I recently completed my first open water swim. That is, the first open water, out of cove swim, meaning my first swim outside of the safety of San Francisco's Aquatic Park. The swim was about a mile, from Gas House cove, the area right behind Green's restaurant at Fort Mason back to the beach between the Dolphin Club and the South End Club at Aquatic Park. My swim was evidently much longer than that as I kept wanting to swim towards Alcatraz. Safely back to the Club in a reasonable...
I am often swimming in the Bay at Aquatic Park and I often park on Jefferson Street near the Dolphin Club, or up Hyde Street into the Russian Hill neighborhood. The other morning, I parked at the end of Van Ness in one of those great 4 hour parking spots--which would give me plenty of time to swim, relax and enjoy my weekend morning. I have noticed Rock Sculptures along the part of the cove closest to Van Ness (the rocky part to the left of the beach as you face the Bay), but never...
When I first started swimming in the SF Bay a few years ago, I thought it was thrilling on those rare occasions when I was joined by a seal or one of San Francisco's famous sea lions.
Then, along came the rogue seal who bit several people one day. And then a few days later, it bit several more people. I was still dying to go into the water and even dodged two camera crews (who wanted to interview me as a new member of the Dolphin Club). I went and got a few of the old timers who...
