Every once in a while, our Catalina Island Swim Club has an excursion swim along some portion of our coastline. Last Sunday’s, for nine of us, was from Blue Caverns at the Isthmus to Rippers Cove, a beautiful 3-mile, two-and-one-half hour swim close to shore, through kelp forests and along shear underwater cliffs.
Anyone who thought this would be a weight reduction swim was dreaming because of the bounty of good pot luck food. Our escorts were Fletcher Canby in Penny Pie and life guard Spencer Gilbert swimming and towing his 14-foot Glasspar skiff, often passing other swimmers! After the swim, which started at 7:30 a.m., we hung out at Rippers for more swimming in the cove’s crystal-clear water.
Our swim club meets every day of the year, rain, storms, or shine at the base of the Casino. If you have ever been interested in ocean swimming, despite your skills, check us out.
Our next big swim will be Saturday of Art Festival Weekend, September 21, a 2.2-mile fundraising swim for Pancreatic Cancer. This festive event, and swim, starts at 7:30 a.m.