Catherine Breed
ON THE RECORD · 11 verbatim quotes · every quote source-verified
“At one point in my life, I think I had swum and sailed under the Golden Gate Bridge more times than I had driven over it.”
Catherine Breed · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-19
Breed told local radio station KQED about her lifelong connection to the waters around California's coast.
“For months, I measured my world in the next few miles,”
Catherine Breed · said 2026-10-18 · reported 2026-10-19
Breed told the San Francisco Chronicle on Sunday about her experience swimming the California coast.
“in a washing machine”
Catherine Breed · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-19
Breed reportedly navigated waves as high as 7ft during her coastal swim and described the feeling of swimming in them.
“Everyone’s been so fixated on sharks,”
Catherine Breed · said 2026-10-18 · reported 2026-10-19
Breed spoke about public fears of sharks versus environmental damage in a video posted on her Instagram on Sunday.
“We are so scared about these animals that live in the ocean and have no interest in us, and we are more fearful about that than we are about the damage and destruction that we are causing to our own home.”
Catherine Breed · said 2026-10-18 · reported 2026-10-19
Breed contrasted fear of ocean animals with human-caused environmental destruction in an Instagram video posted on Sunday.
“When I get in the ocean, it’s a full surrender. You’re completely present. Your only job is to put one arm in front of the other and be at peace with whatever the ocean gives you that day.”
Catherine Breed · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-19
Breed told KQED earlier this year about her approach of full surrender when swimming in the ocean.
“whales beneath me, plastic beside me”
Catherine Breed · said 2026-10-18 · reported 2026-10-19
Breed described to the San Francisco Chronicle how she moved through the ocean during her 900-mile swim.
“You cannot bring hubris or expectations into the ocean – whether you’re surfing, spearfishing, sailing or swimming. You can’t,”
Catherine Breed · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-19
Breed told KQED earlier this year about the mindset required to enter the ocean.
“some of the dirtiest water in the United States, if not the world”
Catherine Breed · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-19
Breed characterized the polluted waters near Imperial Beach at the US-Mexico border as one of the biggest challenges of her swim.
“the current is quite literally going against us the entire way”
Catherine Breed · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-19
Breed told San Diego's KPBS that extreme weather from Super El Niño was the hardest part of the challenge.
“It is like doing a trail 50k or a half Ironman every day for about 110 days,”
Catherine Breed · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-19
Breed described the daily physical toll of her coastal swim in a social media post.