The Popular Plunge

THE POPULAR PLUNGE.

Another method of accomplishing the same thing, is to take a slight spring from the platform, and immediately that the body is in to straighten it then and enter the water diagonally:, body straight and rigid, head downwards, the heels close together, and hands extended in advance of the head, and in a line with the body (see Fig. 31). This mode exhibits more grace, but requires skill on the part of the swimmer to execute it properly. • The High Plunge.

When the high plunge is taken from a height of ten or fifteei feet, it is advisable to spring forward, so that the body may not strike 1 the water perpendicularly.

This precaution will greatly mitigate the effects of the concussion felt at the instant of contact, because by this method the resistance is progressively surmounted ; but for any height much in excess of fifteen feet, the forward spring is useless as a means of giving obliquity to the line of descent, though it may be useful to enable a swimmer to clear any intervening obstacle that may be between the height from which he plunges and the surface of the water, such as• the side of a vessel for instance.

There is one thing specially to be avoided in order to make this plunge successful, and that is, throwing up the heels after the feet have left the platform in making the spring, as the doing so will impart an extra rotary motion to the body, and thus render it a matter of uncertainty which part .will first touch the water. Any deviation from the correct attitude will be detected, and entail immediate punishment, more or less severe, according to the height . of the plunge, the part of the body that is out of position, and the extent of the error.

If the learner takes a long flat board, and first lets it drop endways from a height of ten or fifteen feet into the water, and afterwards lets it fall from the same height on the flat, the great resistance which the water will offer to it in the latter case compared to the former, will show how important it is that the correct posture should be learned before plunging from any considerable height. By constant

practice the novice soon gains the requisite presence of mind which enables him to leap from any height without feeling at all disdon certed.

Many of my pupils, including a number of ladies, were able to accomplish the high plunge successfully.

Many persons take great delight in performing feats of daring, as they are pleased to term them. Seamen especially have a• fondness for achievements of this nature.

Many stories

are related of great plunging feats from the mast head of vessels. Among them I select the following, which may prove interesting A seaman, belonging to H.M.S. Canada, plunged from O. mast-head into the sea, a distance of over one hundred feet, going down on the port side, passing under the vessel's keel, and coming up on the starboard side, some distance from the vessel, to which he swam below the surface, and supporting himself by the rudder chains under the counter for a considerable time, until it was thought he was hopelessly lost; he then swam to the ship's side, to the great delight of the officers and crew.

Mr. John D. Patry, of the Dolphin Swimming Club, Toronto, has also distinguished himself as an expert in this branch of aquatic performances, by winning the Andrews' Silver Medal for 1882, 1883 and 1814. He also accompanied the author in the life-boat to the rescue of Professor Schlochow, during the terrible gale of July 27th, 1883, for which he received the Bronze Medal of the Royal Humane Society.