I remember the Centurion architecture. Walking up two sets of stairs to get to the front porch of the home, I vividly remember a man who was the strongest person I had ever seen. I was about six years old at that time.
He was my “Great Uncle Barney”, who, as I remember, looked like a weight lifter. He would swim out to the “breakers” and then turn around and swim back. This was in the month of February, 1949 or 1950. Of course, on the east coast of Massachusetts, at that time of year, the air was cold and the Atlantic Ocean was frigid. I couldn’t imagine any form of life which could exist in those waters. This was the same North Atlantic Ocean which sank the so-called, “Unsinkable Titanic”!
There were no Iceberg clubs or groups of swimmers, like that, at that time. He was the sole person who wore no life jacket or inner tube.
I was astounded at his bravery and strength I had never seen anyone in my short life who would swim this same route, from three to four times every week as was his normal exercise plan.
The most incredible thing was that this was a mountain of a man who was his ’90’s! Imagine I had just met a relative who was born in 1860 or thereabouts!!
WOW!… I still cannot believe that folks in those days were much more indestructible as the people of today’s world.
What an experience. What a man!!! “My Great Uncle Barney”!