Those who are accustomed to swim in baths and fresh water do not greatly care about swimming in the open sea when it is at all rough, not so much because of fear or want of ability as from lack of method in encountering the waves. Their want of knowledge causes them to exhaust their powers in a very short time, and we have seen many a good swimmer beaten in races by men inferior to him as regards speed and strength, but better versed in the science of rough-sea swimming. Nuttall, the great Stalybridge swimmer, was notoriously defi cient in this ability until some time after he turned professional ; but he gradually mastered the art, and is to-day quite as capable of meeting all comers in the sea as he is in the bath. The breast-stroke swimmer, when a wave is approaching, takes a breath and sinks his head so as to go through the wave instead of breasting it and then sinking down into the trough. The over-arm swimmer follows the same course, and with a little practice will easily overcome the difficulty which is at first experienced in breathing regularly. If the waves be breasted, the swimmer is only thrown back and buffeted by the next wave before he has time to recover his wind or stroke, and a few minutes of this kind of work soon puts him out of the race lArhen not racing some real pleasure is to be obtained from ' breasting' the waves. The swimmer is at one moment forced up on the curl of the wave ; the next second the water seems to recede from him, and he lies in a valley with an oncoming wave rearing its dark-green face against him, and, unless he be quick in his actions, bursting over him and with playful pleasantry filling his mouth and nostrils with water.
Those who have been accustomed to bathing in fresh water often find themselves at a disadvantage when they attempt to swim in the sea. During or shortly after a breeze the force of the waves, especially on a shelving beach, is so great as to take incautious bathers off their feet, and many instances could be quoted of fatalities due to this cause. Non-swimmers ex perience the greatest difficulty in recovering their footing, and if caught in successive waves are rolled over and over, and very often drowned in shallow water. There is but little danger in bathing during rough weather if one but knows how to enter the water properly. The incoming wave should be carefully watched, and if it does not rise above the level of the eyes, the bather should lean forward, but not so far as to overbalance the body, and, when the wave rises in front of him, leap upward. In leaping, always try and keep the arms stretched out slightly in front of and almost at right angles to the body, as in this position you will be always ready to strike the receding wave, and thus maintain the balance of the body in the upright position. Should the wave, however, appear to rise higher than the bather, and the water come tumbling over and break near to him, he should stoop down, keeping his hands spread well forward, and let the wave pass over him. The 'ducking' will be only momentary, and the bather will find himself in shallow water. The next succeeding wave is not usually so large in volume, and the bather can leap to it. If he be a non-swimmer, he should always be on guard and keep his hands at work pushing the water backwards, as by this method the danger of being thrown down and buffeted by the waves will be considerably minimised. Persons unable to swim should never venture out far, especially on an un known beach, and at all times a boat should be near at hand.
Good swimmers have a different method of entering the water. They watch for the break of a big wave, and then rush into the sea, get carried out by the receding wave, and throw themselves on the water, dive through the next large wave, and with a few sharp strokes pull clear of the breakers. The smaller waves are surmounted, and the large ones, particularly those rough on the crest, dived through.
When returning to shore, the best plan is to keep swimming with the in-rolling waves, and then when the last `roller' is reached the feet should be thrown forward. Immediately ground is touched, the swimmer should rush out so as to escape the force of the receding water, which at times is so great as to carry him back under the next incoming wave. Should this happen, he must go a little way out again and repeat his effort, taking care to come in on the highest wave possible, as that is not likely to break so unevenly as do the smaller waves.
When the tide is running out the swimmer should never venture far, as when he is fresh the long journey can be made with ease, but when he desires to return, the swim to shore will be ten times as hard as the swim out. The task becomes dis heartening, for the progress made is painfully slow, and the shore seems for minutes to be far off as ever, while if he rest the pause loses him much of the headway he may have gained. It is this sensation which leads to the loss of self-control and many deaths, and it is therefore advisable at all times for a distance swimmer to be accompanied by a boat, for it not only affords him company, but also imparts confidence to him. Whenever possible, the swimmer should map out his course to go against the tide on the outward journey, so as to have the advantage of its aid when returning. Boats which accompany bathers should have a small ladder fixed on the stern, so that the boat can be entered without much trouble. In the absence of the steps, the bather should swim to the stern of the boat, lay hold of the gunwale with both hands, and then lower the body until the arms are fully stretched. A vigorous kick with the legs and a sharp pull upwards on the arms will bring the body sufficiently high out of the water to allow of its being rested. on the gunwale, and the balance may be maintained by the kicking of the legs. Then leave go with one hand, and grasp the gunwale on the opposite side of the boat, swing the legs over the side and glide gently into your craft. Finish drying as quickly as possible, but maintain your seat, and do not stand up to dress. In diving out of a boat the swimmer should always go off from the bow or stern, and never from the side. If the swimmer should be taken out by a current, he should try to swim across it diagonally towards a spot on shore, even though that spot may be some distance from his dressing-box. If carried out when floating, he should never lose courage, but brace himself up for a long hard swim. Cramp is the dreaded bane of the swimmer, and for this curse a knowledge of scientific swimming will be useful, as he can then keep himself afloat while chafing the affected limb, or else float and try to straighten it. Jelly-fishes are often a source of annoyance, and their sting is very irritating. Some of them leave wide, strap-like marks upon the skin. A solu tion of carbonate of soda, or lime-water, and, in extreme cases, cold lead-water are said to be the best remedies.