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Cold Water Diving

Cold Water Diving

The very first time I dived in cold water was in the Great Lakes. Tobermory, the diving capital of Canada on Lake Huron to be exact. I felt clumsy and awkward in my rented 7mm wet suit. With single digit water temperature it was a necessity rather than a luxury. Needless to say, none of that lycra-sleek-comic-book- superhero stuff that is the only thing you need to dive in tropical waters, will suffice here. I also had, on good "expert" advice, enough weight on my weight belt to sink a small inflatable boat. For some reason I could not stop thinking that the effect cold water diving had on me must be similar to the effect of a Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster, especially the part of having your brains smashed with a slice of lemon wrapped around a large gold brick. Minus the lemon. Minus the gold. Now, I want to make it perfectly clear that I savour pain, Descartes might have said: "I hurt, therefore I am", but talk about too much of a good thing, all at the same time.

It took me a few dive trips before I warmed up (pun intended) to the concept of cold water diving. Not diving however was never an option.

Back to present day and the oh-so-familiar UK waters. Little choice, if any, in fact only one - cold water diving. Unless global warming really shifts the tropics a few degrees up North this will remain the case for the foreseeable future...

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