Charles and a monkey share a meaningful sidelong glance.

The Darwin Awards

2021 Slush Pile

Submissions From Readers
Which should we promote to winners?

Pending Review

Icy Undertow

The waters that surround Plum Island, Newburyport, MA are treacherous. Everyone knows that. The undertow is so bad you can not swim from the beaches there. They are also icy cold in April. This lad decided to swim alone from Crane's Beach to Plum Island in April. Needless to say, his body was found 2 miles off Crane's Beach. He would have fought 2-3 foot swells, dangerous currents, and very cold water.

Submitted on 04/23/2021

Submitted by: Sky C Rivers
Reference: https://www.wcvb.com/article/coast-guard-searching-for-missing-swimmer-last-seen-off-crane-beach-in-

Copyright © 2022 DarwinAwards.com

>> Moderator Scores <<

Bruce said:
Definitely Keep: Darwin Award
I'm accepting this because I live in the area and know that beach well. Other reports indicate this man didn't have a wet suit or any other clothing to protect him from the environment, and with the cold temperatures he'd likely start cramping up and becoming hypothermic in about 10 minutes. And the winds were creating swells of 1 to 2 feet which would have made the swim even more difficult. An expert swimmer who has crossed the English Channel was interviewed as well and said they would not attempt this swim without a boat alongside as a precaution.


Candi said:
Definitely Keep: Darwin Award