Calif. woman makes history by swimming state's 900-mile length. She did it so you don't have to

Catherine Breed, a 33-year-old endurance swimmer from the Bay Area, became the first person to swim the approximate 900-mile length of California on Monday. The feat concluded an 111-day expedition that began in July and required navigating hurricanes, tropical storms, and complex ocean currents. Breed emerged from the water near the California-Mexico border, marking the end of a journey she described as both grueling and magical. The swimmer started her attempt on July 1 at the northern edge of the state, close to the Oregon border. Her objective was to reach San Diego within four months. Rather than attempting the coastline in a single continuous effort, she covered the distance in stages, swimming roughly 10 miles on active days. A support vessel accompanied her throughout the expedition, serving as her base camp. Breed slept aboard the 52-foot sailboat named Catalyst between swimming sessions. Her team also documented the journey for the World Open Water Swimming Association. Breed’s technical finish occurred three miles offshore to avoid the sewage and pollution crisis associated with the Tijuana River. To officially cap off the journey, she held a celebration at Coronado Beach on Monday. She swam from the open sea toward the shore and climbed onto the sand. Guests attending the event were encouraged to stay dry and cheer loudly from the beach. Raised in Pleasanton, Breed graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, where she was a member of the school’s decorated swim team. Knee injuries ended her collegiate competitive career. After graduation, she joined San Francisco’s Dolphin Club and began leading long swims in open water, primarily in the Bay Area. She subsequently broke records and set larger goals, having previously crossed the English Channel in 2018 and the North Channel between Northern Ireland and Scotland in 2019. Those earlier crossings were significantly shorter than the sustained demands of traversing an entire state coastline. The conditions during the 111-day trip varied drastically. Breed noted that El Niño mixed the water in unprecedented ways. The team navigated tropical storms, hurricanes, and a Kelvin wave, a large pulse of warm water that moved northward through the Pacific. Waves reached heights of approximately seven feet, creating conditions that Breed likened to being trapped in a washing machine. At times, she had to swim segments of the route in reverse, traveling from south to north, to avoid fighting against ocean currents. Despite fears expressed in February regarding jellyfish and wind, the stinging creatures did not pose significant issues. Breed reported having magical encounters with dolphins and sea lions. Her team spotted shark fins, but they were far enough away that the animals did not factor into the swim. Staying one to five miles offshore helped avoid manmade obstacles such as crab pots. During route planning, the team did not follow every curvature of the coast. On Tuesday, following her completion of the swim, Breed returned to the ocean for leisure. She went surfing at Point Loma. She stated that it was pleasant to feel untethered from time and tasks, allowing her to enjoy the water with friends. While she declined to recommend the specific 900-mile challenge to others, she encouraged people to get in the ocean in whatever way feels comfortable. She hopes her journey will inspire involvement in groups working to protect marine environments.