Open Water Expedition Swims
Experience the Bay from a whole different perspective! Enjoy beautiful swims in the wide-open Bay. Challenge your skills. Explore the gorgeous views from the water. Create memories that will last a lifetime.
All trips feature a swim followed by a small picnic breakfast (food provided). Swims vary in length and difficulty. Please see the descriptions for more information. Spectators are invited on most bay swims, to ride along in the boat that follows the swimmers for safety. Most trips begin and end at Aquatic Park, where we meet on the grassy hillside next to Van Ness Avenue, on the West side. Directions and more details about each trip will be emailed to you upon signing up.
To sign up:
We require registration in advance (sign up form + payment) for Expedition Swims. Please download our SIGN UP FORM and send it in by mail or email. We accept last-minute sign ups and day-of arrivals as long as they do not put us over our swimmer-to-guide ratio (for safety reasons!). You may pay by sending in a check or using a credit card (through PayPal). Please contact Leslie with any questions. If you are registering fewer than five days before the swim, please email Leslie to check availability.
Calendar - 2009
Also see our PDF calendar of events.
April 5: Alcatraz to AP, 8:00 am
May 2: Alcatraz to Yacht Club, 7:15 am
May 22: Golden Gate Bridge to AP, 6:30 am
May 26: Alcatraz to Yacht Club, 6:15 am
June 7: Alcatraz to AP, 6:00 am - email Leslie to sign up
June 27: Bay Bridge to Golden Gate Bridge, 6 am
July 1: Trans Golden Gate Bridge, 7:15 am
July 19: Yacht Club to Aquatic Park, 7:00 am
July 25: Alcatraz to AP, 8:00 am
August 16: Golden Gate Bridge to AP, 6:30 am
August 21 and 23: Lake Tahoe Weekend Trip
August 23: Alcatraz to AP, 7:30 am
September 14: Trans Golden Gate Bridge, 7:30 am
September 20: Alcatraz to AP, 6:30 am
October 11: Alcatraz to AP, 6:45 am
October 18: Yacht Club to AP, 8:00 am
Locations and Descriptions
See a map showing these locations.
Alcatraz, San Francisco
Need we say more? Escape from The Rock! These swims will end either at Yacht Harbor or Aquatic Park. These swims are limited to six swimmers per motor boat, so spaces are limited! *See our 8-week Alcatraz training plan below under "Training and Preparation."
Intermediate
One-mile swim with ebb tide
$100
April 5, May 2, May 26, June 7, July 25, August 23, September 20, October 11
Bay Bridge to Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco
Gay in the Bay swim
This is an LGBTIQQ- and straight-friendly swim, in celebration of GAY PRIDE. All are welcome and encouraged to join this special swim - a challenging and gorgeous trip along the entire San Francisco bay-side waterfront. Spectators are welcome to come along for the boat ride and the fun!
Advanced
Six-mile swim with ebb tide
$120
June 27
Golden Gate Bridge to Aquatic Park, San Francisco
This is a beautiful swim! We'll walk down to Pier 39 where we'll board the boat and head on out to the GGB. Under the red span of the bridge, you'll jump from the boat and ride the tide back into Aquatic Park, enjoying a brand new view of the city.
Advanced
Three-mile swim with flood tide
$120
May 22, August 16
Trans-Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco
I think the name speaks for itself. Swim UNDER the Golden Gate Bridge, from San Francisco to Marin! You'll jump from the boat, swim the length of the bridge, and then ride the boat back to Aquatic Park. The boat ride alone is worth the trip!
Advanced
Two-mile swim
$130
July 1, September 14
Yacht Club, San Francisco
You’ll walk down the concrete steps at the St. Francis Yacht Club at Marina Green. . . right into the water . . . and swim your way back to Aquatic Park. This is another wonderful way experience the real bay in a shorter and gentle swim. We can not take spectators on these trips.
All Levels
One-mile swim
$30
July 19, October 18
Weekend Trip
Lake Tahoe
August 21-23
(Friday night through Sunday afternoon)
All levels
$150
You'll camp at the Emerald Bay campground and enjoy three beautiful lake swims - D.L. Bliss (Saturday), Meeks Bay (Saturday evening), and Emerald Bay (Sunday). Saturday evening we'll swim under the full moon. Water temperature will most likely be in the range of 65 to 68 degrees. To register, please email us.
Wetsuit Rental: $45 for 30 days
Provided by Fit2Race. You may rent a wetsuit directly with them. To rent a suit, visit the Swim Art Store on the Fit2Race website; click the "Store" link and then click the "Rent a Wetsuit" link. Rental instructions and size info is also on their site. They will MAIL the wetsuit to you, and it is yours to use for 30 days!
Safety Disclaimer: Please note that for the sake of safety in the Bay, we ask that groups of swimmers stay together in the water. It is imperative that swimmers not become separated. Therefore, should a fast swimmer end up far out in front of the pack, we will ask him or her to stop and wait or "swim circles" around the group. Should a slower swimmer have difficulty keeping up with the main pack, we will pick that swimmer up in a boat and reposition him or her closer to the others.
Difficulty Levels and Requirements for Participation: Advanced swims are longer, challenging, and the swimmers are faster. Prerequisites for Advanced swims: must be able to swim 1 mile in the open water comfortably, in 45 minutes or less; must have completed at least 2 open water swims (preferably in cold water); must be comfortable in choppy water. Intermediate swims are around one mile in length. Prerequisites for Intermediate swims: must be able to swim 1 mile comfortably in open water, in 45 minutes or less; must have completed at least 2 open water swims. Beginner swims accommodate swimmers of all speeds and skill. Prerequisites for All Level swims: must be able to swim 100 yards in the pool without stopping; must have completed at least one open water swim; must be able to swim one mile in 45 minutes or less.
Training and Preparation: Click here for tips and advice for preparing for each of our Expedition swims. Our 8-week Alcatraz training plan will give you an idea of how to prepare for this swim if you are a beginner or intermediate swimmer.
Traveling from out of town: Any of the hotels in the San Francisco Fisherman's Wharf area will be extremely convenient to the start and ending location of our swims. In particular, we recommend the Argonaut Hotel (as a high-end option) and the Buena Vista Motor Inn (as a lower-end option, about a 10-minute walk away). There is also a great Hostel up the hill from Aquatic Park (a 7-minute walk). Another nice hotel, moderate price, is the La Luna Inn, about 2 miles from Aquatic Park ($7 cab ride or 40 minute walk).
Payment: We ask for payment for our swims in advance (by check or credit card). Please return the Sign up Form by mail or email. Please send the check by mail. To pay by credit card, an invoice will be emailed to you and direct you to our PayPal site. An additional processing fee will be applied to PayPal payments.
Confirmation: Upon receipt of your Sign up Form and payments, a confirmation email will be sent. More details about the swims will be emailed a week before the event. If you do not receive these, please phone us.
Registration Deadline: Registration for all swims will close 48 hours before the swim meeting time.
Refunds: Your check will be cashed upon receipt. We will offer a full refund up to seven days before the trip. After seven days, no refund will be offered.
Cancellations: We reserve the right to cancel a swim if we do not meet the minimum requirement of four sign ups.
Information and FAQ: For more information about open water swimming, see our Information page.