Pt.Bonita to San Quentin

Writing up long swims is even less exciting than reading about them.
So we'll call this one a "Photo Essay" and spare us both the agony.
Pt. Bonita to San Quentin:
6/15/08 Five Hours
Pilots: Jim Bock & Elizabeth Glass

Photography:

Pure Elizabeth
This was to be the longest Bay swim I'd done to date.

Jim, the cosumate swashbuckler, picked a really exciting route from Pt. Bonita in Marin, through Racoon Straights, round the back side of Angel Island ending at San Quentin. I'm ashamed to admit it, but I've never even considered swimming to San Quentin. Bay swimmers tend to get fixated on the other prison, and lose sight of the fact, that the Bay area has many lovely penal facilites, which can serve as swim destinations. I will set about right away to learn the rest of the lyrics to the Johnny Cash's "San Quentin". I couldn't get past the chorus out there. Drove me batty.


Ah the Mighty South End!




Jim and I ready the Spicer for the swim.







The Light house at Pt. Bonita.

Jim calls in the course to Vessel Traffic.

I need to work on looking sexier in my thermal cap and goggles. Maybe practice in the mirror like I did for the wedding photos. There's got to be a way to tilt your chin or something...

The water was rippin' west of the Gate.

We never leave Oakland, so its hard for me to be sure,
but I think this is Tiburon.

Yep, another bridge.

I think this is the point at which I got the bright idea to try salami & cheese on a cracker. After four plus hours of endurox and gu, I've noticed I tend to start getting creative. Probably won't repeat that particular experiment.

"San Quentin, You've been living hell to me..."

They tried to convince me to swim in directly under the prison,
but they weren't sure if I would be shot. So we ended it at the beach directly next door.

This last shot is dedicated to all the dirty old men of the South End

who've been dying to see the inside of the ladies locker room:

Victory beer with Alice Wong.