[BlindTlk] Swimming and Missed Opportunities

Tue May 25 17:44:32 UTC 2021

Do you still try and swim?

-----Original Message-----
From: BlindTlk <blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Peter Donahue via
BlindTlk
Sent: Monday, May 24, 2021 9:46 PM
To: 'Blind Talk Mailing List' <blindtlk at nfbnet.org>
Cc: pmdonahue2 at gmail.com
Subject: [BlindTlk] Swimming and Missed Opportunities

Good evening everyone,

	Like Mark and others I learned to swim at the Oak Hill School for
the Blind and through a swim class offered to disabled children in
Bridgewater Massachusetts. We had an Olympic size pool at Oak Hill and had
many water activities including a water show. I can also vouch for swimming
in Long Island Sound as Camp Harkness bordered it. We had a private beach
for campers to use. In addition to swimming and lounging on the beach we had
a raft anchored about 100 yards from shore that many of us used to swim out
to for some soothing R&R and to practice diving. The raft was destroyed by
tropical storm Beth in 1971 and was never replaced.

	We were exposed to scuba diving in the Oak Hill School Pool but
never had the chance to do some dives during our time at Harkness something
I would have enjoyed a lot. While I'm glad I was introduced to scuba diving
having the chance to be Jacque Kusteau for a day would have been
awesome!There are locations on Long Island Sound and in many area lakes that
would have afforded us dive sites we could have explored and to help us hone
our independence and self belief as blind kids.

	Even today there are activities not being highly promoted in the
blind community that have been done successfully by the blind for many
years. Golf is another such sport. Despite the fact that blind people were
playing golf during my school years we were never exposed to the sport in
the hopes we may want to take it up. It's my hope we can correct this
injustice of the past and through our Sports and Recreation Division and
others we can insure that blind children, youth, and adults will have
opportunities to try out these activities. Golfers raise lots of money for
various organizations. Why can't there be a golf tournament I'll call the
NFB Classic for sake of this discussion that has blind and sighted golfers
playing together and is broadcast World-wide?  What an awesome idea!

Peter Donahue

-----Original Message-----
From: BlindTlk <blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Mark Tardif via
BlindTlk
Sent: Monday, May 24, 2021 5:07 PM
To: Blind Talk Mailing List <blindtlk at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Mark Tardif <markspark at roadrunner.com>
Subject: Re: [BlindTlk] Swimmers

Hi there.  I learned when I was a child at the school for the blind.  I also
did some learning at summer camp on Long Island Sound in Connecticut.  I was
taught how to float and then one stroke at a time.  At first I went out with
a life preserver, but found that I could float quite well without one.  I
feel more comfortable swimming in a pool surrounded by walls, less chance of
getting disoriented.  But I have been known to swim in the ocean, paralell
to the shore.  No need to panic if you find yourself in deep water, in fact
that's the last thing you should do.  If you relax you will be able to float
effectively on your back.

Mark Tardif
Nuclear arms will not hold you.
-----Original Message-----
From: Jamelle via BlindTlk
Sent: Monday, May 24, 2021 4:45 PM
To: 'Blind Talk Mailing List'
Cc: jmail201586 at yahoo.com
Subject: [BlindTlk] Swimmers

Hi all,

I didn't know how to title this message but the message has to do with
swimming. I'm sure there are some of you that knows how to swim and I'm
wondering how did you learn and are you able to swim without worrying?

Just wondering

Thank you!

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