Breed said the route is slightly less than 900 miles “as the crow flies,” but currents and other conditions mean swimmers typically travel farther than the direct distance.<\/p>\n
She said the challenge is driven by both a personal connection to the coast and a broader mission.<\/p>\n
“I grew up swimming, and sailing in the San Francisco Bay and on the Pacific,” Breed said. “I get to do this thing I love, and I get to learn more about the coast.”<\/p>\n
She added that the expedition is intended to raise awareness about ocean conservation and coastal communities.<\/p>\n
“The bigger reason, the why that’s greater than myself, is to tell a story of the coast, to raise awareness for the people, places, the problems, ocean conservation issues happening in our very own backyard,” Breed said.<\/p>\n
Breed also said she founded a nonprofit aimed at encouraging more women and girls to get into the ocean.<\/p>\n
“Because, I believe if you learn about something and you fall in love with it, you’re going to fight to protect it,” she said.<\/p>\n
According to Breed, the expedition has been more than three years in the making and involves a large support team.<\/p>\n
She plans to swim about five hours each day, covering roughly 10 to 15 miles daily, typically during the early morning when winds are lighter.<\/p>\n
A 52-foot Beneteau sailboat will serve as the primary support vessel.<\/p>\n
Breed said the team expects to return to harbors regularly, except in stretches of coastline where no harbors are available, including portions of the Lost Coast and Big Sur regions.<\/p>\n
The swimmer said she expects the journey to take at least three months, though weather conditions could extend the timeline.<\/p>\n
“One thing about our coast is it can be pretty volatile, and the winds can kick up,” Breed said. “We did a lot of buffer to adjust, so that we’re not racing the clock. I don’t want to forgo safety at the expense of manufactured timeline that we made.”<\/p>\n
MORE: Cause of death for swimmer found in Santa Cruz County beach revealed by coroner<\/a><\/p>\n While sharks are among the risks many people ask about, Breed said weather-related hazards are a greater concern.<\/p>\n “I actually think that’s very low on our risk,” she said of sharks, noting that the expedition will include a support craft and shark deterrents.<\/p>\n Instead, she pointed to storms, wind, fog, fishing gear and offshore rocks as some of the challenges the team expects to navigate.<\/p>\n Breed said she will wear a wetsuit during the swim, a departure from many of her previous long-distance swims that followed English Channel rules requiring only a swimsuit, cap and goggles.<\/p>\n “I intentionally decided to wear wetsuit,” she said. “I’m wearing the wetsuit just to control the controllables, so I don’t need to worry about getting cold or sunburnt, and it will definitely protect you against jellyfish.”<\/p>\n Breed said the expedition is scheduled to begin July 1, though a July 2 start remains possible.<\/p>\n She said people can follow the journey through her social media<\/a> accounts, website<\/a> and YouTube<\/a> channel, where updates and live tracking are expected to be available throughout the swim.<\/p>\n If you’re on the ABC7 News app, click here to watch live<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/kgo_articles_913\/131c44567cfd550c1c93df1368fb6896.png\"\/)
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