Date: January 1, 2026
Splash: 8:43 am
Distance: 3,042 yd
Time: 58:04
Alcatraz Count: 9
This was my longest Alcatraz swim distance-wise. We arrived off the island on Bravo around 7:30 am and had to wait for the pilot boats to arrive. The original splash time was 8:15 am, but a loaded cargo ship came through and forced us to hold our jump until about 8:45. High tide was predicted for about 7:45 so with the later jump there was a thought that the strong ebbs would kick in, so we were told to sight on the Ferris wheel at Fisherman’s Wharf. Just as the ship was abeam of Bravo the fog dropped. The Ferris wheel is white and wasn’t lit. It was still flooding when I jumped, and I ended up moving about 500 yds in 5 mins. The fog lifted enough to catch sight of the wheel but it was a struggle to sight on it. I’m so glad I remembered to wear my contacts. As I nearly got across the channel I spotted Adele in a kayak who told me I needed to start swimming west. When I stopped to talk to her I noticed that it was only at slack or maybe slightly flooding still. By the time I hit the Breakwater at Creakers the ebb finally started and I got a push in.
The last time I swam a New Year’s Day Alcatraz in 2024 it took me 39 mins to swim a nearly straight 2,106 yd. line.