Diary, John Quincy Adams, 1825

Sixth president, John Quincy Adams, often swam in Tiber Creek near the White House. In 1825, he commandeered an abandoned boat and rowed it down the creek, planning to swim back. A sudden storm arose, sweeping the leaking boat into the Potomac where it began to sink. Adams scrambled overboard, but the weight of his clothes dragged him underwater. A White House steward, Antoine Guista, who was with Adams, jumped overboard and rescued the president. Washington buzzed for days about the President's close call.

The Diaries of John Quincy Adams Diary 49, snippet at White House Historical Society. View original snippet.

6/13/1825

13.iii: 3p. Attempt to cross the river with Antoine in a Boat. She filled with water, and swamped. We swam to the opposite shore, I with my pantallons, Drawer, Shirt and hat. Antoine naked. John swam across the river to meet us as we intended to have swum back. But he came to me on the other shore. Antoine crossed the bridge with my wet shirt and Pantaloons, and brought back John's cloathes and my watch and umbrella, which I had left with him. He had also gone with a boat and found his own hat floating with his shirt and braces in it, and one of my shoes. He had also sent a message to the house, to dispatch the coachman John to come for us with the carriage. While Antoine was gone for the cloathes, John and I were walking and swimming up and down on the other shore or getting naked on the bank. John walked over the bridge home. The carriage to me and Antoine home, half dressed. We got home, about a quarter before nine. I left an old summer coat and white waistcoat.

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