Alcatraz - Being Comfortable Made Me Uncomfortable.

Over the past few months, I stopped shivering and shaking during my swims as the San Francisco waters warmed. The water temperature has risen to the low 60s ºF and I have started to feel pretty good after swimming for an hour and a half. I became comfortable.

The Rock! Photo by Grayline

I swim the Alcatraz Channel regularly. Understanding the currents and navigation has become second nature. Earlier this summer, I swam to and from Alcatraz several times. Alcatraz doubles became well within my comfort zone.

However, what made me really uncomfortable was the thought of swimming to Alcatraz, rounding the backside, and returning to San Francisco. I questioned my fitness. I doubted I could tolerate the cold water. I had never swum so far before. Consistent with my mid-life evolution, once something makes me uncomfortable, I challenge myself to get comfortable with it. I needed to create an opportunity to push my limits and set some training goals. And, if not now, when...

My friends Jenn and Sarah agreed to support my swim from San Francisco to Alcatraz, around, and back.  Jenn would pilot/drive the boat and Sarah would swim alongside as my swim angel. At the South End Rowing Club (SERC), we call this swim a Round Trip Alcatraz (RTA). The swim begins and ends at San Francisco's Aquatic Park, near Ghirardelli Square.  

Pilot and swimmers, ready to launch. Sarah's goggle light glows red

The favorable mild currents led us to select September 21, 2019, for the day of the swim. We planned the round trip for the flood tide - when the waters fill the San Francisco Bay. If we timed things properly, we would both start and complete the swim in the flood tide while circumnavigating Alcatraz counterclockwise. 

As September 21st approached, I increased my training, ultimately including weekly 90 and 150-minute swims. My swim friends provided incredible support, both swimming with me and also providing safety coverage in a kayak.

I felt ready. I had a plan. I had consulted many others who have both swam and piloted the RTA. As I visualized this challenge, I expected it to take about 2 1/4 hours. It would be no problem.

Things don't always go as planned.

Swimming an RTA requires crossing a major global shipping channel twice. Not only did we need to be mindful of vessel traffic like oil tankers, freighters, tug boats, cruise ships, barges, fishing boats, and recreational traffic, we must also yield to them and ensure we keep a safe distance as to not interfere with their operations. Even though we planned a 5:10 a.m. splash from the SERC beach, we delayed our start and then swam along the shoreline for an extra 30-minutes to allow a cargo ship to pass through the shipping lane before vessel traffic would clear us to enter the channel.

We started in complete darkness. To help Jenn see us, we wore lights attached to our goggle straps along with illuminated inflatable swim buoys attached to our waists. Sarah's buoy was green, mine was orange - kind of like a big pumpkin floating on the water. 

With our swim buoys and lights attached, we're ready to begin our adventure!

Once we entered the channel, we sighted on Alcatraz, about 1.5 miles away. Steadily we crossed the channel. Alcatraz seemed closer by the minute. We thought we were almost there and adjusted our sighting: first to the lighthouse and ultimately to the tip of the island. And then, Alcatraz didn't seem any closer. We were swimming in place - similar to what it might feel like to swim on a treadmill. The body does all the proper moves, strokes, and techniques, but it doesn't go anywhere.

Near the Alcatraz Lighthouse while caught on the treadmill

We fought our way to the southeast side of the Island and rounded the tip.  When the current ebbs (exits the Bay), swimmers get pushed north along the eastern shore. The ebb had kicked in, and we got a nice ride north. Twilight had just begun and the rising sun lit all the buildings from the former prison. 

Just so amazingly cool to be swimming alongside the prison.

Illuminated by the rising sun, the Golden Gate Bridge's north tower came into view, then the South Tower, and finally San Francisco's western city front. We began the final push back to Aquatic Park, about 1.5 miles away. The westbound ebb tide pushed us toward the Golden Gate. When swimming into a cross current, swimmers need to 'crab', or swim at an angle into the current, with the expectation they will end up at their final destination by sighting past or beyond their endpoint. We crabbed and crabbed and crabbed. Then we crabbed some more. For a while, we held our line and kept on target for SERC's beach. About halfway across the channel, we could no longer hold our position into the current. The current pushed us about half a mile west of our destination.

Most amazing and scenic view of the day - swim buoys make it easy to spot the swimmers

Midchannel on the home stretch!

There was no question we would reach San Francisco's shore. Two and a half hours into our swim, we had to evaluate our options and decide where to land on the San Francisco city front. We chose Coghlan beach near San Francisco's Golden Gate Yacht Club and Wave Organ, about one mile west of our initial destination. No longer crabbing, we approached the shore, stood at the beach, and completed our swim. Jenn motored to us, shifted the motor in neutral, and let us climb aboard. 

Celebrating on the shores of Coghlan Beach!!!

As a team, we completed my toughest swim in 3 hours and five minutes. Jenn kept us safe from all the marine traffic, navigation obstacles, and sea creatures while Sarah swam alongside keeping me focused and on task. As we motored back to SERC, we only had one thing left to do - enjoy a celebratory breakfast together!

Gorging together at San Francisco's Buena Vista, best known for their Irish Coffee

While I'm not yet comfortable swimming to, around, and from Alcatraz, I know I'm up for the task next time I'm ready to give it a go. I'm also quite confident I can choose to take on more challenging swim adventures. Today was about setting a training goal and achieving more than I ever thought possible.

Many people have asked me what's next. Tonight, my wife and I will enjoy date night including having dinner together before watching a play in San Francisco.

Water temps hovered between 59-61ºF

Photos by Jenn