I am from Portland Oregon and want to do an Alcatraz swim event. Not knowing the events and their seem to be many I wanted any help I could get in choosing one. From what I saw on the web the shark fest seems to be a main event. I figure I am am going to come down from Portland it should be a big event and not a club outing. Any input on this would be very much appreciated.
Thanks.
Former Member
sharkfest does not wait for everyone to swim to the start area... cannot say i blame them for a quick start. threading low 60s water without a wetsuit is no one's idea of a good time.
water temperature can range a fair amount for these swims and the sharkfest might be in june, july or august! you probably should see what water temperatures are doing leading up to your swim... hoping for > 66 F is like counting on winning the lottery.
one degree in the low 60s is not equal to one degree in the low 70s - as water temperatures approach the 50s they transform to being log-based :)
I had the same experience with Swim with the Centurions in 2010. I think if they had told everyone who was swimming without wetsuits to stand by a specific side of the boat it would have helped. I moved to the wrong side - and I was not alone. All the swimmers W/S were great and moved out of the way. Maybe they were afraid of catching a bit of crazy from us. The event was billed as a race and they should of had a better organized start. They could have asked the no-wetsuit people who were there to swim and not race to let the other on-wetsuit ahead of them.
As for water in the 60° - In the dozen times I have swam in the bay, including 3 Alcatraz, a Bridge to Bridge, a GGB to Aquatic Park and a GG bridge to Hunters Point, the only time I ever swam in 60+ water was after I passed the Bay Bridge on the way to Hunters Point. I don't live there, but my experience is that you'd be hard pressed to find a day where the water was 60°, and when it reaches that temperature they break out cold beer at the South End Rowing Club.
Check here for historical data:
www.wunderground.com/.../FTPC1.html
I did the Alcatraz Challenge swim only as a skin in 2009, finish was at Chrissy Field. It was a chip timed race, your race didn't start until you stood on the activation pad at one of two exits on the boat. You were given about 10-minute period to exit the boat, skins and suits swam together. I chose to exit at the end, after listening to some veterans of the race and it was much more mellow hanging out on the top deck of the ferry as many athletes were crowded near the exits in an effort to get off fast. The strategy worked as all those swimmers ahead of me worked like a string navigation buoys in front of me. I had an excellent race and beat many college swimmers younger then myself and in wet-suits who no doubt would have beaten me in the pool.
When I did Escape from Alcatraz Tri I had just gotten back into swimming. The finish was also at Crissy Field and the 1600 people all had chips on. I made a mistake of grossly underestimating how well I was swimming (or grossly overestimating everybody else's ability). I sighted on the building they recommended for middle of the pack people and spent the whole time swimming alone up-current from everyone else. A lot of people just followed the person in front of them, and a good number ended up being dragged past the get out point by the current. Be wary of who you follow.
