Clockwise from top left: Point Arena Lighthouse in Mendocino County; one of the lifeguard towers on Huntington Beach; a surfer testing his mettle on the waves at Palm Springs Surf Club


prefers. “You’ll have a transformational experience,” he promises with a knowing smile as we pad across the chilly sands in our swimwear. I’m still feeling undecided — we’re diving in without wetsuits, which Quinn feels detract from the authentic experience. As the water rises past my waist, it feels as if the air


is being snatched from my lungs. Perhaps noticing my expression, Quinn starts running through the history of the city’s swimming clubs as a distraction. He tells me they started life during the Gold Rush era, when ordinary civilians would greet passenger ships docking from Europe, dashing across the water to be the first to help the VIPs to shore on the promise of a hefty tip. Behind me, I can hear the cable-cars dropping tourists off at nearby Hyde Street Pier. Then, all at once, it hits me like a wave. Having


submerged my shoulders and paddled a leisurely loop, I start to understand the magnetism of this water, which is clear enough that I can see the sandy ocean bed shimmering below. A light-headedness is beginning to creep in, then a clearing of the mind, followed by a rush of euphoria. I get it, I tell Quinn excitedly. He grins. “Next, you should try swimming to Alcatraz,”


he says, filling me in on the 40-year-old New Year’s Day tradition that sees a school of 99 hardy swimmers, from the Dolphin Club and neighbouring South End Rowing Club, racing from the notorious prison island back to shore in a brisk 1.25-mile crossing. “Alcatraz is probably the most iconic open-water swim


globally,” he says, lazily treading water in the direction of the shore. “It really captures the imagination — the fact that it was a prison and that escaping from it has long been mythologised.” Back on land, our hero’s welcome is the Dolphin Club’s inviting sauna. Inside the cosy pinewood den, the benches are lined


with swimmers of all ages, who are studiously mapping out various seafaring routes and discussing the tidal tables. Steam rises from our thawing skin and a sense of easy camaraderie fills the tiny room. A couple of the old- timers even crack open beers. This morning, each of us had stripped down and


— against our intuition — plunged into San Francisco Bay and emerged feeling completely invigorated. As Quinn puts it, “anyone who experiences the waters of this bay always leaves a better person”.


HOW TO DO IT: The Dolphin Club is open to non-members on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9am-6pm. Entry is $10 (£8). America As You Like It has a four-night city break to San Francisco from £859 per person, including flights from Heathrow and B&B accommodation. dolphinclub.org americaasyoulikeit.com


70 NATIONALGEOGRAPHIC.COM/TRAVEL


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