Clara Sabean was born in Granville Ferry, Nova Scotia to a family of limited means. Starting from very little, she invented a life that took her all over North America, including glamorous years as a performer billed as "The Champion Swimmer of the World".

However, much of her life is a mystery, lived under several different names. Using local memories, newspaper archives, and other sources, author and researcher Ern Dick set out to get a clearer picture of this mystery woman.