Elisha and the floating Axe head

This little story has always intrigued me, how could one make iron float in water?

What was the secret of the stick? Was it vibrating in some way when it hit the water to produce a buoyancy in the iron of the axehead? Was it a special wood or did it secrete some fluid or something to cause the lifting effect?

Notice it was just the axe head itself which flew off into the water, no wood to support it.

The Lost Axe Head (2 Kings 6:1-7)

1. Now the sons of the prophets said to Elisha, “Behold now, the place before you where we are living is too limited for us.

2. Please let us go to the Jordan, and each of us take from there a beam, and let us make a place there for ourselves where we may live.” So he said, “Go.”

3. Then one said, “Please be willing to go with your servants.” And he answered, “I shall go.”

4. So he went with them; and when they came to the Jordan, they cut down trees.

5. But as one was felling a beam, the axe head fell into the water; and he cried out and said, “Alas, my master! For it was borrowed.”

6. Then the man of God said, “Where did it fall?” And when he showed him the place, he cut off a stick, and threw it in there, and made the iron float.

7. And he said, “Take it up for yourself.” So he put out his hand and took it.