By: Blonde Two
Last November the sea was colder than this November. I have no scientific evidence for this but last year I remember shivering a lot more. There could be a range of reasons for this:
- I have gained an additional layer of fat between Novembers
- I am moving faster in the water and keeping myself warm
- The sea actually is warmer
The definition ‘cold’ is, of course, a relative one. Blonde One is often cold when camping, as am I, but we have definitely had nights when we have shivered awake while our youngsters slept warm as toast (they are generally toastier if you squash many into one tent). You could say that:
- One woman’s freezing is another woman’s balmy (or a balmy woman)
- One woman’s shiver is another woman’s sweat (not very ladylike)
- One woman’s long merino sock is another woman’s flip-flop (but please don’t wear the two together)
Last year the coldest UK sea I swam in was 7 degrees Centigrade. The Norwegian fjords were inside the Arctic Circle and undoubtedly even colder but I am not sure that what I did really qualifies as swimming. Both B1 and I have camped in temperatures down to -4 degrees, again I don’t think there was much sleeping going on.
Measuring the air temperature outside is fairly simple but measuring sea temperature is less so. The sea is like onions and ogres, and has layers. Even the definition of ‘surface’ can raise discussion. I think, next year, I would like to keep a temperature chart. To do that I am going to need a water-friendly thermometer…
Santa are you listening?
