It’s been a long winter.

Desperate to leave the frigid suburbs of Chicago, I recently signed up for the Open Water Safety Conference to be held in San Francisco on March 18-20.

I confess I probably wouldn’t have chosen to travel to this conference if it weren’t in one of my favourite places in the world. Also, I really really want to swim in San Francisco Bay!!!

With the help of Leslie Thomas of swim-art.com, Chaos, RobbieD, E-H2O, myself and several others (and anyone else who wants!) are planning a swim from the Golden Gate Bridge to Aquatic Park on Friday morning the 18th March.

The water will probably be in the low 50’s, so it’ll be a challenge for my pool bound self.

Although I’m still spooked by the life threatening neoprene allergy attack I experienced in Tampa in January, and know I can’t swim in a wetsuit, I’ve found the perfect alternative!!!!! I’m sure one of the Fisherman’s Wharf sea lions will offer its life to ensure my warmth. I might even get a pair of pants out of one of them if I cut carefully.