists suggest the boat could have been made during a wood shortage, or made of scrap pieces, or repaired and patched numerous times using different wood.

A model of what the fishing boat would have looked like.