JourneysPhotograph

Saturday Morning Swim Meet in San Francisco

·San Francisco, California·#summer#bay area#swimming#kids#swim-meet
A person in a white cap and sunglasses holds a child in a blue swim cap, with another child and a swimming pool in the background.

Saturday morning swim meet in San Francisco, at USF's aquatics facility — a big pool, 25 yards by 50 meters, set up with the long-course lanes today, so eight of them stretched out under the blue and gold pennants.

Our littlest swimmer waited out the early heats bundled in a jacket on Grandpa's lap, blue cap already on. When the heat finally came up, a coach knelt on the block to help with the last adjustments, and then the jump — arms out, toes pointed at nothing, a whole lane of water ahead. Made it down the length freestyle with the crowd along the deck watching.

Afterward: goggles pushed up on the cap, the fish towel, and a long hug from Mom by lane six. Grandpa wore his Michigan hat the whole morning.

A person in a white cap helps a child in a yellow swimsuit and blue cap prepare to swim at an outdoor pool.A person watches a child in a swimsuit jump into a swimming pool with lane lines and spectators.Two children swim laps in a multi-lane pool as spectators watch from the side under banners and tents.A woman in sunglasses and a child in swim gear wrapped in a towel smile for the camera at a swimming pool.An adult embraces two smiling children, one wearing a swim cap and goggles, beside a swimming pool.People gather around an outdoor swimming pool, where two children prepare to dive as others watch under tents.