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Nov 1, 2015

Day One - Gertrude Ederle

Gertrude Ederle Study

Watercolor and Ink on paper


Gertrude Ederle was the first woman to swim the English Channel in 1926. During her famous swim the water became very rough and her coach yelled at her to get out of the water.  She replied, "What for?"  Not only was she the first woman to swim across the English Channel, she also set the world record at the time for doing so beating the previous time by about two hours.  People at that time thought no woman would ever be able to swim across the English Channel, only five men has been able to do so before her.   She was welcomed home with a ticker-tape parade in New York City.

Since swimming goggles had not yet been invented, she crated her own out of motorcycle goggles and sealed it with paraffin wax to make them water tight. They are now on display in a museum. She was also mostly deaf.

Buy it now in my Etsy shop.

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