Has anyone here ever done this swim? It looks pretty intimidating for a mainly pool swimmer like me but I'm intrigued by it and it would give me a chance to visit relatives in the Bay area.
=> Is it pretty much for elite swimmers and tri-athletes?
=> Do they have regularly scheduled events just for swimmers?
=> What kind of conditioning shape should one be in to reasonably attempt it?
=> What kind of training would you recommend?
Thanks.
AJD
Parents
Former Member
I have done this swim five times, twice without a wetsuit, and I am not an elite swimmer. A few thoughts. Don't be intimidated into believing this swim is for elite swimmers only. It's not. It's just another 1.2 mile open water swim with a few variables that need to be managed. The most important variable is the current. Currents in the San Francisco Bay frequently exceed 5 mph and you cannot out swim them. The Alcatraz swims almost always coincide with predicted "slack tides" which mean the race is swum at the very end or very beginning of a tidal shift. This give you a window in which to complete your swim with little tidal effect. However, there is almost always some tidal effect that must be compensated for by swimming into it slightly and adjusting as you get closer. Race officials will typically tell you to sight well to the left or right of your finish zone and I would strongly advise you to listen. This means your swim trajectory will look like a giant horizontal arc where you start your swim sighting, for example, at 10 o'clock to make the 12 o'clock finish. You will need to adjust your arc as you get closer. Once, I thought I could swim in a straight line and get there faster. I didn't listen and the current got the best of me and had to be repositioned by a police boat. If you are swimming from Alcatraz to Aquatic Park, the breakwater opening into Aquatic Park is only 60 yards wide and is not easily, if at all, visible from the jump zone at Alacatraz. Instead, I use the multi-story buildings in the background to sight from; they are big and provide an excellent visual reference, much better than the orange bouy towed behind the lead boat. Ask someone on the boat where the buildings are relative to the opening before you jump. If you do not swim into the tide as instructed you may well miss this opening. There seems to be a regular stronger current that runs along the breakwater to Aquatic Park even during slack tide which could easily prevent you from making the opening if you do not approach the opening from the up current. Thus, the arc. It's another 400+ yards from the opening to the sand beach finish. I cannot advise you on swim management if you are swimming to Crissy Field. Your boat start at Alcatraz means an instant plunge into cold water so be prepared; keep your breathing under control and swim slowly to the starting bouys in order to maintain your composure and focus. One final thing. Be sure to stop somewhere mid-channel. The view is amazing. You will be able to see the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz Island, the San Francisco skyline, and the Bay Bridge all at the same time from your unique vantage point. Don't miss it. Enjoy.
I have done this swim five times, twice without a wetsuit, and I am not an elite swimmer. A few thoughts. Don't be intimidated into believing this swim is for elite swimmers only. It's not. It's just another 1.2 mile open water swim with a few variables that need to be managed. The most important variable is the current. Currents in the San Francisco Bay frequently exceed 5 mph and you cannot out swim them. The Alcatraz swims almost always coincide with predicted "slack tides" which mean the race is swum at the very end or very beginning of a tidal shift. This give you a window in which to complete your swim with little tidal effect. However, there is almost always some tidal effect that must be compensated for by swimming into it slightly and adjusting as you get closer. Race officials will typically tell you to sight well to the left or right of your finish zone and I would strongly advise you to listen. This means your swim trajectory will look like a giant horizontal arc where you start your swim sighting, for example, at 10 o'clock to make the 12 o'clock finish. You will need to adjust your arc as you get closer. Once, I thought I could swim in a straight line and get there faster. I didn't listen and the current got the best of me and had to be repositioned by a police boat. If you are swimming from Alcatraz to Aquatic Park, the breakwater opening into Aquatic Park is only 60 yards wide and is not easily, if at all, visible from the jump zone at Alacatraz. Instead, I use the multi-story buildings in the background to sight from; they are big and provide an excellent visual reference, much better than the orange bouy towed behind the lead boat. Ask someone on the boat where the buildings are relative to the opening before you jump. If you do not swim into the tide as instructed you may well miss this opening. There seems to be a regular stronger current that runs along the breakwater to Aquatic Park even during slack tide which could easily prevent you from making the opening if you do not approach the opening from the up current. Thus, the arc. It's another 400+ yards from the opening to the sand beach finish. I cannot advise you on swim management if you are swimming to Crissy Field. Your boat start at Alcatraz means an instant plunge into cold water so be prepared; keep your breathing under control and swim slowly to the starting bouys in order to maintain your composure and focus. One final thing. Be sure to stop somewhere mid-channel. The view is amazing. You will be able to see the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz Island, the San Francisco skyline, and the Bay Bridge all at the same time from your unique vantage point. Don't miss it. Enjoy.
