San Francisco Chronicle - (Sunday)
No pool? Take a dip in the bay
At these beaches, it’s literally the coolest thing to do
During the coronavirus pandemic, public pools have been closed. Until they reopen, there remains one big, obvious place to turn to: San Francisco Bay. Our beloved bay isn’t known as a swimmer’s destination, but if you know where to look, you can find sheltered coves, sandy beaches and picturesque parks right on the water and good for dipping a toe.
One catch: In late winter and early spring, the water temperature is often low, 52 to 55 degrees. It’s common for swimmers making extended dunks at Aquatic Park, for instance, to wear swimming bodysuits or wet suits. In summer, it can sometimes rise to 60 degrees near the Golden Gate, and higher than that at inland sites. At the cove at Crown Beach in Alameda, for instance, the temperature can often rise to the high 60s.
Yet what happens for most — that is, after the first kerplunk and a short, brisk shock — is that your outer layer numbs out and you quickly get used to it. It feels refreshing. You emerge feeling radiant and alive.
Here are the 10 best sites.
Aquatic Park, San Francisco
This gorgeous cove is one of the most treasured swimming spots on the bay. It is largely protected from wind and currents by an elliptical-shaped harbor that creates a semi-enclosed swimming area abutting a sandy beach. No motorized boat traffic is permitted inside. Swimmers here often wear wet suits, and many can be seen on a warm day swimming laps just offshore. As you venture out, to your right is the Hyde Street Pier and its historic vessels. Details: Beach Street at Hyde; Golden Gate National Recreation Area, San Francisco Maritime National Historic Park, 415-298-8826, www.nps.gov/goga.
Ayala Cove, Angel Island
Ayala Cove on Angel Island is where ferryboats, sailboats and cruisers come to dock. Boaters here travel cautiously, and the area is sheltered and calm, making it ideal for families with small children, swimmers, kayaks and stand-up paddleboarders. There are shaded picnic tables nearby. At the foot of Ayala Cove is a beach edged by quiet water that barely laps at the shore. To your left, the shoreline rises steeply and extends to Point Lone.
Details: Ayala Cove; Angel Island State Park, 415-435-1915, www. parks.ca.gov.
China Camp, San Rafael
This small, protected beach in China Camp State Park is on the shore of southwest San Pablo Bay, just north of the old village encampment and historic shrimping pier. The water here is calm with no powerboats. Swimmers love it. It is also a place to hand-launch small boats, such as kayaks, canoes and inflatables. To the nearby north, Rat Rock Point protects the beach from wind out of the northwest. Details: China Park State Park, 415456-0766, www.parks.ca.gov.
Crown Beach, Alameda
The north end of Crown Beach in Alameda is tucked into a protected cove, which provides calm, shallow water, often warmer than in other areas. Park near the Crab Cove Visitor Center and walk to the curving beach on your left and beyond to an extended beach frontage. As you venture out in the water, the view of the shoreline can provide a happy shock: 2 miles of surprise beach frontage (backed mostly by apartment complexes). With just a few strokes out in the bay, you’ll feel like you are getting away from it all. Details: Robert W. Crown Memorial State Beach, 510-544-3175, www.ebparks.org.
Keller Beach, Richmond
Keller Beach is set along a secluded cove south of Cypress Point on the Richmond shore. It features a sandy beach in a small cove, with a long, cobbled length of shore that stretches south to Point Richmond. Water conditions here are often calm and quiet — ideal for swimming and non-motorized water sports. You get views across to Tiburon as well as north to the Chevron Wharf off Point Richmond and beyond to the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge. Inshore powerboat traffic is virtually zero. The area is buffered to the east by open space and a large industrial area.
Details: Miller-Knox Regional Shoreline, 510-544-3108, www.ebparks.org.
Oyster Point, South San Francisco
This protected park and swim area adjacent to Oyster Point Marina allows swimmers to avoid nearby boating activity. Drive out to the end of Oyster Point, where there is plenty of parking and access to the San Francisco Bay Trail, and find the cobble beach that leads west into a cove. For families, use Oyster Point Park at the foot of the West Basin as your staging area. It provides access to a beach and the shallows. If you venture out, stay well clear of the boat docks.
Details: Oyster Point Park, South San Francisco. Oyster Point harbormaster, 650-952-0808; www. smharbor.com.
Paradise Beach, Tiburon
This county beach is set along the Tiburon shore in northern San Francisco Bay and often feels like a private park for locals. It’s the centerpiece of a 19-acre park with grassy frontage and a fishing pier. The inshore water is often shielded from wind, making it outstanding for launching stand-up paddleboards, kayaks and canoes. From the parking area, it’s a short walk down to the foot of the pier. To your left is a sandy beach set along Paradise Cove, a gently arcing shore that is often ideal for swimming and paddle sports. Details: Paradise Beach County Park, Marin County Parks, 415-473-6387; www.marincountyparks.org.
Fort Baker Beach, Sausalito
Horseshoe Bay is the large cove and marina at Fort Baker, just east of the northern foot of the Golden Gate Bridge in Sausalito. The view of the Golden Gate is jaw-droppingly beautiful. Park along Sommerville Road along the bay front. From here, a path leads past the Coast Guard station to a small beach and small pier at the west foot of the bay. Signs here say no swimming, but people
play in the water and swim near the shore. Venturing further out can put you in the path of boats, and is not advised. With its location so close to the Golden Gate, the water is often cold, and many who swim, windsurf or paddle stand-up paddleboards wear wet suits.
Details: Just north of the Golden Gate Bridge; Golden Gate National Recreation Area, 415-561-4700, www.nps.gov/goga.
Clipper Cove, Treasure Island
Clipper Cove at Treasure Island is between Yerba Buena Island and Treasure Island, just east of Treasure Island Road. At the foot of the cove, there is parking and access to a small, protected beach. You get views of both the high-rise section of the Bay Bridge and across the bay to Berkeley. To the north is the Treasure Island Marina, and though boat traffic is rarely high, be aware and take care to stay clear of any vessels. For the hearty few, one of the coolest things you can do is to venture out here at night, find a great vantage point from the water and enjoy the light show at the Bay Bridge.
Details: Clipper Cove Picnic Area Park, Treasure Island Road, Treasure Island; no phone; www.sfparksalliance.org.
Aardvark Beach, Burlingame
The Coyote Point Recreation Area is a favorite for windsurfing and, on calm days, paddle sports and swimming. Do not go to the main Coyote Point Marina nearby. Instead, park at the large bayfront parking area past Magic Mountain Playground, then head north to Aardvark Beach. Here you’ll find a small patch of sand, and the quietest water you can find in these environs.