Two swims in the record
UltraSwimming’s records for two 2025 round-trip Angel Island swims name Molly Breivis as boat pilot and Molly’s Boats as escort vessel. The Peterson and Zeichick entries provide an independent account of her role, separate from a service description or a charter review.
A round-trip Angel Island swim runs about ten miles and crosses the shipping lanes twice. The swimmer carries the effort; the pilot keeps the line, reads the current and watches the traffic.
A different perspective, from beside the swimmer.
Looking outward from the boat
The swimmer and the pilot experience the same journey from different positions. A useful account from the captain’s seat can describe planning, communication, crew roles, and the changing picture around the swimmer.
Today Molly escorts Alcatraz crossings from Alcatraz to the St. Francis Yacht Club, Bridge to Bridge, swims around Angel Island, and marathon training. The boat stays beside or behind the swimmer, never in front, and up to 6 people can be aboard: swimmers, a coach, an official observer or family.
Every swim runs at her discretion. Fog thick enough to lose sight of the swimmer or the shipping lanes, wind and chop (worst when the wind runs against the tide), smoky air in fire season, big-ship traffic in the channel, or a current that turns early can move, shorten or cancel a swim, before the start or partway across. Once a swim is under way, she will pull a swimmer who falls well behind the plan or misses the tide window.
The next chapter comes from the people there
A route on a chart is one part of a swim story. The better account includes the swimmer, pilot, observers, and crew, with each person speaking to their own role.
To book an escort, start at Molly’s Boats. The original UltraSwimming entries are linked below.
Explore swim support at Molly’s BoatsSources & notes
Facts on this page come from Molly and from the public sources below. Read our editorial standards.
