My early swimming oppotunities.....by Ck Shek


I missed swimming underwater in my "private" mini swimming pool when I was staying in the Naval Base Batchelors' Block. The long "man made concrete pools" were about 30 ft long and 10ft wide and 2 and a half ft deep?? 

The water in the baths were enclosed and the water was cool and refreshing, unlike open air swimming pools, exposed to the sun, rain  treated with chlorine. These long baths were the common bathrooms for residents living in the bachelor blocks.  

Whenever nobody was around , we took the chance to swim from one end to the other in a single breath.....which was our goal.  Two conditions were critical...the water level had to be at its highest point and none of the workers living in the block should be present!

Needless to say, I learnt to swim VERY quietly and quickly!

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