A tow cable in which the temperature of the cable is measurable by the use of multiplexing capability intrinsic to optical fibers in which the optical fibers are positioned at the center of the tow cable and wound as part of two layers of surrounding strength wires. The optical fibers of the two layers intersect a vector extending radially from the optical fiber at the center to an outer surface of the tow cable. Light signals emitted from a multiplexer to positions along the optical fibers, in which the positions intersect the vector, return light signals from the positions to provide measurements that in conjunction with a data processor further provide temperature measurement of the outer boundary of the tow cable.