July 4th

@ogb said
July 4th is for patriotic Americans, not for protesters !

@kevcvs57 said
So protesting against the burning of a flag is unpatriotic then

@no1marauder said
Columbus took a swim in Baltimore. https://www.baltimoresun.com/maryland/baltimore-city/bs-md-ci-columbus-statue-20200705-xc4bhthfhjaflifz72org2lrhy-story.html

I wonder if he could swim; I read a book on Magellan's circumnavigation of the globe which said that few sailors on Spanish ships were able to.

http://www.wondersandmarvels.com/2014/05/famous-sailors-who-couldnt-swim.html#:~:text=A%20few%20early%20seafarers%20were,boat%20or%20in%20the%20water.

A few early seafarers were famously good swimmers. In a narrative of his father’s life, the son of Christopher Columbus reported that his father had jumped from a burning ship during a sea battle, swimming several miles to shore, while most of his companions, unable to swim, either died on the boat or in the water.

@athousandyoung said

http://www.wondersandmarvels.com/2014/05/famous-sailors-who-couldnt-swim.html#:~:text=A%20few%20early%20seafarers%20were,boat%20or%20in%20the%20water.

A few early seafarers were famously good swimmers. In a narrative of his father’s life, the son of Christopher Columbus reported that his father had jumped from a burning ship during a sea battle, swimming seve ...[text shortened]... ore, while most of his companions, unable to swim, either died on the boat or in the water.

@athousandyoung said

http://www.wondersandmarvels.com/2014/05/famous-sailors-who-couldnt-swim.html#:~:text=A%20few%20early%20seafarers%20were,boat%20or%20in%20the%20water.

A few early seafarers were famously good swimmers. In a narrative of his father’s life, the son of Christopher Columbus reported that his father had jumped from a burning ship during a sea battle, swimming seve ...[text shortened]... ore, while most of his companions, unable to swim, either died on the boat or in the water.

@very-rusty said
It would be even difficult for people who could swim once they hit that cold water. To swim several miles in it is very difficult to believe.

-VR

@no1marauder said
Columbus took a swim in Baltimore. https://www.baltimoresun.com/maryland/baltimore-city/bs-md-ci-columbus-statue-20200705-xc4bhthfhjaflifz72org2lrhy-story.html

I wonder if he could swim; I read a book on Magellan's circumnavigation of the globe which said that few sailors on Spanish ships were able to.

@earl-of-trumps said
Why?

I knew a guy that was a Cuban Olympic swimmer. When he got his chance,
he swam from Cuba to Florida to make good his escape.

@Earl-of-Trumps
Ah, so Columbo must have been an Olympian level swimmer then, Didn't know that.

@wolfgang59 said
Few sailors in WW1 or maybe even WW2 could swim well.
"Able Seaman" means able to swim!

@deepthought said
I don't think that's true. Ability to swim was never a requirement. Neither of the two Wikipedia pages mentions that and the one about merchant ABs mentions a folk etymology that had it as short for Able Bodied Seaman, but that's incorrect as well. Able just means competent and more experienced than Ordinary Seaman, it was originally a pay grade in the Royal Navy, the requirement was two years service.

@soothfast said
Violate uncounted laws of physics and a few of computer science?

@deepthought said
I don't think that's true. Ability to swim was never a requirement.