I feel like doing this club race saturday, but isn’t that water a bit…disgusting? anyone ever swim there resulting in a case of funk?
I feel like doing this club race saturday, but isn’t that water a bit…disgusting? anyone ever swim there resulting in a case of funk?
I’ve gone in the water there if it hasn’t rained lately. If it’s been dry, you’re safe. If it’s rained within a few days, I’d be reluctant to go in. Because of the road causeway blocking water circulation, the two coves on the east side are the dirtiest spots in Mission Bay (according to a Scripps Institute researcher friend of mine who studied the Bay).
I did a race there in 2003. I thought the water was gross, but I think pretty much all CA water is gross. As we were leaving the venue after the race I was handed a survey to complete and return to the health department if I felt ill after swimming there. That sort of freaked me out. I did some quick research and discovered that its basically an old toxic waste dump. I emailed the RD to ask why they chose that particular location as was given some stats about acceptable levels of arsnic, blah, blah, blah. I was none too happy about swimming somewhere that the health department was requiring a form from me about me post race health. I realize I’m spolied growing up in Kona, but I draw the line at toxic waste.
There is a lot of misinformation about the water quality in Mission Bay. I serve on the Mission Bay Park Committee (an advisory board for the City Council) and we regularly have water quality updates from various agencies. Essentially, they all say that with the exception of rain events, sewage spills, or the immediate area of storm drains and creeks the water in Mission Bay is safe for human contact. There are a number of sites, especially in the areas of poorest circulation, that are tested regularly for the pollution indicators (certain bacteria) and if an area tests outside the standards determined as ‘safe’ then the area is posted with signs warning of the contamination, or signs declaring the water off-limits if the levels are high enough (usually after a sewage spill). Fortunately sewage spills are relatively rare and it has not rained in a while.
Interestingly, when they did DNA analysis on the ‘pollution’ in areas that tested high for contamination they discovered that most of the bacteria was from birds and rotting ‘sea-weed’. They did an epidemiological (spelling?) study last year involving tracking people who had contact with various areas of the bay and found that not many people reported symptoms, and those that did were usually kids reporting stuff like ‘itching skin’ or ‘runny noses’. The general feeling was that those symptoms are kinda ‘normal’ for kids after swimming in salt water…
As for the toxic dump, the only area that was actually a toxic dump is the undeveloped area adjacent to Sea World Drive (just east of Sea World) called South Shores. A recent study determined that there is minimal, if any, leakage from the sight and even Donna Frye (devout champion of all things environmental) said it appears the sight is ‘clean’ for now.
There was a sewage sludge processing field on the SW corner of the Fiesta (where the dog area is now), but like the S Shores sight it seems to be relatively safe.
Personally, the only area that I have trepidation to swim in during dry weather is the area adjacent to the S Shores boat launch, and that trepidation is based on the pollution from 2-stroke engines, and from the discharge from Sea Worlds (they ‘self’ monitor and have had violations in the past).
I spent almost a decade teaching various watersports (sailing, kayaking, kiteboarding, windsurfing) in Mission Bay with almost daily full contact with the water. I still do open water swims there (mostly in Enchanted Cove) for training. While I have been pissed once or twice to find out I swam during a time that the tests were being processed (showing high levels of bacteria) it is rare and has yet to be a problem for me.
The County Department of Environmental Health has a beach and bay pollution advisory hotline at 619-338-2073. It is updated regularly. Please let me know if you need any more info, but IMO the water is fine for swimming.
Last time I was swimming there, I saw a dog taking a dump in the water.
Another time, I took a huge wipeout kiteboarding and exited the bay to cough up a bunch of water. A spanish man on the beach watched me and laughed wildly…“Mucho cocka en la noche!” and boy was he right…
Thanks Ryan. I need to adjust to the temp. of the water around here b/4 Oceanside and if there’s no dange, I am all about swimming in it.
I apparently lost the link to the actual study but here are a few links to stories on the Mission Bay Study. Dr. Jack Colford headed the study and from anything I can find the man knows his stuff. RL_SD clearly knows more about this but I find these basic links helpful when people ask this question (which comes up for every race @ Fiesta Island). Also it would appear the questionaire KEJ mentions might have been for this study specifically (or at least the time frame matches up).
http://www.missionbayaquaticcenter.com/news/waterqual.htm
http://www.signonsandiego.com/...6-9999-2m16swim.html
It is illegal for dogs to crap in the water (or on land unless it’s cleaned up after) and I have no problem telling their owners to keep it from happening. Even so, the contamination from dog crap is a probably almost immeasurable. My guess is that there is more harmful bacteria in your local swimming pool. (bring on the flames!)
Anytime you swallow a bunch of salt water you can expect some fun later on…
I grew up there , incoming tide ,closer to the inlet is best. They water ski way east toward the Hilton ( I 5 ) which can be the nastiest . The main channel ends at the boat ramp near the model airplane run way , its pretty clean all the way out . Its hard to find a clean branch without boat traffic .
Looks like its a duathlon now anyways. Good news for those of us who swim like bricks. =]