Paul Boyton

Paul Boyton (often misspelled Boynton) (b. June 29, 1848 in Dublin — April 19, 1924), known as the "Fearless Frogman", was a showman and adventurer some credit as having spurred worldwide interest in water sports as a hobby, particularly open-water swimming. Boyton, whose birthplace is variously listed as Dublin or Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is best known for his water stunts that captivated the world, including crossing the English Channel in a novel rubber suit that functioned similarly to a kayak.

Boyton, eager for adventure at a young age, reportedly joined the Union Navy during the American Civil War when he was 15, and in his young adulthood served stints with Benito Juárez's Mexican Navy and the French Navy during the Franco-Prussian War. He eventually returned to the United States and helped organize the United States Life-Saving Service, one of the precursors to the modern-day United States Coast Guard. He was later appointed captain of Atlantic City, New Jersey's lifesaving service.

While in Atlantic City, Boyton began toying with a rubber suit invented by C. S. Merriman as a life-saving device for steamship passengers. The suit, which would become Boyton's trademark, was essentially a pair of rubber pants and shirt cinched tight at the waist. Within the suit were air pockets the wearer could inflate at will using tubes. Similar to modern-day drysuits, the suit also kept its wearer dry. This essentially allowed the wearer to float on his back, using a double-sided paddle to propel himself, feet-forward.

Boyton made numerous expeditions in this suit, swimming up and down rivers across America and Europe to publicize its uses. Boyton would tow a small boat behind him in which he carried his supplies and personal possessions, and sometimes invited newspaper reporters to accompany him. A canny publicist, Boyton's arrival in small river towns was often heralded by great fanfare.

Boyton formed an aquatic circus and toured for several years. He bought sixteen acres of land and opened the Sea Lion Park on Coney Island in 1895, fenced the property and charged admission. It was the first permanent amusement park in North America. It would later become Coney Island Amusement Park. Boyton and his sea lions also performed in silent films including Feeding Sea Lions.

Boyton's rubber suit was featured by Jules Verne in "The Tribulations of a Chinaman in China" as a life saver for the hero and his three companions.

References

* [http://www.lawsonsprogress.com/storyofpaulboyton.htm Story of Paul Boyton (1892)]
*gutenberg|no=19230|name=The Story of Paul Boyton by Paul Boyton from Project Gutenberg.
* [http://privatearchives.free.fr/letters.html Letters of Paul Boyton]
* [http://www.westland.net/coneyisland/articles/sealionpark.htm Coney Island - Sea Lion Park]