Marcus D. Hanwell's Blog

On Wednesday I went and did my coldest dive yet - 7 C. I think before that I had experienced as low as 10 C and figured it wouldn't be too much colder. After about 20 minutes I could feel my hands and feet going numb and we got out after 30 minutes on the first dive. I was in my Oceanic two-piece semi-dry suit but what was more surprising is that Mark, my dive buddy, seemed even colder in his dry suit.

We did go in for a second shallow dive and just used up the rest of the air in our tanks from the short first dive which was to about 20 m. It was good fun but both of us agreed you need something better to see than the stuff in Stoney Cove to make it worthwhile. I think it took about half an hour for the feeling in my feet to return! I miss Egypt - it was 22 C over there at the end of January... I think that is about as cold as it gets out there too.