Alcatraz Swim with a Private Escort Boat: Alcatraz to the St. Francis Yacht Club

The Alcatraz crossing

Captain Molly takes you out to Alcatraz, you get ready aboard and jump in, and Miss Molly escorts you back across to the finish at the St. Francis Yacht Club. The boat stays beside or behind you the whole way, never in front.

• Distance: about 1.5 miles in a straight line; 1.7 to 1.9 miles as swum, because the current carries you sideways.
• Time: about an hour for most swimmers, depending on the swimmer.
• Price: $550 for the escort boat, not per swimmer, with up to 6 aboard.

What the escort boat does

• Stays beside or behind you so you can sight on the boat without it blocking your line.
• Watches ship and ferry traffic on AIS and radar while you swim.
• Carries your coach, an official observer or family, within the 6 aboard.
• Has a heated cabin for warming up once you're out.
• A kayaker can join at extra cost; ask for the price.

Miss Molly is a 27-foot Shamrock Mackinaw 270 with a heated cabin and a private bathroom, radar, a FLIR thermal camera, AIS and an EPIRB. Captain Molly holds a U.S. Coast Guard Master license (100 GRT, Near Coastal) with a Radar Observer endorsement, and is trained in First Aid and CPR.

Before you book: is this swim for you?

Captain Molly asks every swimmer two things: have you swum open water in the Bay, or only in a pool, and are you experienced in cold water? Tell her in the booking notes or with the Ask Molly button. San Francisco Bay averages about 52°F in January and about 61°F in September (NOAA), and the National Weather Service warns that cold shock can be as dangerous in 50 to 60°F water as in much colder water, with gasping in the first 2 to 3 minutes.

Wetsuit and gear

Wear what you normally wear for a cold-water swim, and make sure it's broken in. Don't try a new suit, cap or goggles on swim day. Know your equipment before you jump.

When to swim

The current decides the start. Check jump times on /jumptime, which works from NOAA current predictions, then book the date that fits. Captain Molly makes the call on the day: fog, wind and chop, smoky air or heavy ship traffic can move, shorten or cancel a swim.

Practice crossing for Escape from Alcatraz or Sharkfest

Entered in a race that swims from Alcatraz? A private crossing lets you practice the jump from a boat and get used to the cold and the current before race day. The Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon's 1.5-mile swim finishes at Marina Green Beach, next to the St. Francis Yacht Club, close to where this crossing ends. If your race finishes somewhere else, say so in your booking notes.

Per boat, not per swimmer

The price is for the whole boat and captain. Up to 6 people come aboard in any mix: swimmers, a coach, an official observer, family or a kayaker. Share the boat with training partners and split the cost however you like.

Booking, weather and cancellation

• Book online and pay in full at booking. There is no deposit.
• Plan the tide: check jump times on /jumptime, which works from NOAA current predictions, and pick a date that suits your swim.
• Weather: Captain Molly makes the call on the day: fog, wind and chop, smoky air or heavy ship traffic can move, shorten or cancel a swim. If she cancels for weather, you get a full refund or a new date.
• Cancellation: free up to 7 days before the swim. Within 7 days there is no refund.
• Questions? Use the Ask Molly button; she replies in writing within 24 hours.

Ready for a longer swim? See the Bridge to Bridge 10k, the other swim escort routes, or the guide to open-water swimming in San Francisco Bay.