Diving

[Vanilla Face]

Where does the term 'muff diving' derive from?

[jno]

a muff is a little tube made of fur; you don't see them much these days but people would hold them in front and put their hands in them to keep them warm in winter.

So obviously scuba divers wear them when the water's cold...

[Booldawg]

searching for the greater bearded clam. or the green-lipped mussel from which 'seatone' oil is harvested.

[DwayneDibley]

Ah yes, 'muff diving' derives from the ancient Egyptian practice of wearing a cat across your face as a gesture of respect to the gods, the cat of course being a sacred animal. The original name for this was 'moff h'derver' which literally translates as cat-beard-face-decorating. Over time the phrase has mutated into muff diving as we know itr today. Another intriguing aspect of the ritual was due to the animal's piscine diet when the ancient moff h'derver would call to the assembled priests, "Blimey the dirty mort stinks of fish!"