Jesselp,

There is nothing cavalier about my comment. Don't assume that others' comments are pulled out of thin air with no experience behind them. If you want to compare cold water dive logs...

I have been a certified PADI diver since 1981. I live in Illinois. I have SCUBA dived under ice many times using dry-suits, and dozens of 7mm wet-suit dives in water where I should have been wearing a dry-suit. Regardless of the time of year, the only kind of water in Illinois for SCUBA diving is cold water.

Cold water = pain, stinging, muscle cramping pain. It literally takes your breath, strength and coordination away almost instantly.

A 100 yard swim in 59 degree water would have been a harrowing ordeal. I would bet it would have been nearly impossible without life jackets for most people, even under age 50, had there been any sort of cross current. Cold water is a real killer.

I would have been terrified to jump, just worrying about landing on a rock, and breaking bones, let alone dealing with the cold water.

But given the alternative of waiting on a rolling/sinking ship, with no prospect of lifeboat rescue, I probably would have reluctantly opted for the water, given close proximity to shore.

BTW, I logged about 10 hours of diving in Turks & Caicos last week. The water was a balmy 79 degrees. I was shivering cold after each dive even wearing a wet suit. I was happy to be back on the boat in the warm sun after each dive.