My turn at last... WHOOSH! Once I came up for breath I spotted my guiding point in the skyline by the bay and took off! There was a plethora of bobbing heads in the water - one can only imagine a similar image be true of a ship sinking. Some gathered in groups and were nattering and pointing. I wanted to put some distance between me and the island. I wasn’t going back!
Blocking out any flirting notion of having the odd shark for company on the route, I’d swim with a new found swimming buddy for a little while before spotting another to catch up on. We were guided by kayaks and some strong steering boats. Surprisingly, the water was quite pleasant and our wise boatmen had sent us at a time when the tide was due to turn so the currents would not take us to unexpected places. We had been advised to stop halfway to take in the Golden Gate Bridge and the Bay Bridge. At such an unusual viewpoint and with the island behind us, it was a breathtaking experience. If any of the escapees had got this far, this would have been the moment they felt that little jump in their heart, the first sign of hope for a new start.
I saw a blue light flashing indicating the entrance to the aquatic park and realized I was way over the left of it. I changed direction and many of us swam in with sprat like formation through the entrance. Yippee! Nearly there and now safe for sure! I could see the Bleachers (the name given to the steps on the pier) and headed as fast as I could for home. A rosy cheeked, jovial crowd was there to cheer us in. We did it !
Armed with the pride of the achievement, it was a real bonus and honour to be greeted by the Queen of the Channel herself, Alison Streeter (with 43 swims across the English Channel to her name). She gave me my medal and told me to smile for the camera, but I was already smiling from ear to ear. And yet, our group of Irish swimmers were to receive the biggest compliment of the event when the Mayor of San Francisco, Gavin Newsom, invited us to the City Hall to receive a Proclamation. He had declared the 2nd of October, 2006 as Cork Masters Swim Club day in San Francisco. I’m still smiling!
