Emich, author of Open Water Swimming – Lessons from Alcatraz with Joe Oaks, knows this subject first-hand with over 750 individual swims to and from Alcatraz Island in the cold, navigationally tricky San Francisco Bay. In his Alcatraz Log, Gary detailed every single one of his swims in extraordinary detail beginning on May 15th, 1993 to the present time – all done without a wetsuit.
“You can enjoy the wonderful feeling of success that comes from completion of the great, difficult and classic swimming challenge of swimming from Alcatraz Island to the shoreline of San Francisco. Alcatraz swims have been our obsession for many years.”
Southern California native, born 1962, is the creator of the WOWSA Awards, Oceans Seven, Openwaterpedia, Citrus Corps, World Open Water Swimming Association, Daily News of Open Water Swimming, Global Open Water Swimming Conference. He is Chief Executive Officer of KAATSU Global and KAATSU Research Institute. Inductee in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Swimmer, Class of 2001) and Ice Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Contributor - Media, Class of 2019), recipient of the International Swimming Hall of Fame's Poseidon Award (2016), International Swimming Hall of Fame's Irving Davids-Captain Roger Wheeler Memorial Award (2010), USA Swimming's Glen S. Hummer Award (2007, 2010) and Harvard University's John B. Imrie Award (1984). Served on the FINA Technical Open Water Swimming Committee and as Technical Delegate with the 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games, and 9-time USA Swimming coaching staff. Note: WOWSA only recommends products or services used or recommended by the community. WOWSA does not receive compensation for links or products mentioned on this site or in blog posts. If it does, it will be indicated clearly on that specific post. See WOWSA's privacy policy for more information.