Catherine Breed, a 33-year-old swimmer who holds nine open-water records, has completed the first half of a planned 900-mile swim along California's coastline. The journey began at the Oregon border and is intended to end at the Mexican border.
Breed arrived in Monterey and now looks toward the southern portion of the route. She expects to finish the full distance by mid-October, remaining roughly a week ahead of her original timetable despite demanding ocean conditions, according to ABC7 Los Angeles.
"I grew up on this coastline, I love it so much, and I figured if anyone's gonna do it, it's gonna be me, and if not now, when?" Breed said. She lives aboard a 52-foot sailboat during the expedition and receives support from a tender vessel.
Team members provide food every 30 minutes while she swims. She is not permitted to touch either boat during active segments, and each day's progress is recorded with GPS coordinates so the effort can resume from the same location the following day.
Breed has stated that the swim is meant to draw attention to local ocean conservation efforts, encourage greater public use of the ocean, and motivate women and girls to pursue ambitious objectives.
This report is based on coverage by ABC7 Los Angeles: https://abc7.com/post/california-woman-catherine-breed-hits-halfway-mark-bid-become-first-swim-states-entire-900-mile-coastline/19760950/