Pier 39 Swim

Beautiful morning on the bay. Water about 62 though it felt colder. Morning started with a 4:30 wake up, then a drive into the city to get the briefing and do the swim. Got my number 15 on my arm and was ready to go. We walked en masse down just to pier 39 where someone let us in and we walked amongst the boats on the boat walk waddling along trying to keep in balance as it rocked back and forth. All of the pilot boats were out in the marina there waiting. Quite a sight.
About 70 swimmers originally signed up but there were not enough pilots so some swimmers graciously piloted. I would have but do not know how to pilot. Gretchen has offered to take me out for a quick kayak lesson to see if I like it. And there is the other alternative... paddle board it the entire way. Yikes!! My shoulders are aching already!!
Anyway, 7:15 and we took a small jump into the water and was I thinking about sea lions and sea lion poop? You bet. Waiting on the boat walk for the signal to jump in and trying to dodge fresh sea gull poop as I walked down there certainly reinforced the very wild nature of this sport. Fortunately, I did not see any sea lions and the water was very calm and looked very clean. So when we were told to get in to line up for the water start, I took a jump, held my nose and there I was in the water.
Was that water 62? I don't know. It felt cold. Anyway, we tread water for a couple of minutes and I was in the middle of the pack which is not where I wanted to be having always avoided that spot in the other swims I have done. And after the start, yes, there was contact but not like the lake swims. So the fast swimmers went on by.
I could see Gretch out of the corner of my eye and since she is an experienced rower I tried to follow her line but she was hugging the left wall and I did not want to be that close in an ebb. She also is pretty fast so she disappeared behind the splashing and zoomed off. So I held to middle and just kept swimming to the end of the pier.
Interestingly in all of these swims I never feel this big push I am supposedly getting and today was no exception. But I figured it was a really nice day for a nice leisurely swim and tried to take it in stride and enjoy it for what it was--a great morning in the bay and on the bay.
Now, I had had my breath taken away as I went into the water. I am not used to a sudden plunge and the thought occurred to me as it always does early in these events that I was not in really that good shape and maybe I should up my aerobic exercise. And yes, girls and boys, I did try the luna moons, energy blocks designed for women, only a fraction of the size of the cliff shot blocks and in a very chic moon shape with little stars. And I am hear to tell you that they taste really good, don't get stuck in your teeth and do seem to work! So I was powered up.
Anyway back to the swim. As luck would have it I found a couple of guys to draft off of. I couldn't get around them so I just swam with them or rather behind them. This one guy had swum over me to get ahead of me and then just couldn't accelerate any faster than just in front of me. I spent most of the swim trying not to swim on top of him, but I just couldn't get around him and he wove back and forth in what seemed to be a real effort to keep me from passing him.
Now, I must tell you as I am simply not competitive as we all know and I don't get riled by physical contact or water or rather lane hogs but the thought that occurred to me was that I would really like to dust this jerk. However, while the spirit may be willing but the body does not always cooperate. So I just drafted along and when these two yahoos started drifting into the channel away from the pier I just kept my line. Don't get my wrong, the second guy really knew where he was going so I followed him as best I could as he seemed to know just where to cut over. But they were going stroke for stroke in some kind of weird competition. And I just kept my line and drafted when I could.
By the time I got to the jeremiah obrien, the mammalian reflex and that beginning race excitement had faded and it was time to concentrate on the next siting point which surprisingly was muni pier. A very easy siting trip for a left breather.
As I swung into the cove and through the opening I hugged to the left and aimed first for the balclutha and then for the end of that other boat that sticks out. But I had to stop a couple of time and raise up my head because I couldn't see the finish--a constant frustration. So I just aimed for the Southend boat launch. I must figure a way to find the way out one of these days.
Well I was putting on some speed, at least for me, as I approached the end and I really stroked pretty hard. And heheheheheh I think I did dust the jerk who was swimming on top of me. So all in all it was a pretty good swim. Lots of fun and a great morning for it. I am so thankful to be able to swim in these things and that they are so well organized and so well piloted.
See you soon everyone!! Happy swimming.