California Alum Catherine Breed will embark on a new open water swimming journey, swimming the entire coastal length of the State of California, with the hopes of becoming the first person ever to do so.
Breed has been no stranger to the open water and success in that realm; just last year, Breed set a new distance record by swimming the circumference of Lake Tahoe in consecutive days, ultimately totaling 60.91 miles in five days.
This swim will take much longer than the five days for Lake Tahoe, rather a multiple-month challenge.
In an interview with Sports Illustrated, Breed explained that she has been planning this since 2023 and that many people don’t realize how daunting the swim itself is.
“Not one person has said, `I think this is impossible,’ even though I recognize it may be impossible,” Breed said in the interview. “It’s actually really funny… They’re like, `Oh, cool.’ I don’t think they recognize that it’s 900 miles, four months and I’m actually going to be swimming in the ocean. Their brain doesn’t quite compute.”
The plan is to swim four to six hours each day until she reaches the southern border of the state, just west of where the Tijuana River meets the ocean. She will be supported by Matthew Sessions, an open-water swimmer and captain of a 52-foot-long sailboat that will sail alongside Breed during her long swims.
Breed is no stranger to the California coastline, growing up in Pleasanton, and currently residing in Mill Valley. She admitted her fondness for this coastline, having grown up swimming, surfing, and sailing in these waters.
The swim for Breed will be done out of pure wanting, and she says she has a hard time “articulating exactly why” she wants to do it.
“I have a hard time articulating exactly why I want to do (this). There’s not like I have to do this to overcome some ginormous challenge in my life.” Breed said. “It’s there to do and I’m physically capable of doing it. I have people on my team to help support. I hope that in the journey I’m inspiring people along the way. It seems like a really amazing thing I get to do in my life. This is the time to go after something big and wild and crazy and audacious.”
The event will also serve as an opportunity for Breed to engage more people with the ocean and raise awareness of conservation needs. Along the route, Breed and her team will stop at coastal locations and run “community pop-ups” that also give local conservation groups a platform to share their stories.
Her journey is set to begin around July 1, where she will jump into the Pacific Ocean at Crissey Field State Park.
“On Day 1, I think the emotions . . . I’m hoping they’re just joy. Gratitude, joy and it feels like we’re starting out on this really fun adventure.” Breed said in an interview with Sports Illustrated. “If I’m feeling that, it’s a testament to the planning and preparation I’ve put in.”
How does starting at Crissy Field qualify as swimming the entire length of the California coast?
Look at a map… There’s a Crissy Field at the Oregon border
How do these peepo not have to work? Seriously awesome challenge, though!
What an amazing challenge this swim will be!! Thank you for your example to all of us – any chance that the public can follow along and cheer as Catherine swims?
ChatGPT says the prevailing current in the summer on the Pacific coast is southerly at 0.1-0.5 mph, which should pare between 4 and 9 days off of her 90 day effort (or reduce the time spent swimming each day over 90 days). Best of luck to her.
What about sharks?
I ask this at every open water race. WHAT ABOUT DEM SHARKS? Y’ALL GON’ DO SOMETIN BOUT DEM DANG SHARKS?
Nobody has given me a solid answer yet.
I swam 8 hours and 45 minutes in the very warm water in the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico and never encountered a shark or fish.
So, sharks are not an issue or…..
The central California coast is known great white shark territory.
Go Catherine! It should be noted, she plans to do the swim under channel rules. That means a standard textile suit, cap, googles and earplugs. NO WETSUIT! This point is very important to marathon swimmers and should not have omitted from the article.
Simply not true. She will be wearing a wetsuit.
Congrats on this journey. Will be cheering you on. Be careful when you get to the southern border as reports suggest the water is very polluted.