Traditionally on New Year’s Day, the South End Rowing Club hosts an Alcatraz swim. I participated in the test swim the day before.

Right now we’re in the middle of the King Tides, the part of the year when the tides in either direction are particularly strong. What is normally a fairly straight line back to Aquatic park became this giant S-shape, pictured below (my watch stopped recording my position about halfway, so this is from Brian’s watch).

It took us 1hr7min, which is on the long side, especially to be in the cold water. I heard one report it was 50.5ºF.