Catherine Breed, a 33-year-old endurance swimmer, has successfully completed a 900-mile swim along the entire California coastline, marking the first person in history to achieve this feat. Her 111-day journey began on July 1 at the Oregon border and concluded yesterday afternoon in San Diego.
Breed's ambitious swim aimed not only to set a new record but also to raise awareness for environmental conservation efforts. She previously swam the English Channel in 2018 and the North Channel Crossing in 2019, and competed in swimming for the University of California, Berkeley, before transitioning to open-water swimming.
The swim took place amidst challenging Pacific Ocean conditions, including Super El Niño phenomena which have caused rising water temperatures, increased storm activity, and elevated sea levels, disrupting the marine ecosystem. Breed noted that navigating tropical storms presented the most significant difficulty during her journey.
She described the coastal current typically running north to south as having reversed direction due to the El Niño, creating a constant headwind. Breed spent approximately five hours per day in the water, covering an average of 10 to 15 miles. Her support team accompanied her on a 52-foot Beneteau sailboat.
Breed expressed that her concerns were less about sharks and more about the environmental damage caused by human activity. "Everyone’s been so fixated on sharks," she stated in an Instagram video. "We are so scared about these animals that live in the ocean and have no interest in us, and we are more fearful about that than we are about the damage and destruction that we are causing to our own home."
As she progressed down the coast, Breed observed increasing pollution, noting the presence of numerous balloons in the water, particularly in the Los Angeles and Orange County areas. She hopes her swim will inspire community members to take action in cleaning up local waters.
"What I hope comes out of my swim is that the people in the community look to the groups, look to create their own group that are invested in cleaning up those waters and that they go forth and do that," Breed told KPBS.
