Thursday 29 August 2024

Cro and Lord Byron.

 

There is no question that Lord Byron was a pretty strange character.

Born with a 'Club Foot', nothing could hold him back; either romantically or sportingly.

I was recently reminded that he always claimed his greatest achievement to have been to swim The Dardanelles aged 22. The 5 km swim being notoriously difficult on occasions.

Personally I have never been a great distance swimmer, but I did once swim between Brighton's two piers; so we almost have something in common. These days, 10 lengths of our pool is enough.


I'm afraid that I couldn't find a photo that shows the distance between the two piers (one now defunct), so the above will have to suffice. The old West Pier, at the bottom of the picture, was burnt down in 'suspicious circumstances' back in 2003; only a few bare bones now exist out at sea.

The swim is about 1 km in distance, and if I remember correctly was against the tide. My mother was there on the prom to watch and follow with my towel and clothes, although what she could have done had I got into trouble, I don't know.

I was probably no more that 30 metres out from the beach, and I swam breaststroke all the way. I began my swim underneath the old West Pier, and finished just on the other side of a stone jetty in front of the Palace Pier.

I don't remember it being particularly arduous, but did (like Byron) consider it a great achievement. I must have been about 15 or 16 years old. I really can't remember, but it must have taken me about 20 mins. We lived just up the coast behind Worthing at the time.

There, I'm afraid, is where any link between myself and Lord Byron ends. We both enjoyed swimming; FULL STOP.

12 comments:

  1. Another connection is that Byron was also a dandy, keeping up with the latest fashions in menswear. That swim was a hell of an achievement for a 15/16 year old.

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    1. I'm still quite proud of myself even today! I think it was a spur of the moment whim as well. I wouldn't attempt it again.

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  2. Byron is still remembered and loved here because of his help with the uprising against the Turks. He has streets and squares named after him. In Mesalonghi where he died there is a Byron museum and a statue of him .

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    1. I think the Greeks revere him more than we do in the UK. I believe he spent his entire fortune helping fight the Turks.

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  3. I wonder what is in the mind of a 15 year old that makes him want to endeavor such a feat! And the mother of such a lad watching the whole thing! Well done sir.

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    1. I had intended to swim, but not a marathon. Just a crazy moment of youth.

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  4. Open water ocean swimming is a neat experience, of course you remember it.

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  5. That is an impressive swim. Well done.

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    1. I maybe wrong about the time I took, but otherwise I too was impressed!

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  6. That's quite an achievement for a youngster, Cro.

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    1. If I was that age now, I don't think I'd be as foolish again!

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