Until fairly recently in the history of human kinds conquest to the Seven Seas, your average

sailor didn't actually know how to swim.

As ludicrous as it sounds, it's a well-known fact, and there were three very good reasons

why this was true.

Unless they happened to live near a coastal region in a warm climate, most people in general

didn't know how to swim.

Swimming in general was an unpopular activity.

Many seafarers at the time were actually pressed men who hadn't chosen the sailing life of

their own free will.

Many were lured into service while drunk as a lured at their local pub.

While others were convex.

We've been given very little choice in the matter.

Number two, even if one could successfully stay afloat, falling overboard was considered

to be a death sentence.

It took a very long time to execute a turn in a tall ship.

By the time the ship could be steered back to the patch of rough sea where the unfortunate

man had fallen overboard, it would be long since lost with the waves.

Paddling around and rowing seas would only prolong the agony of drowning.

It was best to just get it over with as quickly as possible.

And number three, there were unspeakable horrors lurking in the depths of the ocean, both

real and imagined.

The unfortunate crews of many sunken ships have met with their doom and a jaws of the circling

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