Hidden Dangers Under the Pier

Low tide reveals the hidden dangers under the Muni Pier's Wedding Cake. 📸: Jeff

We swam a cove lap - entering/exiting near the outdoor shower by the steps, mostly enjoying an outstanding and exhilarating morning workout. Note the use of the term ‘mostly.'

We passed under the wedding cake - the large circular structure at the end of San Francisco's Municipal Pier. We've all swam there before. The tide was high enough. The water clarity combined with the early morning lights highlighted each tiny little sunlit bubble, reminding me of swimming there in the dark and being wowed by the bioluminescence as the predawn glowing bubbles separated from each finger.

January 2017, My first swim under the Wedding Cake/Muni Pier.  📸 by Sarah Roberts, Painting by Joe Butler

As I progressed under the end of Muni Pier (and the wedding cake), I kept to the right side. The Bay's rolling swells created some light texture requiring just enough focus to ensure I wouldn't get pushed into the barnacle-covered pylons. Fortunately, I didn’t. Finally, I approached the last pylon, still keeping to my right, and quite thankful the submersed jagged edge broken pylons remained well below the waterline. 

Or so I thought. Just as was about to pop out from under the wedding cake, my internal impalement sensor tripped. My eyes registered the razor-sharp teeth-like like spikes rapidly approaching through the clear waters. I sucked in my gut, held my breath, and flattened my body to ensure a safe passage. While I made it through unscathed, my energy had been zapped. 

Taking a deep cleansing breath allowed me to regain my composure and complete the swim without further incident, except, of course, the encounter with a massive sea lion. But that's a story for another day...

31 minutes, ~58ºF, legal 

Higher tides mask the hidden perilous spikes and broken pylons at the end of the Pier. 📸: Jeff