Anybody Up for a Swim?

You think it’s been cold lately sailing on San Francisco Bay? Try swimming in it — without a wetsuit!

Sound impossible? Not really. Believe it or not, there is an elite group of swimmers who regularly swim in Bay waters wearing only normal bathing suits and swimming caps. How they do it without turning blue and chattering their teeth right out of their heads is a mystery to us, but they do.

"Keep a sharp lookout for swimmers!" we cautioned our guests during a recent late-afternoon daysail with friends. We were just about to swing our bow into San Francisco’s Aquatic Park. Sure enough, there ahead of us was a middle-aged couple leisurely stroking across the anchorage only minutes before sunset. Our guests were dumbfounded, but managed a smile and a wave. Of course, whenever and wherever you sail you always need to keep a lookout, but be especially careful in or near the Park — even when it feels cold enough to snow!