Open-water swimmer Catherine Breed will attend a Swim California community gathering on Wednesday, October 21 at 4:00 p.m. in the public parking lot at Stan’s Beach near the Coronado Shores.
The gathering is part of Breed’s approximately 900-mile swim along the California coast, from the Oregon border to Mexico. Her journey, which began on July 1, carried her past the remote North Coast, past the Golden Gate Bridge, across Monterey Bay, along Big Sur and around Point Conception before continuing through Southern California to the Mexican border. Throughout the expedition, Breed has stopped in coastal communities to share her experience and meet the people working to protect local waters.
“Swimming this coast has given me a deeper appreciation for the work it takes to protect it,” said Breed. “I look forward to sharing the journey with the San Diego community and hearing more of WILDCOAST’s efforts to keep local waters healthy and thriving.”
Breed, 33, completed the route in stages, supported by a boat and crew, with GPS waypoints linking successive swims and observers documenting her progress. The expedition is believed to be the first completed staged swim of California’s full coastline, with formal ratification subject to review of its supporting records.
“I had the pleasure of chatting with Catherine before she started her journey, and am incredibly inspired by — and grateful for — her passion for ocean protection,” said Anne Middleton, Associate Director at WILDCOAST. “Our ocean needs as much attention as it can get, and swimming from end-to-end is certainly going to get people’s attention!”
The event on Wednesday afternoon will be hosted by WILDCOAST and will feature remarks from Coronado City Council Member Amy Steward as well as Breed and Middleton.
Swim California supports the mission of Sea Dreamers, the nonprofit Breed founded to connect women to the ocean through adventure, education, and community. The expedition’s community stops introduce residents to local conservation organizations and opportunities to support their work.
Allez! Sports, Swim California’s exclusive media partner, is documenting the expedition and its community stops through video and social media coverage.
Thank you to the City of Coronado for welcoming the Swim California crew and for their support during the last leg of Breed’s journey.
