Swimming for Life

Ralph Mohr

Ralph Mohr — We in the US have not been aware of it very much, but swimming outdoors in rivers, lakes, ponds, the oceans, etc., is called “wild swimming” in the British Isles, and there is a long tradition there of swimming all year around everywhere. Here in the US we have always […]

Swim Bits – July 2021

June 9, 2021 in Aqua Master Online / Motivation / Open Water / Open Water / Swim Bits / Training by Ralph Mohr

Ralph Mohr — Last month a coterie of Corvallis Masters swimmers came to Eel Lake to camp out in yurts and tents at Tugman Park and to swim in the lake. Since the water temperature at the time was 49.5, F., I admired their courage. Proof of their doughty immersion are in the […]

Swim Bits – May 2021

April 17, 2021 in Aqua Master Online / Swim Bits by Ralph Mohr

On September 5, 1942, United States Navy Petty Officer First Class Charles Jackson French, of Omaha Nebraska, swam through the night for 6 – 8 hours pulling a raft of 15 wounded sailors with a rope around his stomach through shark infested waters after the USS Gregory was hit by […]

A Salute to Charles Jackson French a Hero’s Hero

April 17, 2021 in Aqua Master Online by Ralph Mohr

Ralph Mohr — A doctor I once saw loved the Finns. Finland has a homogeneous population, not too large (five and half million), and medical record-keeping that goes back to at least 1910. Finland is perfect for longitudinal studies on health, diet, and practically anything else you’d want. A recent article in “Scientific […]

Swim Bits – April 2021

March 22, 2021 in Aqua Master Online / Swim Bits by Ralph Mohr

Ralph Mohr — It seemed appropriate after this year’s Super Bowl (with apologies to Connie Shuman and Mike Carew who can’t stand TB) to discuss Tom Brady’s approach to keeping fit at the advanced football age of 43. There’s lots of information on line about the TB12 system, but I was curious about […]

Swim Bits – March 2021

February 18, 2021 in Aqua Master Online / Swim Bits by Ralph Mohr

Dick Hannula — Dick Hannula is the most successful high school swimming coach in Washington State ever. His teams at Wilson High School in Tacoma won 24 straight State Championships. Hannula coached at the Olympics and several times at the Pan-American games. He also sold swim suits which I used at Marshfield High […]

Swim Bits – January 2021

December 18, 2020 in Aqua Master Online / Human Interest / Memories / Swim Bits by Ralph Mohr

Ralph Mohr — A Book Review by Ralph Mohr In Iceland everyone swims. It is a government requirement. Bonnie Tsui in her book, Why We Swim, starts with the story of Guthlaugur Frithorsson, an Icelandic fisherman, who, when his fishing boat capsized and sank, swam three and a half miles to shore in […]

“Why We Swim” written by Bonnie Tsui

September 25, 2020 in Aqua Master Online / Swim Bits by Ralph Mohr

Ralph Mohr — A list of coaches from the 1961 North Bend Invitational Swim Meet. Why is it here? Check the names. You might recognize some of them. Grants Pass Swim Club Alan Takashima McMinnville Swim Club Bob Gregson Medford YMCA Ken Lyons North Bend Aquatic Club Mike Popovich Reedsport Swim Club Don […]

A Historical Note

September 25, 2020 in Aqua Master Online / History by Ralph Mohr

Eel Lake swimmers— left to right: two unknown swimmers, Helen Slack Miller, Arianna Elnes, Laura Schob, Dave Radcliff, Mike Carew, Ed Ramsey — It was not planned. After the Eel Lake OMS Open Water Swims were cancelled this summer, despite Matt Miller’s constant attempts to get the Oregon Parks Department to change their mind, local swimmers on the Oregon coast continued to swim in near-by lakes. It turned out, though, there were numerous […]

Flash Mob at Eel Lake

August 24, 2020 in Aqua Master Online / Featured / Human Interest by Ralph Mohr