The above photo was taken in May 2005 in the immediate vicinity (probably within 100 yards) of the suspect Ark site. However, I did not have GPS equipment with me at time, so the position was estimated based on the direction of the salt marsh (Mallahet Ugret Selima) in the background.
ABOVE CIRCLED IN RED IS APPROXIMATELY 31 DEGREES 9 MINUTES NORTH, 33 DEGRESS 4 MINUTES EAST (GOOGLE MAPS). THIS IS WHERE MY SEARCH FOR THE ARK BEGAN. THERE IS COMMERCIAL SALT EXTRACTION NEARBY, AND THE ROAD NETWORK IN THE AREA HAS RECENTLY BEEN BUILT UP.
ABOVE: CIRCLED AREA IS APPROXIMATELY 31 DEGREES 9 MINUTES NORTH, 33 DEGRESS 4 MINUTES EAST (GOOGLE MAPS). BODY OF WATER LABELED SHAMAL SINA (meaning North Sinai) IS ACTUALLY THE SALT MARSH "UGRET SELIMA." SHAMAL SINA MAY REFER TO COMPANIES EXTRACTING SALT.
ABOVE: Dark circles at the suspect Ark site. The larger circle is believed to be at the exact spot where the ELS Maps indicate the Ark should be. The physical nature of these spots in unknown..
The obstruction in the Mediterranean (at 31-16 North 33-3.5 East) may be the missing fortress of Baal Zephon (see Exodus 14:2, 14:9, and Numbers 33:7). The suspect site for the Ark of the Covenant is south of it on the El Zuqba peninsula at 31-9 North, 33-4 East.
ABOVE: Portion of the 1:100,000 Northern Sinai Qatia chart published by the Survey of Egypt in 1935 (17/35/850). The obstruction (believed by me to be Baal Zephon) at 31-16 North, 33-3.5 East was added by me based on British Admiralty Chart 56100.
ABOVE: SEASONAL VARIATION IN SALT CONTENT OF SALT MARSHES ON THE EL ZUQBA PENINSULA
ABOVE: The MacMillan Bible Atlas sees Baal Zephon as being very close to the suspect Ark site. However, they show it on land, where it has not yet been found. As sea level has increased since the fortress vanished, we should look just offshore.
THE HEBREW MAP OF THE BARDAWIL-ZUQBA AREA ABOVE WAS OBTAINED DURING MY FIRST EXPEDITION IN 1999. ON IT, THE TRANSLITERATION OF BARDAWIL INCLUDES AN EXTRA LETTER - LETTER YUD. HOWEVER, EVEN JERUSALEM HAS SPELLINGS IN THE BIBLE WITH AND WITHOUT AN EXTRA YUD. ZUQBA ON THIS MAP STARTS WITH A LETTER ZAYIN RATHER THAN A TSADAH. HOWEVER, IN TRANSLITERATIONS THESE VARIATIONS ARE ACCEPTABLE. AS IS NOTED ELSEWHERE ON THIS SITE, BAAL ZEPHON HAS TWO DIFFERENT SPELLING IN TORAH, AS DO A NUMBER OF OTHER NAMES.
ABOVE: Defense Mapping Agency of the USA, Chart 56100 of the Mediterranean Sea, Egypt, EL-ISKANDARIYA (ALEXANDRIA) TO THE SINAI, 1:300,000 scale, soundings in meters (based on British Admiralty and U.S. Charts to 1991).
ABOVE: MALLAHET EL SAFIA, SOUTH OF MALLAHET UGRET SELIMA. BODY OF WATER LABELED SHAMAL SINA (WHICH MEANS NORTH SINAI) IS ACTUALLY THE SALT MARSH "UGRET SELIMA." SHAMAL SINA MAY REFER TO COMPANIES EXTRACTING SALT.
ABOVE: Bottom Photo - The Ark Site area - looking toward Ugret Selima salt marsh (in the background above) on El Zl Zuqba. Photo taken in May 2005. Top Photo - same area with the same building as seen from orbit.
ABOVE: AL QALS PENINSULA ON THE NORTHERN SIDE OF LAKE BARDAWIL
ABOVE; HARPER BIBLE ATLAS MAP SHOWING 2 POSSIBLE SITES FOR BAAL ZEPHON, ONE NEAR EL ZUQBA AND LAKE BARDAWIL
ABOVE: THIS TRUCK TOOK ME OVER SAND DUNES TO GET TO THE SUSPECT ARK SITE AREA. THE WATER BEHIND ME IS MALLAHET UGRET SELIMA.
Above: Northern terminus of 26 km road up from Bir El Suleman on El Zuqba Peninsula. Water at top is Lake Bardawil. Facility at terminus may be an Egyptian Coast Guard Station. Below: We tried to hire this boat skipper from port shown under his picture, but the Egyptian Coast Guard didn't want foreigners sailing around Lake Bardawil.
ABOVE: Writing ARK CODE while at sea en route to Egypt in 1999. Passage aboard the Royal Caribbean Cruise Line ship SPLENDOR THE SEAS between Miami and Spain was free for our family in exchange for three lectures onboard about my Ark Code research.
ABOVE: BOAT SKIPPER. EGYPT COAST GUARD WOULDN'T ALLOW HIM TO TAKE US TO ZUQBA FROM HARBOR SHOWN.
ABOVE: EGPYTIAN MILITARY BASE IN NW CORNER AND (ABOUT 6,500 FEET FROM IT) THE SUSPECT ARK SITE CIRCLED IN RED IN LOWER RIGHT.
ABOVE: BEDOUIN WOMAN GETTING WATER OUT OF A WELL A FEW HUNDRED FEET FROM THE SUSPECT ARK SITE.
ABOVE: To reach the suspect Ark site, turn north from Highway 30 at Bir El Suleman just east of Bir El Abd
Above: Updated chart showing a wreck 31-14 N, 33-4 E about 2 miles from the obstruction believed to be Baal Zephon. Depth soundings are in meters.
ABOVE: Pier (red circle) at 31 degrees 12 minutes North, 33 degree 2 minutes East. Small buildings or shacks in orange ellipse.
ABOVE: Another satellite image of the suspect Ark site,.