First Day in the Bay!
- Melanie
- Jun 30, 2018
- 2 min read
According to English Channel swimming lore, there is no better place to train than San Francisco’s Aquatic Park. Swimming in Lake Tahoe helped build my confidence ahead of my first day in the San Francisco Bay, where the balmy summer water temperature averages 58 degrees.
When I first arrived at Aquatic Park, accompanied by new and old friends—Ahelee, Lisa, and Katherine—they joked that we had reached the Dover Harbor of California. The thick morning fog seemed to stretch all the way down to touch the water.
We entered the water on the small beach between the docks of the South End Rowing Club and Dolphin Clubs. When I jumped in and started sprinting to warm up, I couldn’t believe when Lisa and Ahelee called the water hot at 58 degree! While I begged to disagree, I understood that 58 degrees is indeed warmer than the 53 degrees they swam in earlier than the season.
We swam hugging the edge of the Aquatic Park and dodged the surly sea lions with a reputation for being not as friendly as their cousins in residence at the La Jolla Cove. Even in the protected area of Aquatic Park, I quickly learned there were lots of things to avoid besides including recreational boats and fishing hooks,
As we made our way around Aquatic Park, we came to spot between the “wedding cake” and “jacuzzi” that opens to the rest of the Bay. (Note: these are nicknames for different parts of the Aquatic Park seawall - see the diagram below). I ventured “outside” the protected park with Ahelee and Lisa and the latest inductee into the Kayaker Hall of Fame, Katherine. As we struggled to stay close to the seawall, the immense strength of the current became immediately apparent. To stay focused, I concentrated exclusively on staying near the wall without being pushed into it—what some might consider a fine art.
Several minutes later, I looked up and saw one of the enormous 400-meter container ships passing through the middle of the Bay. Lisa looked up from her breaststroke and exclaimed “I told you - this is the best possible training for the English Channel! We have everything they do, except for jelly fish!”
As I’ve learned in days since, there actually are some jelly fish in the Bay this season. But, I’ve been lucky and the ones I’ve encountered are the non-stinging type.
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