That's The Spirit

This George Washington could not make it across the Delaware River. Ronald Rinaldi III was prepared to play the role of the military leader whose daring Christmas crossing led to a rout of British-led forces and revived the downtrodden Continental forces.

Rinaldi, 45, had taken part in every re-enactment of Washington's crossing of the Delaware since 1976, amassed more than 500 books on the American Revolution and earned a degree in U.S. military history.

But this year, he and his fellow re-enactors were done in by the river's strong currents.

As Rinaldi and hundreds of spectators watched, the first boat that attempted the short voyage from Pennsylvania got carried downstream. A rescue craft had to snare it. Three boats had trained to cross the river this year in the 55th-annual re-enactment, and dozens participated.

OK, I went to this thing 3 years ago and they called it off because of bad weather. Now this.

You mean to tell me we haven't progressed in nautical technology in 230 years?

Things like this make me wonder if we've softened up as a society.