Are there really currents in the bay?
A huge volume of water flows in and out of the Golden Gate twice a day, every day. At peak ebb or flow, it's far faster than any human can swim. Any Bay swim is planned entirely around the tide table. So to hold this race at all, they need a weekend day when the tide will be slack or just starting to move between 6 and 8 am. That consideration is surely far more important than a few degrees' fluctuation in water temperature.
In windy weather the Bay can be really choppy too. That problem could happen any time of year. Big enough chop should cancel the swim, but if they held the event only in glassy water they would not hold it ever.
Are there really currents in the bay?
A huge volume of water flows in and out of the Golden Gate twice a day, every day. At peak ebb or flow, it's far faster than any human can swim. Any Bay swim is planned entirely around the tide table. So to hold this race at all, they need a weekend day when the tide will be slack or just starting to move between 6 and 8 am. That consideration is surely far more important than a few degrees' fluctuation in water temperature.
In windy weather the Bay can be really choppy too. That problem could happen any time of year. Big enough chop should cancel the swim, but if they held the event only in glassy water they would not hold it ever.
