It took four months and nearly 900 miles, but Catherine Breed completed Swim California, an open water swim from the Oregon border to Mexico.
Breed, 33, began the expedition on July 1. She completed the route in stages, supported by a boat and crew, with GPS waypoints linking successive swims and observers documenting her progress as she aimed to raise awareness for ocean conservation.
The swim is believed to be the first completed staged swim of California’s full coastline, with formal ratification subject to review of its supporting records.
“For months, I measured my world in the next few miles,” Breed said. “This was harder than I expected, and there were days when I was exhausted and overwhelmed. My team saw those moments and met me with so much patience, encouragement, and care. Every message from someone following along, every person who came out to cheer, helped me get back in the water. I’m still taking in what we’ve done, but mostly I keep thinking about how grateful I am. So many people helped me keep going.”
Breed, a former Team USA swimmer, stepped away from a career in medical technology sales to undertake the expedition. Her journey carried her past the remote North Coast, past the Golden Gate Bridge, across Monterey Bay, along Big Sur and around Point Conception before continuing through Southern California to the Mexican border.
Weather determined when the team could move. Long stretches of exposed coastline offered few places to shelter. Boat transits, interrupted sleep, nutrition, and recovery added to the demands of returning to the water day after day.
The expedition also offered encounters few people experience, some aided by Maritonia anti-fog goggles. Breed described a humpback mother and calf passing beneath her, swimming among dolphins, and watching marine life gather along the coast. She also documented floating litter and the daily decisions required to travel safely through an unpredictable environment.
“I have spent my life loving this coast. Swimming it gave me hundreds of new reasons to protect it,” Breed said. “I saw whales beneath me, plastic beside me, and communities giving their time to look after these places. I hope people who followed this journey choose one place they love and find a way to take care of it.”
Through her nonprofit, Sea Dreamers, Breed connected the expedition with community gatherings and conversations about kelp forests, marine wildlife, water quality and public access to the coast.
The women serving aboard the expedition also became central to its story. Experienced captains and crew members managed navigation, safety and the changing demands of life at sea.
“I hope a girl watching this sees a future she hadn’t considered for herself,” Breed said. “I was surrounded by women who could navigate a boat, make a tough call and find something to laugh about afterward. I want more girls to have that kind of confidence in themselves and in each other.”
About Sea Dreamers
Founded by Catherine Breed, Sea Dreamers is a nonprofit connecting women to the ocean through adventure, education and community. Its mission brings together opportunities to experience the water and a commitment to protecting it. Learn more at seadreamers.org.
