I've just bought a second-hand drysuit. Despite never having had drysuit training, I was keen to try it out. I've also just moved into a rented house within a minute's walk of Portland Harbour - a huge lagoon of blue water that shimmers in the sun every morning.
The combination generated an unbearable urge to get in the sea as soon as possible. So I did. I snorkelled in Portland Harbour wearing a drysuit.
And if you're thinking that I was courting with danger, be assured that I assessed the risks and stayed safe. Firstly, I took someone with me to observe from the beach and we had a quick chat about protocol - if I waved, I was in trouble. Not that it was very likely, but it's always wise to agree your hand signals in advance.
Secondly, I remained in shallow water at all times. By shallow I mean that when I lay on the surface I could reach down to the bottom with my hands. In Portland Harbour, at low tide, there's a huge expanse of shallow water that's less than a metre deep.
I had a great time. I've never snorkelled before and this was a very basic outing. Beneath me were shoals of tiny fish, probably some sort of goby, and numerous hermit crabs scuttling about their business. That was all I saw, but it was enough for one outing.
I also proved that the drysuit was, as far as I could tell, watertight, at least on the surface. I'll need proper training before I take it deeper. And I discovered that a drysuit is not ideal for snorkelling. It kept me warm and dry, but it was, predictably, extremely buoyant.
If I want to continue my snorkelling adventures it looks like a wetsuit will need to go on the shopping list.
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