Piloting the Golden Gate Open Water Swim

Are you ever amazed when you actually pull off a plan, you know, one of those plans that have like a thousand caveats, plan b's and hoops you have to jump through...well that was our day. So let me set the stage, Step 1...get up at 4am, 2...meet group in West Sacramento and wait for the Highway (yes highway) to open at 5am, 3...drive to SF and maneuver around road closures due to the Avon Woman's Marathon. 4 walk kayaks 8 blocks and that just brings us to the start of the adventure.

So...through gritted teeth, Rich asks me while standing on the beach...”um Kris, since we plan to take a fishing boat to the start of the open water swim...exactly how do you plan to launch our boats?” Frack...a valid question! If you've ever kayaked, you know the instability of sea kayaks but launching off the side of another boat, 3 feet out of the water was logistically “challenging” but REALLY...for uncoordinated me, a virtual impossibility...yes another hurdle...so we get to the boat, gingerly get out and into the bigger boat...and hoist our boats aboard. Well looky there...we could do it...How I doubt!

So the boat is filled with 40 swimmers and 10 pilots, like ourselves. The tension is palpable, shrouded in fog...radios blared, checking freighters paths, tide switched to ebb and time to dump kayaks back in. “Game on!” We were back out and the water went from rough to crazy, swells from 4 to 6 feet high with eddies that strip you of your paddle in an instant and freighters wake. Those who've been out there know about the "Potato patch" under the south end of the Bridge-its deadly on its worst day and highly technical on its best. The pictures don't show all the "crazy" going on, but trust me Capital K Crazy!!! We were in IT, down the face of one wave and up the face of the next-there is just nothing like it. Front and back but coming from side to side too...we now have the kayak to be topped. It was both scary and exhilarating...but the point of our trip was to pilot these crazy-ass swimmers from from the SF side of Golden Gate to the Marin side.

The horn blew and the swimmers jumped to swim to the start on the beach. Rich and I have piloted a number of times in the past and its like riding a bike...you know the “establishing” look...they all start out just adjusting to the freakin cold and the wait until they take their first look to gauge where they are going. Then after a few moments, some come up laughing and smiling and some come up looking like “what was I thinking? And how can I get back to the safety of the boat and warmth of a mere towel but then they settle in, focused on their goal. The Sacramento swimmers rocked it, in fact Stephanie won the entire race (but it wasn't a race...right!) In fact, Rick Bartels, one of the organizers and insane man who organized the Sac crew....after surviving Rich's strangulation - He made the passage with ease, a smile and a song in his heart. HOW DOES HE CONVINCE US-BOTH SWIMMERS AND PILOTS TO DO THESE THINGS???? (For those who remember, the Tahoe pilot trip-Rick, the Santa Cruz trip-Rick...he's a crazy mo fo) So before Rick touched Lime Rock, which was the finish line...I see this seal head pop up, 18 inches long...so a BIG seal...but these folks don't lose sight of the goal. All but one finished and two pilots dumped. Rich and I finished hearts full and so proud to add this to our list...check, kayaked under the Golden Gate bridge!

Great day capped with lunch with Cookie and Tom at Tres Agave where nephew Ian works.

While if you asked me if I could do, what I did today-I'd say no but through true adversity...the body carries us through. Here's to: Rick, Tim, Greg, Bob, Keith, Chris and Stephanie-you guys rocked and so glad there weren't any great white sightings....