Suzanne Heim-Bowen

Round-Trip Alcatraz

  • Date: 30 Oct 1979
  • Swim: Alcatraz loop from Aquatic Park (clockwise) in San Francisco Bay
  • Rules/Equipment: Traditional swim suit/cap/goggles
  • Result: 5 km in 1:19:15
  • Conditions: flat
  • Support:
    • Vince Huang/Paddleboard
    • AB?

Tiburon to San Francisco

  • Date: 17 Jun 1981
  • Swim: Tiburon (Golden Gate ferry dock) to Aquatic Park (SERC/DC Beach) in San Francisco Bay
  • Rules/Equipment: Lyrca swim suit / latex cap / goggles. Canvas hat (old school) with chin tie.
  • Result: km in 2:13:52
  • Conditions: Out on an Ebb tide and then caught a flood through Raccoon Straits to the DC. Very good conditions but some texture for 45 minutes at Raccoon Straits.
  • Support:
    • Vince Huang Paddler
    • Bill Walden/Rower
    • Dave Hinton/Navigation (was not on swim)
    • Vessel: Row Boat

Alcatraz to San Quentin

  • Date: 19 Jun 1982
  • Swim: Dock on the East Side of Alcatraz to Village Beach, San Quentin in San Francisco Bay
    • NOTE: do not land on State Property..HUGE issue
  • Rules/Equipment: Lycra swim suit/goggles/cap
  • Result: km in 2:53:53
  • Conditions: slight texture on the water
  • Support:
    • Stan Hlynsky/Lead Crew
    • Ray Savingano/Lead Pilot
    • Herman Zahler/Pilot
    • Jack Bettencourt/Paddler
    • Randy Pinettie/Paddler

Bay to Breakers

  • Date: 13 Nov 1982
  • Swim: Bay Bridge (mid-span), through Golden Gate, around Seal Rock, to Ocean Beach (Fulton St) in San Francisco Bay
  • Rules/Equipment: Traditional swimsuit/latex cap/goggles
  • Result: km in 2:05:47
  • Conditions: Very fast outgoing tide, broke the Bay Bridge to Golden Gate Bridge women’s record previously held by Beth Fisher (1:19) Suzanne’s time was 1:14. The finish of the swim had large waves that were breaking on shore and luckily had a car meeting swimmer on land as both the paddler/swimmer were unable to return to boat. Conditions had ‘texture’ swim winds about 5 - 10 knots.
  • Support:
    • Randy Pinetti - pilot
    • Norm Peterson - pilot
    • Stan Hylnsky - lead crew
    • Hugh Winn - paddleboard
    • Bill Walden - row boat
    • Vessel: Tom Callinan’s Boston Whaler and one AB

Candlestick Park to Aquatic Park

  • Date: 30 Dec 1982
  • Swim: Candlestick Park (Willie Brown Pier) to Aquatic Park (SERC/DC) in San Francisco Bay
  • Rules/Equipment: Traditional Swimsuit/latex cap/goggles
  • Result: km in 1:48:15
  • Conditions: Flat as a pancake! At some point minor texture. Water temp was chilly…50F.
  • Support:
    • Bill Walden - rowboat
    • Randy Pinetti - rowboat
    • Jack Bettencourt - paddleboard
    • John Dahlberg - paddleboard
    • Conrad Von Blankenberg - powerboat
    • Stan Hlynsky - crew chief
    • Vessel: Dolphin Club inflatable

Carquinez Bridge to Golden Gate Bridge

  • Date: 12 Jul 1983
  • Swim: Carquinez Bridge (mid-span) to Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco Bay
  • Rules/Equipment: Traditional swim suit/2 swim caps/goggles
  • Result: km in 5:27
  • Conditions: Variety of conditions. Texture to some 10 knot winds in San Pablo Bay. Water temp 58 - 65. Very warm under Carquinez Bridge. Nutrition: Instanutrament (sp?), Andes mints, bananas, peanut butter and honey. Attracted a lot of fish in the Carquinez Strait with the light shining on swimmer. Swimmer reported being ‘slimed’ several times.
  • Support:
    • Dr. Rapaport/Medical
    • Tom McGraw/Kayak
    • Stan Hlynsky/Lead Pilot/Crew
    • Tim Callihan/Pilot
    • Gordon Cook/Rowboat
    • Walk Hakke/Rowboat
    • Vessel: Rowboat/Kayak/Boston Whaler/AB

Golden Gate 6-way

  • Date: 1 Sep 1987
  • Swim: Golden Gate Bridge 6-way (from Fort Point) in San Francisco Bay
    • Touched Lime Rock on other side of Gate and then as close to the Beach as possible at Ft. Point lining up with land. Hazardous conditions to land at the beach but finished on the beach.
  • Rules/Equipment: Traditional swim suit/cap/goggles
  • Result: 9.7 km in 2:42:18
  • Conditions: Gate Splits: Crossing 1: 20:55, Crossing 2 34:15, Crossing 3, 22:08, Crossing 4 39:20, Crossing 5 33:15, Crossing 6 24:03. Note: Last leg almost pushed into South Anchorage due to Ebb. AB was put betweeen myself and anchorage….very sketchy. Conditions flat with some bumps….really researched tides.
  • Support:
    • Stan Hlynsky/Lead Pilot/Crew
    • Tim Callahan/Pilot
    • Tom Callinan/Pilot
    • Vessel: Boston Whaler/AB