Observations of the ocean below 2km are few. Is this abyss quiet, or is it changing? Do abyssal waters trend in the same way as waters above? Recent observations suggest that there may be trends in the temperatures of abyssal waters, which is a possible explanation for the recent “pause” in global warming. But, how much variability is to be expected, and what are the timescales involved? A brief presentation will illustrate some of the issues involved, what can (and can’t) be inferred from models, and whether paleorecords can be used to infer levels of baseline variability.