Aquatic Park

The curved arm of Municipal Pier shelters this small cove at the foot of Polk Street, so the water inside is calmer than the open Bay. It is home water for the Dolphin Club and the South End Rowing Club, whose clubhouses stand beside the cove. There are no lifeguards, so stay near shore, watch for rowers and paddlers, and give harbor seals and sea lions at least 50 feet.

Directions

Photo: Adbar · CC BY-SA 3.0

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Latest reading · SwimScore 81/100 (Get in) for a typical swimmer: air 24°C, wind 16 km/h, waves 1.1 m, UV 7. Updated 23 Sept, 22:00 UTC.

Know before you go

Best conditions: The Municipal Pier protects the cove from Bay turbulence, making it a semi-protected spot; NPS suggests staying close to shore and swimming in groups.
Getting in: Free public beach in San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, reached from the paved Aquatic Park Promenade across hard-packed sand. The Dolphin Club offers public day use (waiver plus a $12 cash/check fee) on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
Parking & transport: No park lot; metered street parking and paid garages nearby, often hard to find around Fisherman's Wharf. Muni buses 19, 28 and 49 and the Hyde Street cable car stop by the park.
Lifeguards: No lifeguards on duty.
Water quality: SFPUC and the SF Department of Public Health sample Aquatic Park weekly year-round for bacteria and post No Swimming signs after sewer overflows or exceedances.
Season: Year-round; Dolphin Club public day use runs in a winter season (Nov 1 to Apr 30) and a summer season (May 1 to Oct 31).
Who swims here: Home of the Dolphin Club (founded 1877) and the South End Rowing Club (founded 1873), which hosts an annual Alcatraz-to-Aquatic Park swim open to the public.
Watch for: Boat, kayak and rowing traffic
Marine mammals: several swimmers were bitten in December 2017 and the cove briefly closed
Cold, tidally driven Bay water
Facilities: Restrooms at the Maritime Museum · No public showers or changing rooms