The Jordan River we read about in the Gospel bears little resemblance to the Jordan River we saw on our time in Israel. Factors such as the use of water for irrigation have turned the flowing river into a muddy trickle. Only one of our group was intrepid enough to fully immerse in the water, although most of us got our toes wet.
The Jordan River - at least at this point - is quite narrow, and it would be easy enough to swim across to the nation of Jordan, where pilgrims were also renewing their baptismal vows.
