Swimming Through The Slots: A Harrowing Journey

Emerging victorious from a perilous passage through the slots

San Francisco turned dark, dreary, and dingy. Drudergy’s diabolical destiny awaited. Burnt plastic overwhelmed our olfactory senses. Yet, we chose to indulge in an early morning adventure. An adventure of firsts, an adventure of overcoming fear, and an adventure that should have been postponed to another day with better air quality.

With smokey air returning, we scrubbed our plan to swim at Crissy Field and headed for Aquatic Park's safety. By pure coincidence, we caught up with the B-team and followed them to the Farnsworth Gap - a shortcut for defeating strong currents when swimming west. Since the flood hadn't yet filled the Bay sufficiently to allow safe passage through the Gap, we continued another 20 yards toward the infamous slots. 

There’s a special technique for safe passage through the slots. When transiting through the slots, there's about an 24” space to pass between the slots, then another 24” gap between the rows of slots, and finally another 24” space to pass between the second row of slots. The motion is forward, right/left, then forward. Razor-sharp barnacles cover each slot. Waves and chop pass through the slots. Care must be taken to avoid contacting any and all slot surfaces, lest the swimmer returns with scrapes and scars. 

Approaching the slots and facing a wall of uncertainty

This was my 3rd slot passage attempt. My second attempt failed when a swell forced my head into the top of a slot and I panicked, cut myself, retreated, and then swore, loudly, never again to attempt such a ridiculous and unsafe passage. Today, however, I would defeat the barnacle-covered pylons and benefit from the shortcut to Fort Mason. 

Slot selection has become both an ar and a skill

The group chose the slot. It's not clear if it's the slot I would have chosen. None the less, being that we're all sheep, I followed Sarah who was making her first.slot.passage.ever! Sarah patiently waited for the swell sequence to subside so she could time her passage through the lull of the trough. I did the same and emerged relatively unscathed, except for a few minor scrapes on my palm. Feeling victorious, I kept swimming. 

Our swim continued to the Ft. Mason pier. When we arrived, we discussed turning back due to the poor air quality as opposed to continuing on to the 3rd and final pier at the Gas House cove. However, one of the swimmers, me, suggested we continue on to the 2nd pier and then reevaluate safety conditions. We regrouped at the far edge of the 2nd pier, and then since we were only a couple of hundred yards from the Gas House pier, we, not just me, agreed to continue on to the final pier at Gas House cove.

The wildfire's path of destruction included horrifically dirty air in the Bay Area

After the final regroup, we turned around and rode the current back to Aquatic Park Cove’s safety. While we swam, the air quality declined from 70 to 151. This significant change had a profound impact with many of us reducing our cardiovascular efforts as well as shortening our planned time in the water. Once in the cove, some swimmers sought more time in the water. However, I was glad to head straight to the beach and complete the swim.

📸🎥: Noah & Jeff

2300 yards

51 minutes

64ºF water temperature

Unthinkable horrors possess our finest and best when they first emerge through the slots