FIRST TO CONQUER THE NARROWS! WHITMAN T. BROWNE – THE UNSUNG HERO OF THE NEVIS TO ST. KITTS CROSS-CHANNEL SWIM!
Nearly 50 years ago, in a time when Nevisians were still reeling from the horrors of the Christena Disaster, one man dared to defy fear, challenge the sea, and make history! That man is Dr. Whitman T. Browne, a fearless Nevisian who not only organized but also led the first recorded Nevis to St. Kitts Cross-Channel Swim in 1976—long before it became the celebrated event it is today!
A SWIM OF COURAGE & SURVIVAL
The sinking of the MV Christena in 1970, which claimed 233 lives, left a deep scar on Nevisians. Many refused to eat fish, haunted by chilling thoughts of what had transpired beneath the shark-infested waters of The Narrows. But Dr. Browne, a man determined to rewrite the narrative, rallied a brave group of young men—up to 40 of them—from his home parish of St. James to do the unimaginable: swim from Nevis to St. Kitts!
Armed with sheer determination, raw courage, and no professional swim gear, the group doused themselves in diesel, hoping to ward off lurking sharks, and set off from Gallipot on a Sunday morning. Their mission? To face the same waters that had swallowed their fellow Nevisians just years before and prove that the sea could be conquered, not feared!
THE HISTORIC SWIM THAT STARTED IT ALL!
Their first swim took two hours, landing them at Nags Head, St. Kitts. But they weren’t done! They later braved the gruelling 8-hour swim from Nags Head to the War Memorial in Basseterre—and even tackled the return swim back to Nevis! No medals, no trophies—just the pride of survival and a simple feast of red Bryson, bread, and Exeter corned beef.
Among those who joined Dr. Browne in his fearless pursuit of history were names like:
Arrington Browne
Ainsworth ‘Swap’ Mills (Barnaby)
Charlie Pinney (Newcastle)
William ‘Bully’ Perkins (Barnaby)
Terrance ‘Bra’ Jeffers (Brickkiln)
Piper Barry (Newcastle)
David ‘Grey-y’ Maynard (Butlers)
HONOURING A LEGACY – TIME TO RECOGNIZE THE PIONEERS!
As the Nevis to St. Kitts Cross-Channel Swim celebrates its 25th anniversary next year, there is no better time to honour Dr. Whitman T. Browne and his pioneering crew! It’s time to:
Introduce The Dr. Whitman T. Browne Award, given to the youngest national to complete the annual swim!
Mount a Honours Board at the Start and Finish line, engraved with the names of the fearless pioneers who dared to make history!
For too long, their story has been buried beneath the waves—but now, it’s time to give these men the recognition they deserve!
Dr. Whitman T. Browne was not just a swimmer—he was a VISIONARY, a PIONEER, and a TRUE HERO!
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