It’s still dark when Maryam Sharifzadeh slips into the San Francisco Bay to begin her swim. The endless stretch of murky ocean water registers at a brisk 54 degrees and is cold enough to send a bone-chilling shiver through the body of even the most experienced swimmer.
But today, as the city around her lays quiet, Sharifzadeh is focused on the task ahead: becoming the second person, and the first woman, to swim 22 miles around the shoreline of San Francisco. With her dedicated team ready alongside to keep watch for other boat traffic, changing tides and unexpected hazards, Sharifzadeh kicks her legs to keep warm and watches as the sun begins to appear over the city’s horizon.