Wetsuit Shaming in San Francisco Divides Bay Area Swimmers

Someday whereas struggling to take her wetsuit off, a swimmer pal—a burly former Marine—got here in to assist her. “He wades into the water and grabs my wetsuit and he simply yanks it proper off,” she says.

Ms. Gower recollects the swimmer saying: “You’ll be able to simply let the ocean take that. Let it float away.”

Chilly-water immersion is having a second lately, with rising numbers of followers plunging into low-temperatures to attempt to really feel higher. However in San Francisco, the chatter about chilly water goes a lot deeper than in most locations.

It’s house to the good wetsuit divide.

The wetsuit has an extended historical past in San Francisco, popularized by Jack O’Neil in 1952 to keep at bay hypothermia in surfers. With the water hovering simply above 50 levels this month—and air temperature within the 50s too—that is only one of many hazards Bay swimmers face: they may exhaust themselves combating robust currents, be bitten by aggressive sea lions, and even cross paths with the occasional ocean tanker. And but, some Bay swimmers refuse to put on these doubtlessly lifesaving units as a result of they contemplate them a type of dishonest. Or, even when they like them, as did Ms. Gower, they don’t need the effort of wetsuit shaming.

The wetsuit cut up is famous in Bay aquatics. Some native triathlete pages name wetsuits “wuss fits.” Through the years, in precise chilly instances, wetsuits have mysteriously vanished from the altering room on the South Finish Rowing Membership, a 150-year-old house to lots of Bay swimmers.

Later, the fits turned up in rubbish cans or, in a single case, hanging outside from a nail on the second flooring of the constructing, in accordance with Invoice Wygant, a member and previous membership president. He denies involvement within the disappearances, however provides: “They knew the danger.”

Tom Linthicum, a swimmer referred to as “Reptile,” has made the mile-and-a-quarter water trek from Alcatraz to San Francisco greater than 200 instances, however by no means in a wetsuit. With a wetsuit, he says, “you’re not likely having fun with the chilly.” For swimmers resembling Reptile, the bone-numbing chilly of the water is the entire level, and by no means one thing to be prevented.

“It’s a tremendous feeling to be in that water and to let your physique react,” Mr. Linthicum explains. “There’s nothing prefer it. I’ve no want to ever put on a wetsuit.” He says he harbors no ailing will towards those that do.

Mr. Linthicum’s wetsuit-less code has led to powerful moments. On some days, he concedes, he stares into the darkish chilly water of an early morning swim, and part of his thoughts he calls his “land mind” begins whispering.

“The land mind needs to go house, take a nap, neglect about it,” he says. Throughout instances like this, he as an alternative channels his “reptile mind,” which he believes to be an evolutionary vestige. “The reptile mind simply comes out and says, ‘benefit from the water; benefit from the chilly,’ ” he says. “Our ancestors could by no means have had a heat bathe of their whole life.”

Swimmers have been identified to drop within the South Finish Membership’s showers as a result of results of chilly and Mr. Linthicum has seen a couple of despatched to the hospital. Occasionally he can’t really feel his ft when he emerges from frigid water. However that’s neither right here nor there. “No matter occurs to you after the swim—so long as you bought the swim in—it doesn’t matter,” he says.

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The South Finish Membership’s president, Fran Hegeler, says whereas hypothermia is a severe situation, common Bay swimmers study to establish early indicators and get out of the water, and to swim with a buddy. San Francisco’s annual Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon recommends members put on wetsuits.

In 50-degree water, the primary levels of hypothermia can kick in after simply 10 minutes, in accordance with John A. Downing, a professor of biology with the College of Minnesota’s Massive Lakes Observatory. “Wetsuit shaming. I discover that hysterical,” he says. “Why would you disgrace somebody for attempting to remain alive?”

The U.Okay.-based Channel Swimming Affiliation, which retains official rely of English Channel crossings has set the gold commonplace on what’s and what isn’t permitted in aggressive open-water swims. For a channel journey, swimmers could put on goggles, one cap, a nostril clip, ear plugs and one swimsuit. Wetsuits and any materials providing “thermal safety or buoyancy” are forbidden. Physique grease is OK, in accordance with the group’s web site.

The South Finish Membership, which presently has about 1,700 members, together with this reporter, has likewise maintained a minimalist perspective towards swim gear. Goggles solely turned commonplace within the Eighties.

“Within the previous South Finish, individuals used to suppose you have been a sissy if you happen to swam with goggles,” Mr. Wygant says.

Round 25 years in the past, the South Finish’s anti-wetsuit tradition sparked a rubber rise up, he recollects. Protesters, offended with a membership coverage that bumped wetsuit-free members to the entrance of the road for sure swims, protested the rule in the one approach they knew how. “All of them dressed up in wetsuits,” Mr. Wygant says. They have been chanting, ‘We’re right here, we put on gear. Get used to it!”

Letting your wetsuit float away can show expensive. Ms. Gower, who was inspired to do exactly that, held on to hers. It sells for $600 new, though she bought it used for $125.

The South Finish Membership nonetheless doesn’t permit wetsuits in its altering room. Ms. Hegeler, the president, says she isn’t completely positive of the rationale for this rule.

“It’s an previous membership,” says Ms. Hegeler, a former wetsuit-wearer herself. “There are particular traditions which can be upheld.”

Write to Robert McMillan at Robert.Mcmillan@wsj.com