SIR: It was with great interest that I read your story recently in the Bolton Evening News about the Starmount Lodge dip on New Year's day.

I can recall as diving officer of the De Havilland (Lostock) Sub Aqua club, back in 1958 and 1959, that we to used to let the New Year in at Starmount. We, of course, wore our diving suits not like the brave souls described in the article with just their "cossies on" (bathing costumes). We continued the practice from 1960 under the banner ofthe Bolton Sub Aqua Club where I was diving and training officer.

In the 1961 dive that we made, there was at least 2" of ice on the surface of the lodge. We took photographs of that, and we had to break the ice to get in.

It was warmer in the water than it was out of the water as we took temperature readings of both water, ground and air. We changed the venue in about 1962 and went up to Belmont just up by the Black Dog, and went into the lodge at 11.50pm and surfaced at 12.05 am.

It really brought back many, many memories to read that story.

David Pye

Cole Drive Meadville

Pa 16335.

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