Five Days Remain

June 28, 2020

Swim Report

1st course, post-workout recovery meal

WE ARE READY!

IT WILL BE AWESOME! 

IT WILL BE EPIC! 

WE WILL HAVE FUN! 

WE WILL CONSUME POST SWIM SUSTENANCE LIKE NEVER BEFORE!

Today we completed the final training in our buildup for the Golden Gate Bridge to Candlestick swim. Over the past few weeks, we progressively increased our time the water, with 3 hours planned for today. 

Sarah selected today’s route: the Warming Hut to Ft. Mason and back. We planned to depart at the beginning of the ebb, fight the nasty building current as the waters rushed out into the wild pacific, and then reverse course after two hours. If all went well, we would have an uneventful return with the current.

Five our intrepid six - Elizabeth, Laura, Michelle, Sarah, and I - set out along with marathoners Kim and Ken. David kept watch over us from his kayak. We hugged the shoreline tightly, hoping to avoid the stronger current ripping through the main channel. Not only did we hug the shoreline, we practically swam on the shore itself. San Francisco Bay’s brackish murky waters prevent swimmers from seeing their hands at the bottom of the stroke. In fact, we had no idea how deep the water was until we stood and found ourselves only knee-deep. 

Slowly we progressed eastward. My swimming and pace remained comfortable, yet, my mind wouldn’t relax. I thought the light current would be my demise. I had convinced myself by the time we hit our turnaround spot, the return trip back would have no current, and our three-hour swim would turn into a four-hour swim. While I logically knew better, my mind refused to accept the facts and reality. 

We kept a good clip, first passing Anita Rock, then the St. Francis Yacht Club. The waves and swells crashed along the shoreline breakwater and rocks as we progressed. We continue on, leaving the Golden Gate Yacht Club and the Wave Organ behind. Finally, we approached the Gas House Cove, the closest of the Ft. Mason Piers. The ebb felt light, and we quickly approached the middle pier. I had neglected to remember the middle pier sticks out further than the closest pier when approaching from the west. The longer pier had the added benefit of blocking the current and making the 2.8-knot ebb seem nonexistent.  As we swam by the middle pier, I felt the current in its full force. For the first time, I relaxed. I now knew we would get a great ride back to our starting point. We continued another hundred yards east, regrouped, fed, and prepared for our return trip back. 

The wind blew 12-18 knots while we swam. I hadn’t thought much about the wind until we took our first few strokes on the way back. Our return put us straight into the wind and the wind-driven chop with white caps. While the current swiftly moved us toward our exit point, about 2.25 miles away, each stroke was a battle with my head crashing into the waves as I worked to breathe while avoiding swallowing water. I swam both breaststroke and freestyle as I bounced through the waters. Encountering each wave felt like a slap in the face. 

To avoid drinking too much bay water, I modified my stroke. While the breathing became easier, my arms rubbed against my body, causing unpleasant chafing. Surprisingly, after about 2.5 hours swimming in the 61ºF waters, I felt warm. However, my mind got the better of me again. I convinced myself the chafing wouldn’t heal in time for our weekend adventure. At this point, I was about 600 yards from the exit point and decided to swim to shore. David encouraged me to keep going. Had I planned better, I would have brought along a lubricant to mitigate the chafing - lesson learned for next time. I swam to shore, walked along the beach, and waited for the rest of the group. 

My swim concluded after 2:40 and the rest of the group swam for 2:55. We’re all ready for our long swim and know we’ve prepared appropriately to ensure a great experience.