8/18/11
Plunging into the bay and beyond
Why would anyone choose to swim in an indoor pool with nothing to look at but painted stripes and concrete ceilings? Especially when right outside are the big, wide, inviting waters of Humboldt Bay and Stone Lagoon.
Mention “bay swimming” at a party, though, and you’ll hear, “Yuk,” “It’s way too cold,” “Are you kidding? It’s toxic!,” or “You’ll get hit by a boat.” This is a marketing problem! San Francisco Bay, with busier sea traffic and more turbulent currents, boasts a large and enthusiastic community of open-water swimmers. Yet almost no one swims in Humboldt Bay, and only a small cadre swims regularly in Stone Lagoon.
What could be more “locavore” than using the water that exists right here for exercise and pleasure? It’s not as straightforward as pool swimming, but with some strategizing beforehand, anyone can take advantage of our clean, legal, local, no-cost resource.
Of course, any natural body of water has potential risks. “In any ocean or bay, viral contamination is possible from bacteria associated with water runoff and sewage discharge,” says Susan Buckley, Humboldt County’s Public Health Branch director. Her advice to swimmers is to use common sense. “Don’t swim if you have cuts or open sores. Don’t swim after a heavy storm, or near runoff. Avoid swallowing water, and after swimming, dry your ears and shower.” For extra caution, she suggests keeping your head above water.
Bay sanitation also depends on the season. “It’s not safe after the first flush,” says Dr. Frank Shaughnessy, professor of botany at Humboldt State University. Fertilizer-laden runoff, which can lead to nausea and diarrhea, comes on the heels of the first major rains, typically in October, he said.
Although the bay looks murky, it’s clean enough that about 70 percent of the state’s oysters are grown here. “‘Turbid’ does not mean polluted,” says Susan Schlosser, marine advisor at the California Sea Grant, a federally funded agency that sponsors marine research and education along the state coast. “The only reason the bay isn’t crystal-clear is that the bottom is mostly soft sediment that gets stirred up by currents.”
Where to swim: Humboldt is the largest bay between San Francisco and Coos Bay, Ore., offering plenty of options for getting into the water. Before diving in, it’s best to plan backwards and think about the easiest places to get out. Hoisting up from the water onto Eureka’s C and F Street docks requires considerable upper-body strength. Easier options include the Samoa Bridge and Eureka Marina boat ramps, where a swimmer can walk right up the ramp, or the spongy floating docks north of the Adorni Center, which are only a few inches above the water. Swimmers can also use one of the four ladders spaced periodically along the wall of the Fisherman’s Terminal, currently under construction at the south end of the Eureka boardwalk.
Once in the water, swimmers have the option of hugging the shore or swimming out. Since Humboldt Bay is replete with fishing boats, crab boats, oyster boats, yachts, the Madaket, kayaks, rowboats and sailboats, the safest option for avoiding water traffic is to stay close to shore. Those who choose to swim out into the bay can’t assume boaters will see them, and ideally should be accompanied by a kayaker or rower.
For open-water orientation, landmarks that can double as swimming objectives abound: the channel marker halfway to Indian Island, the orange buoy just beyond, the fisherman‘s memorial, and the docks of moored sailboats at Woodley Island.
