Swimming With Pilchards Trivia Quiz

Answer: Huntington Beach

The city of Huntington Beach trademarked the name "Surf City USA" upon the suggestion of longtime resident Dean Torrence of Jan and Dean fame. Jan and Dean had a number one hit on the US Billboard Top 100 Chart in 1963, with the song "Surf City".

The surfing culture has been a part of Huntington Beach ever since Duke Kahanamoku - "The Father of Surfing" - first surfed at the Huntington Beach pier in the early 20th century.

It is not unusual to see men surfing in the early morning twilight before putting on their suits and ties to go to the office.

Question crafted by player CliftonClowers.

Answer: Pendine

Welshman J G Parry-Thomas was the first driver to be killed attempting a land speed record. He died on March 3rd 1927, and that was the final attempt for the world record at Pendine beach. His car 'Babs' was buried on the beach, but has since been excavated, and is now on display in the Museum of Speed at Pendine.

Question crafted by player sian19.

Answer: Pride and Prejudice

In the television drama, made by the BBC, Lyme Park was used as the setting for Mr. Darcy's home, Pemberley. The swim was taken by Colin Firth, in his popular portrayal of Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, later much admired by Bridget Jones! This may come as a surprise to anyone familiar with Jane Austen's work, as the swim is conspicuously absent from the book.

Question crafted by player ajwtimperley.

Answer: Thomas Gray

Perhaps Gray's most famous poem, "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard" was first published in 1751. His comments about Hartlepool were sent to a friend in a letter, and he also wrote: "The rocks, the sea and the weather there more than made up to me the want of bread and the want of water, two capital defects, but of which I learned from the inhabitants not to be sensible. They live on the refuse of their own fish-market, with a few potatoes, and a reasonable quantity of Geneva [gin] six days in the week, and I have nowhere seen a taller, more robust or healthy race: every house full of ruddy broad-faced children. Nobody dies but of drowning or old-age: nobody poor but from drunkenness or mere laziness."

The town of Hartlepool dates back to at least the seventh century, and archaeological evidence has shown that there were people living in the area as far back as the stone age, up to three thousand years BC.

Question crafted by player Rowena8482.

Answer: The great 'Sardine Run'

Southern Africa's famous 'Sardine Run' takes place from May to July each year along the eastern coast of the Cape of South Africa. Millions of sardines (the Southern African Pilchard - Sardinops sagax) gather in a gigantic shoal, often more 7km long, 1.5km wide and up to 30m deep. They can even be seen from space, via satellite pictures! Tourists come from all over the world to wade into the sea and catch the fish by hand, or to watch the many predators who follow (and eat) the tiny fish.

Question crafted by player DaisiJ.

Answer: "Let us dispatch"

Raleigh was executed in 1618, to appease the Spanish after men under his command had sacked a Spanish outpost in the New World. His final words were recorded as "Let us dispatch. At this hour my ague comes upon me. I would not have my enemies think I quaked from fear." When the executioner showed him the axe that would end his life, he said "This is a sharp medicine, but it is a physician for all diseases and miseries." Among other biographers, Raleigh Trevelyan in his 2002 book "Sir Walter Raleigh" tells us that Sir Walter's final words, with his head actually in position on the block, were: "Strike, man, strike!"

Question crafted by player Wildisthewind.

Answer: Grey Seal

October is the best time of the year for swimming with the grey seals, as the water is still quite warm and there are newborn seal pups. Male grey seals can reach three meters in length, and have roman noses, hence their Latin name Halichoerus grypus, which translates into English as "hooked-nosed sea pig". The females and young pups are friendlier than the males and will sometimes interact with swimmers. They are found on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean, and are sometimes called Atlantic Gray (or Grey depending which coast you are on) or Horsehead Seals.

Question crafted by player Wendy, wsm22.

Answer: Shortage of breath

Narcosis produces a state similar to being drunk, and can occur during shallow dives, but usually does not become noticeable until greater depths, beyond 30 meters (100 feet). This condition is completely reversed by ascending to a shallower depth and is usually gone within a few minutes. For this reason, narcosis while diving in open water rarely develops into a serious problem as long as the divers are aware of its symptoms and ascend to manage it. However at deeper depths, or with an inexperienced diver, the condition can be fatal.

Question crafted by player ArthurR.

Answer: 62-95mm

The water shrew is the largest of the five species of British shrews, and like all shrews leads a hectic life, busy by day and night on the look-out for food. A shrew is very small, so it quickly burns up its energy reserves. If it did not feed continuously, a shrew would die within a few hours.

Question crafted by player CrimsonKing.

Answer: Fishbone

The song featured on the soundtrack of the 1993 film "Last Action Hero", which reached number seven in the Billboard Top 100 Album Charts of that year. It also enjoyed minor success in the UK when it reached No. 54 in the Singles Chart. It appeared on the 1993 album "Give a Monkey a Brain and He'll Swear He's the Center of the Universe".

Question crafted by player sian19.