FORT BRAGG, CA., 7/27/26 — The Mendocino Coast welcomed an extraordinary swimmer — and an even bigger mission — to Noyo Harbor on Sunday, July 26.
Catherine Breed of Mill Valley, on an historic 900-mile Swim California expedition down the length of the California coast, took a break long enough to speak to an overflowing crowd at the Noyo Center for Marine Science’s Noyo Field Station. Under a beautiful, sunny sky, with seagulls flying overhead and harbor seals swimming nearby, more than 100 people gathered at the edge of the Noyo River on the field station’s outdoor deck, filling every seat, while those standing nearby pressed close to hear every word.
The event provided an opportunity for community members and ocean enthusiasts to learn more about Swim California’s mission while hearing from local scientists, conservation organizations and educators about the coastal environment and efforts to protect it. At the same time, Breed and the Swim California team learned more about the conservation work taking place along the Mendocino Coast.
Breed, a former NCAA champion, U.S. national team swimmer and internationally recognized open-water athlete, has completed record-setting swims across Lake Tahoe, Monterey Bay and the English Channel. Her latest challenge is her most ambitious yet: swimming from the Oregon border to Mexico. Swim California was formed for Breed’s swim, while its underlying nonprofit, Sea Dreamers, raises conservation awareness and supports women in ocean activities.
Swim California is about more than endurance. Breed is using the journey to bring attention to the people and organizations working, often unsung and behind the scenes, to protect California’s coastal waters.
The event offered a close-up look at the connection between scientific research, community action and the health of the ocean — a connection that is also at the heart of the Swim California project. Breed spoke along with Sheila Semans, executive director of the Noyo Center for Marine Science, Tristin Anoush McHugh, associate director of California Oceans at the Nature Conservancy, and Morgan Murphy-Cannella, director of education at Reef Check California. The speakers highlighted how through local partnerships and community engagement, they are helping restore the state’s kelp forests through scientific research, community education, ecological monitoring and innovative restoration projects.
Allez! Sports, the exclusive media partner for the expedition, is documenting not just Breed’s swim, but her connections with conservation partners and local ocean stewards through a series of video stories, social media coverage and the Zero Six Zero Tracker ship at 10 stops along Breed’s 900-mile journey.
The stories are designed to show the people behind the work of protecting California’s coast — and to demonstrate how personal connections can inspire conservation.
Swim California’s message is simple: Connection comes before conservation. By introducing people to the communities working to protect the coast, the project hopes to inspire a deeper understanding of — and commitment to — California’s ocean environment.
Lead land-support for Swim California’s Dave Monachello told the Voice, “We want each community to highlight its own conservation story. We spoke with Surfrider in Humboldt County about climate change and the need to keep up conservation efforts. Here in Mendocino County, we’re talking with the Noyo Center for Marine Science about the loss of kelp forests and how that is tied in many ways to climate change. As we move down the coast, we’re allowing each community to tell us its conservation story.”
Monachello explained that he provides land support for the four-member crew aboard the 52-foot boat, which supports Breed, the expedition’s lone swimmer. His responsibilities include coordinating resupply from land, including refueling the boat and providing other supplies.
The Nature Conservancy’s McHugh said, “The big takeaway for me is that there is a person who is excited and willing to travel the length of our beautiful coastline and tell the story of what is happening beneath the surface — something many people have not been able to see for themselves. She is illuminating it in a brand-new way.”
McHugh reiterated the plight of the kelp forests that are the foundation of the coastal ecosystem. “We have lost more than 90% of our kelp forests in less than a decade. At the same time, we are taking action to address those issues. We are doing kelp forest restoration in the water, testing tools and techniques that could help us in the future, especially as the climate continues to change.
“I think this is bringing light not only to the story of loss, but also to the story of hope and contribution, “ said McHugh. “Kelp itself is an organism and a habitat, and through photosynthesis it helps safeguard us from major climate stressors. But it is also our responsibility to reduce the pressure we put on the climate through our emissions and other impacts.”
As Breed undertakes what she hopes will be another first, she told the Voice the journey is about more than setting a record.
“For me, I wanted to explore the California coastline in an intimate way and learn about what’s happening in my own backyard. I also wanted to do something that had never been done before, something I could be proud of for the rest of my life and that might inspire other people to go after their own big goals.”
And she has a message for young people: “If you want to achieve big goals, it’s possible. Surround yourself with the right people to support you, and have a really strong ‘why’ — something that truly drives you.”
Breed’s next stop is Bodega Bay and then on to Santa Cruz and down the coast. Follow the rest of the Swim California expedition and Breed’s journey at swimcalifornia.com and on Instagram @catherine.breed.