My 6th Escape From Alcatraz was one of my poorer performances, no doubt enhanced by failing to follow my instincts and listening too much to the harping of the race officials about the tremendous current.

They thought the current was so tremendous that we of the over 40 group were dropped east of Alcatraz rather than south of the rock. Undoubtedly, the bosses thought the current would make up the distance. Wrong. I went for the piers at Ft. Mason rather than for the Fontana Towers. This was a concession to the harping about the current. I should have been more aggressive and headed for the mouth of the yacht harbor. I wound up on the breakwater that forms the yacht harbor about 300 yards east of the exit. This is the wrong place as there is commonly a reverse current running east along the breakwater which made swimming tiresome and difficult. Still, I could swim faster than those who were walking waist deep in the water, stumbling over submerged rocks and pilings.

Next time, I'm going straight for the yachtclub from the boat and let the Kayakers push me to shore. What the hell, if I go out the gate, I won't have to do the bike and run!