June 2, 2008

Spiral Jetty



On Saturday my brother Marc decided that we should venture out to see Spiral Jetty, the great work of natural art on the northern shore of the Great Salt Lake by Robert Smithson. Only a few of us were up for it - Stephen, my mom and I, but it was absolutely worth the trek.

The terrain surrounding us was otherworldly. Salty. Crusty. Flaky. Like those rock candies that you used to form on strings as a kid.



Spiral Jetty itself was built by Smithson in 1970. He used mud, salt crystals, basalt rocks, earth, and water to create this huge spiral out into the water of the Great Salt Lake. It is about 1500 feet long.





Here is Marc standing in the middle.



We romped all around. I found a lot of mud. Mud that was green-blue - almost the color of jade. I rubbed it all over me. And then we decided to swim. The Great Salt Lake is 27% salinity - much saltier than sea water. You float. That is all. It is also extremely shallow and we waded out forever before there was room to swim underneath us.



My gorgeous mother.





Stephen posing.

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