My buddy is swimming from alcatraz to shore in a swimming 2 mile race Saturday. He wanted me to join him. I told him he was crazy! 60 degree water sharks and sea lions. Is it truly a safe race? Anybody with insight?? Is this something that is common to do? Any deaths doing it?? Part of me wishes I had done it....
Question for sanfran bay area posters
- Thread starter mickbula
- Start date
Wear a wet suit. Plenty do the alcatraz swim. Haven’t heard of any fatalities, but its hard core open water swimming. There always used to be open water swimmer that would do regular recreational swims (vs event swimming like the alcatraz event), but always in wet suits. Never witnessed any attacks nor random body parts washing onshore near the presidio or marina district. 😜
It’s safe though cold and challenging. Most swim races try to time it between tides so it’s not as threatening. There used to be an Escape from Alcatraz triathlon that a friend did every year. Hard but if you’re fit and wear a wetsuit you’ll be fine. Great Whites don’t cone into the bay. That was rumor to keep the prisoners on the Rock.
No great whites? What happened to those escaped convicts-all drowned (?) but no bodies found. Do they have signs "No Great Whites Allowed"
If I remember my Alcatraz tour correctly from 20+ years ago, all but one of the attempted escapees were either caught in the water or the body was recovered floating. The lone unaccounted for escapee was never seen again. I like to think he made it to SF.
The bay water is pretty gross and polluted. Big sharks can’t find food in it. If you really want to see a Great White, just go swimming in a turtle suit on the ocean side of SF. You’ll see one. A lot closer than you hoped.
