In the wintertime of 1941 - 42 , British Prime Minister Winston Churchill embarked on a diplomatic charge to North America , which included a widely - acclaim address give to the U.S. Congress onDecember 26 . But as Churchill ’s protracted sojourn outwear on , he grew understandably spent and decided a break was in ordering . look to get away from it all , the “ British Bulldog ” flew down to a secret villa in Palm Beach , Florida that January for a abbreviated vacation , during which a very strange incident pass .
concisely after his reaching , Churchill choose to go for a swim in the Atlantic Ocean … after adamantly refusing to put on a pair of swim automobile trunk . According to one attestant , he looked “ like a vast , well - adjust , and slightlyover - bottled infant . ” Though no civilians were in sight , longtime escort Walter Thompson begged Churchill to reconsider , read “ You could be seen through [ spyglasses ] , sir . ” “ If they are that much interested , ” thePrime Minister replied , “ it is their own fault what they see . ”
Suddenly , a large shark get down skulk dangerously closemouthed to the world ’s most powerful skinny - dipper , to the alarm of Churchill ’s fellow traveller . “ They said it was only a earth shark"—actually a very various group , only some species of which are grave to human beings ( for more info , headhere)—“but I was not wholly reassured , " he recall age later . “ It is as bad to be eaten by a land shark as by any other . So I stayedin the shallowsfrom then on . ”
The big fish eventually wandered off , at which item Churchill blow , “ My bulk has fright him into inscrutable urine ! ”
days later , Parliament bear a discussion about the developing of artificial " shark repellent " ( which woefully did n’t involveAdam West ’s Batman ) . Possibly remembering his experience in Florida , Churchill declared , “ You may rest assured that the British government isentirely opposed to shark . ”
Primary photo courtesy ofVintage Everyday .
