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.
Swims vary in length and difficulty. Please see the descriptions for more information. Spectators are invited to ride in the boat on most, but not all, swims. Most trips begin and end at Aquatic Park, where we meet on the grassy hillside next to Van Ness Avenue, our regular meeting spot. Times listed are the meeting times. 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). Sign ups for our first two swims are now available through Active. Remaining sign ups will open on March 1. See our event listings page. Please contact Leslie with any questions. If you are registering fewer than five days before the swim, please email Leslie to check availability.
Calendar - 2010
Also see our PDF calendar of events.
April 10: Alcatraz to AP, 8:45 am
May 15: Yacht Club to AP, 9:15 am
May 16: Alcatraz to Yacht Club, 7:00 am
May 23: Alcatraz to AP, 8:00 am
June 12: Round the Rock, 7:30 am
June 21: Alcatraz to AP, 8:00 am
June 27: Bridge to Bridge, 7:45 am
July 2: Alcatraz to Crissy Field, 6:30 am
July 4: Alcatraz to AP, 6:30 am
July 7: Trans GGB, 8:30 am
July 31: Alcatraz to AP, 7:45 am
August 13: Bay Bridge to AP, 5:45 am
August 28: Alcatraz to AP, 7:30 am
September 11: Alcatraz to AP, 7:30 am
September 17: Trans GGB, 7:45 am
September 25: Alcatraz to AP, 7:00 am
October 3: Yacht Club to AP, 6:45 am
October 17: Alcatraz to AP, 8:15 am
Locations and Descriptions
Alcatraz, San Francisco
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." View the course map to Aquatic Park and the course map to Yacht Harbor.
Intermediate
One-mile swim with ebb tide
$100
April 10, May 16, May 23, June 21, July 2, July 4, July 31, August 28, September 11, September 25, October 17
Bay 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 down to the Bay Bridge. Under the huge 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. View the course map.
Advanced
Three-mile swim with flood tide
$130
August 13
Bridge to 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. The swim begins with a jump off the boat under the Golden Gate Bridge. The swim proceeds South toward the Bay Bridge. Spectators are welcome to come along for the boat ride and the fun! View the course map.
Advanced
Six-mile swim with flood tide
$150
June 27
Round the Rock, San Francisco
Cicumnavigate Alcatraz! Jump off the boat in front of the Rock, and then complete a full circle around it. View the course map.
Advanced
1.2 mile swim with partial assistance from the current
$130
June 12
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! View the course map.
Advanced
Two-mile swim
$130
July 7, September 17
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. View the course map.
All Levels
One-mile swim
$45
May 15, October 3
Weekend Trip
Lake Tahoe
August 20-22
(Friday night through Sunday afternoon)
All levels
$180
You'll camp at the Emerald Bay campground and enjoy three beautiful lake swims - D.L. Bliss, Meeks Bay, and Emerald Bay. Saturday evening we'll swim under the (almost) full moon. Water temperature will most likely be in the range of 65 to 68 degrees. Read more in the Trip Notes. To register, please email us. View a map of the area.
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!
Private Kayak Escort: It is possible to sign up to have your own private kayak escort for the swim. The fee is $30 for Alcatraz swims and $40 for all other Expedition swims. A kayaker will be assigned to you (or you and a friend if you wish) to guide you safely to the finish. This option will appear on the Active.com registration form.
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). Downtown there is a nice large hotel called Le Meridian. For a B&B try Annie's Cottage.
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.
Spectators: We are able to take spectators on most, but not all, of our Expedition swims. The fee for each Spectator is $5. You may indicate how many spectators you plan to bring on the sign up form.
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 24 hours before the swim meeting time.
Refunds: You must give your credit card information to Active at the time you register. We will offer a full refund up to seven days before the trip, with a $2 processing fee. After seven days, no refund will be offered. You may transfer your registration to another swim (of equal value) with no extra charge.
Cancellations: We reserve the right to cancel a swim if we do not meet the minimum requirement of four sign ups. We also reserve the right to cancel a swim if the weather conditions make the swim unsafe.
Information and FAQ: For more information about open water swimming, see our Information page.