Share Your Story - Best Friends Meet at Chamberlin Pool

In February, 1967 I participated in the Greater Peninsula SwimmingAssociation winter swim program. Our practice was at pool at The Chamberlin, which at that time, was the only indoor pool on thePeninsula. The pool was filled with salt water, had a lovely greentinge to it and burned yuour eyes. because swim goggles were yet to beinvented. It was at one swim practice that I met a tall girl, close to my age, who was a great swimmer. She and I shared a lane and at times, in order tonot do so many laps of butterfly, we would go underwater at the deep end and hide from the coaches. We were to become swimming soul mates. Several weeks after we initially met, I was riding my bike in my neighborhood and I saw my swim friend and did not understand why she was in my neighborhood. Afterall, I assumed that she lived in Hampton, not down the street from me in the Hidenwood neighborhood of Newport News. This was the beginning of what is now a 40 year friendship. My "friend" Jane, moved back to Newport News a year and a half ago and lives less than a mile from me. While we have always kept in touch, were in each others weddings, we have not lived in the same town since we left for college in the fall of 1976. Jane and I reminess often about the Chamberlin and I cannot wait to show her the fabulous renovation that is being done on the infamous pool. It is no longer filled with salt water, and no longer has a deep end, but will be as beautiful as it was in its heyday. Jane and I to commemorate our 40th anniversary of meeting each other areplanning a weekend trip without husbands, significant others and children! The final celebration will be to have the opportunity to swimin the Chamberlin pool just one more time.