Story
This was a solo crossing in San Francisco Bay, with a swimmer making her way from the Golden Gate Bridge toward the San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge. I was alongside in a support boat, monitoring conditions, guiding the route, and watching for traffic.
At first glance, it looks like we’re passing Alcatraz Island.
But the perspective is deceptive.
Alcatraz sits at an angle in the bay, and from this viewpoint it appears broader and closer than it really is. In reality, we were still much nearer to the Golden Gate, early in the swim, with the island offset in the background.
The sun was just breaking over the horizon.
Everything aligned for a brief moment—the swimmer’s rhythm, the angle of the light, and the silhouette of Alcatraz stretching across the frame.
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