Open Water Information
OUR MISSION: To offer a safe, fun, and relaxed experience. To offer encouragement and feedback. To share as much knowledge as possible. To personalize our service and get to know our swimmers. And to do all of this with humor and kindness and patience.
Expectations and Agreements for Swimmers: Please see our rules and expectations.
Aquatic Park Directions:
FROM AUGUST THROUGH OCTOBER WE WILL MEET ON THE GRASSY KNOLL ON THE WEST SIDE OF AQUATIC PARK, NEAR VAN NESS AVENUE - THE BLEACHERS AT AQUATIC PARK ARE CLOSED FOR RENOVATION. The best place to park is at the end of Van Ness Avenue. Van Ness dead ends down by the water in a big parking area. Park there and then walk East. You may also access Aquatic Park easily by Muni (19 Polk, 30 Stockton, 47 Van Ness, 49 Van Ness-Mission or F Market).
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Treasure Island Directions:
From the East Bay: Drive West on the Bay Bridge. Take the Treasure Island exit from the far left lane. Merge onto Treasure Island Road. TI Road becomes Avenue Palms. Go through naval base gates. Turn right onto California. Then turn right onto Avenue D and drive into the large parking lot.
From San Francisco: Drive East on the Bay Bridge. Take the Treasure Island/Yerba Buena Island exit from the far left lane. The ramp will dump you onto Avenue Palms. Go through naval base gates. Turn right onto California. Then turn right onto Avenue D and drive into the large parking lot. We meet in the big parking lot and walk over to the beach together.
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Groups:
We have a Beginner Group and an Advanced group. On Monday nights, the Beginner Group meets at 6:20 pm and the Advanced group at 6:00 pm. Which group is right for you? If you can swim one mile in under 40 minutes (in the pool or open water) and you prefer a more challenging workout in the bay, please join the Advanced group. If you are a slower swimmer (cover one mile in more than 40 minutes) and/or prefer a more relaxed non-workout, please join the Beginner Group.
Meeting Times:
Groups assemble at the designated meeting times. Please be as prompt as possible. The group will enter the water 10 minutes after the meeting time. During that 10 minute period, guides will assess the group, designate a course and give a "pre-swim" briefing. If you arrive late and the group is already in the water, we may choose not to send you out. If you are able to "catch up" with the group in safety, we will send you out.
Equipment and Gear:
It is a good idea to have the basics: swimming suit, goggles, cap, and towel. We will provide a neon green latex cap for you. You can also consider: earplugs, contacts / prescription goggles. Bring warm clothes to change into afterwards - hat / warm clothes / gloves / thick socks and shoes. Warm tea is also nice, and a bottle filled with water will be handy in cleaning the sand off your feet! Please leave your wallet and cell phone and any other valuables in your car. We do not require wetsuits for our swims. Some people wear wetsuits and some do not.
Wetsuit Rentals:
We are lucky enough to have a deal with the wetsuit maker Fit2Race for cheap wetsuit rental. $35 gets you a suit for 30 days. Rent a wetsuit at 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 even MAIL the wetsuit to you!
Please note: We do not require wetsuits. The temperature in SF Bay fluctuates between 50 degrees in the winter and 63 degrees in the late summer. Many people swim year-round without wetsuits.
Insurance:
We prefer that you are a USAT member to participate in our clinics. An annual membership costs $39.
Swimming Route:
We explore different areas of "The Cove", usually charting a course among the various boats, along Muni Pier, and even back behind Hyde Street Pier. It’s different every time, to keep things interesting! On occasion we also swim outside of Aquatic Park, along the breakwater wall.
Distance and Pace:
The Intermediate/Advanced training group swims approximately 1 to 1.25 miles, at approximately a 30-minute mile pace. The Beginner group swims approximately 0.5 to 0.75 mile, at about a 40-minute mile pace.
Guides:
Read more about Swim Art open water guides.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the water temperature in the bay?
The water temperature usually fluctuates between 50 in the winter and 62 in the summer. The coldest month is February, and the warmest is September.
Are there sharks in the bay? Will I get eaten?
There are sharks in the bay, but not the man-eating kind. YOU WILL NOT GET EATEN!
Are there other resources about the bay?
Check out the Bay Model in Sausalito, Bay Keepers, Surf Rider Foundation.
Is the water clean?
The bay is clean and is tested every day of the year for bacteria levels. You can check the status of various beaches. If a beach is closed because of high bacteria counts, it will be shown there and we would cancel a swim accordingly.
What are the tides like?
The tides can be very mild or pretty strong, depending on the phase of the moon. Generally speaking, the strongest tides in the bay are difficult for even the strongest swimmer to swim against. But the tides are no where near as strong in "The Cove" of Aquatic Park as they are outside in the open bay water, where the water is flowing in and out. The gentle tides can be swum against easily and may even be unnoticeable.
How far do we swim on Monday nights?
The Intermediate/Advanced training group swims approximately 1.25 miles. The Beginner/Intermediate group swims approximately 0.5 to 0.75 mile.
What is the pace of the two groups?
The Intermediate/Advanced training group swims at about a 30-minute mile pace, with some rest stops along the way. The Beginner/Intermediate group swims at about a 40-minute mile pace, usually with many rest stops along the way.
Things to know if you are getting in the Bay for the first time: Usually the things that freak people out about the open water are:
-the cold
-the salty taste
-not being able to see in the water (there is no visibility)
-not being able to touch the bottom or hang on to the wall
-choppy water
-not being able to see where you are going
-aquatic life
-tides
But, it is possible to become comfortable with all of the above. It takes a little practice, and patience. It will also take some time to build up endurance and stamina. All of this is possible, though!