[warsaw44]

In Boy Scout camp I was trying to obtain the Mile Swim badge.

Fist day we swam quarter mile, next a half mile and so on. I could not complete the full mile - it was brutal.

Nine miles? I really have my doubts about this story.

[TontoKowalski]

I was once a competitive swimmer. Most reasonably fit people can work up to a mile swim, but probably not in a week of Scout Camp.

I seriously doubt someone other than a well-trained endurance athlete would tackle a nine mile ocean swim and have a remote chance of finishing.

Of course strange things can be accomplished when your life depends on it.

[PrairieDawg]

You wrote:

In Boy Scout camp I was trying to obtain the Mile Swim badge. Fist day we swam quarter mile, next a half mile and so on. I could not complete the full mile - it was brutal. Nine miles? I really have my doubts about this story.

Side stroke, elementary backstroke, and going with the current. Tough, but could be done. But if Rob had lifelines and a harness, he wouldn't have had to swim 9 miles.Just saying...

FRegards,
PrairieDawg