Around Coronado Island swims
The swim around Coronado is a near-circumnavigation of Coronado Island near San Diego, California. The established standard route is 18.6 km (11.55 miles) between Glorietta Bay Beach (inside San Diego Bay) and Gator Beach (facing the Pacific Ocean), via the end of Zuniga Jetty. The route can be swum in either direction, but is typically done counter-clockwise (bay to ocean). This is the original route used in the Coronado Around-the-Island Swim race, held annually from 1992-1996.
A few swimmers have done slight variations on the standard route - turning at Zuniga Point rather than going around the jetty; or starting/finishing at the Hotel Del Coronado instead of Gator Beach (see "Other Routes" below). Variant routes are not eligible for course records.
For information about organizing a solo swim around Coronado, see Open Water Swim Academy.
Course Records
- Fastest Man: Kevin Joyce (3:42 in 1994)
- Fastest Woman: Jennifer Conklin (3:44 in 2021)
These records reflect the consolidated results of the five years of the Around-the-Island swim (1992-96) and the solo swims of the same route documented since 2016. It is unknown who was the first to swim around Coronado Island, or if anyone did before the first race was held in 1992. If you have information about historical around-Coronado swims, please contact us.
One-Way
| Date | Name | Gender | Age | Nation | Route | Km | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 Dec 16 | Cindy Werhane |  | 49 | Glorietta Bay Beach to Gator Beach via Zuniga Jetty | 18.6 | 05:19:25 | |
| 2020 Jan 30 | Amber Baker | | 35 | Gator Beach to Glorietta Bay Beach via Zuniga Jetty | 18.6 | 07:20:48 | |
| 2020 Jan 30 | Michella Thomas | | 53 | Gator Beach to Glorietta Bay Beach via Zuniga Jetty | 18.6 | 07:20:48 | |
| 2020 Sep 16 | Linda Simons | | 54 | Glorietta Bay Beach to Gator Beach via Zuniga Jetty | 18.6 | 04:32:30 | |
| 2020 Sep 26 | Alice Ma | | 48 | Glorietta Bay Beach to Gator Beach via Zuniga Jetty | 18.6 | 08:20:02 | |
| 2020 Sep 28 | Jeffrey Rake |  | Glorietta Bay Beach to Gator Beach via Zuniga Jetty | 18.6 | 05:11:07 | ||
| 2020 Sep 30 | Susie Bender Paul | | 47-48 | Glorietta Bay Beach to Gator Beach via Zuniga Jetty | 18.6 | 04:52:01 | |
| 2020 Oct 15 | Carly Miller | | 42 | Glorietta Bay Beach to Gator Beach via Zuniga Jetty | 18.6 | 04:54:45 | |
| 2020 Oct 26 | Edie Markovich | | 15 | Glorietta Bay Beach to Gator Beach via Zuniga Jetty | 18.6 | 04:58:30 | |
| 2020 Nov 14 | Erika Shanahan Gliebe | | 48 | Glorietta Bay Beach to Gator Beach via Zuniga Jetty | 18.6 | 04:42:30 | |
| 2020 Nov 27 | Ajae Clearway | | 48-49 | Glorietta Bay Beach to Gator Beach via Zuniga Jetty | 18.6 | 05:54:33 | |
| 2020 Nov 29 | Tracy Knight | | 48 | Glorietta Bay Beach to Gator Beach via Zuniga Jetty | 18.6 | 04:52:10 | |
| 2020 Nov 29 | Steve Gruenwald | | 59 | Glorietta Bay Beach to Gator Beach via Zuniga Jetty | 18.6 | 04:52:10 | |
| 2020 Dec 13 | James Savage | | 14 | Glorietta Bay Beach to Gator Beach via Zuniga Jetty | 18.6 | 04:23:14 | |
| 2020 Dec 16 | Natalia Chuich | | 54 | Glorietta Bay Beach to Gator Beach via Zuniga Jetty | 18.6 | 05:04:30 | |
| 2021 Jan 14 | Abigail Fairman | | 43 | Glorietta Bay Beach to Gator Beach via Zuniga Jetty | 18.6 | 04:31:15 | |
| 2021 Mar 28 | Shannon House Keegan | | 46 | Glorietta Bay Beach to Gator Beach via Zuniga Jetty | 18.6 | 04:55:20 | |
| 2021 Apr 7 | Tricia Elmer | | 60 | Glorietta Bay Beach to Gator Beach via Zuniga Jetty | 18.6 | 04:47:55 | |
| 2021 Apr 7 | Scott Lautman | | 68 | Glorietta Bay Beach to Gator Beach via Zuniga Jetty | 18.6 | 04:47:55 | |
| 2021 Apr 9 | Sidney Russell | | 32-33 | Glorietta Bay Beach to Gator Beach via Zuniga Jetty | 18.6 | 04:34:28 | |
| 2021 Apr 14 | Luca Pozzi | | 35 | Glorietta Bay Beach to Gator Beach via Zuniga Jetty | 18.6 | 04:54:45 | |
| 2021 May 21 | Steve Sutton | | 54 | Glorietta Bay Beach to Gator Beach via Zuniga Jetty | 18.6 | 05:03:30 | |
| 2021 Jun 1 | Joe Cole | | Glorietta Bay Beach to Gator Beach via Zuniga Jetty | 18.6 | 05:16:40 | ||
| 2021 Jun 3 | Heidi Skrzypek | | Glorietta Bay Beach to Gator Beach via Zuniga Jetty | 18.6 | 06:47:53 | ||
| 2021 Jun 3 | MarySue Balazic | | Glorietta Bay Beach to Gator Beach via Zuniga Jetty | 18.6 | 07:05:01 | ||
| 2021 Jun 5 | Summer Wesson | | 43 | Glorietta Bay Beach to Gator Beach via Zuniga Jetty | 18.6 | 07:06:15 | |
| 2021 Jun 7 | Juliet Kadlecek | | 51 | Glorietta Bay Beach to Gator Beach via Zuniga Jetty | 18.6 | 05:10:50 | |
| 2021 Jun 16 | Rose Filer | | 27 | Glorietta Bay Beach to Gator Beach via Zuniga Jetty | 18.6 | 06:38:20 | |
| 2021 Jun 18 | Claire Gorder | | Glorietta Bay Beach to Gator Beach via Zuniga Jetty | 18.6 | 05:11:45 | ||
| 2021 Jun 20 | Lauren Grous | | 37 | Glorietta Bay Beach to Gator Beach via Zuniga Jetty | 18.6 | 05:00:20 | |
| 2021 Jun 30 | Sabrina Houston | | Glorietta Bay Beach to Gator Beach via Zuniga Jetty | 18.6 | 05:10:01 | ||
| 2021 Jul 12 | Andrew Hewitt | | 58 | Glorietta Bay Beach to Gator Beach via Zuniga Jetty | 18.6 | 04:53:20 | |
| 2021 Jul 12 | Melissa Bartow | | Glorietta Bay Beach to Gator Beach via Zuniga Jetty | 18.6 | 04:53:20 | ||
| 2021 Jul 25 | Jennifer Conklin | | Glorietta Bay Beach to Gator Beach via Zuniga Jetty | 18.6 | 03:44:55 | ||
| 2021 Jul 27 | Ross Simmons | | 57 | Glorietta Bay Beach to Gator Beach via Zuniga Jetty | 18.6 | 04:50:10 | |
| 2021 Aug 14 | Kirk Phipps | | Glorietta Bay Beach to Gator Beach via Zuniga Jetty | 18.6 | 07:10:45 | ||
| 2021 Aug 22 | Belinda Little | | 54 | Glorietta Bay Beach to Gator Beach via Zuniga Jetty | 18.6 | 06:23:25 | |
| 2021 Aug 26 | Thomas Schwartz | | 61 | Glorietta Bay Beach to Gator Beach via Zuniga Jetty | 18.6 | 04:26:20 | |
| 2021 Sep 5 | Hassan Ghozlan | | Glorietta Bay Beach to Gator Beach via Zuniga Jetty | 18.6 | 04:54:40 | ||
| 2021 Sep 7 | Mary Singer | | 46 | Glorietta Bay Beach to Gator Beach via Zuniga Jetty | 18.6 | 05:16:50 | |
| 2021 Oct 9 | Kris Berglund | | 63 | Glorietta Bay Beach to Gator Beach via Zuniga Jetty | 18.6 | 06:06:05 | |
| 2021 Oct 16 | Stephanie Saisi | | Glorietta Bay Beach to Gator Beach via Zuniga Jetty | 18.6 | 05:13:50 | ||
| 2021 Oct 18 | Jax Tatro | | 45 | Glorietta Bay Beach to Gator Beach via Zuniga Jetty | 18.6 | 05:31:30 | |
| 2021 Nov 1 | Anaya Khanzode | | 16-17 | Glorietta Bay Beach to Gator Beach via Zuniga Jetty | 18.6 | 05:26:00 | |
| 2021 Nov 3 | Michelle Squyer | | 53 | Glorietta Bay Beach to Gator Beach via Zuniga Jetty | 18.6 | 05:36:10 | |
| 2021 Nov 16 | Karina Garcia | | 35 | Glorietta Bay Beach to Gator Beach via Zuniga Jetty | 18.6 | 04:36:10 | |
| 2021 Nov 18 | Camilla Shaffer | | Glorietta Bay Beach to Gator Beach via Zuniga Jetty | 18.6 | 06:05:30 | ||
| 2022 Mar 23 | Eric Durban | | 66 | Glorietta Bay Beach to Gator Beach via Zuniga Jetty | 18.6 | 04:59:11 | |
| 2022 Mar 23 | Lars Durban | | 66 | Glorietta Bay Beach to Gator Beach via Zuniga Jetty | 18.6 | 04:59:11 | |
| 2022 Jun 21 | Dana Price | | 50 | Glorietta Bay Beach to Gator Beach via Zuniga Jetty | 18.6 | 04:45:45 | |
| 2022 Jun 21 | Dana Price | | 50 | Glorietta Bay Beach to Gator Beach via Zuniga Jetty | 18.6 | 04:45:45 | |
| 2022 Jul 17 | Kelley Schall | | 33 | Glorietta Bay Beach to Gator Beach via Zuniga Jetty | 18.6 | 05:05:50 | |
| 2022 Jul 18 | Rose Filer | | 28 | Glorietta Bay Beach to Gator Beach via Zuniga Jetty | 18.6 | 06:38:20 | |
| 2022 Jul 31 | Jacquelyn Braggin | | 35 | Glorietta Bay Beach to Gator Beach via Zuniga Jetty | 18.6 | 04:17:07 | |
| 2022 Sep 12 | Stacey Warmuth | | 65 | Glorietta Bay Beach to Gator Beach via Zuniga Jetty | 18.6 | 04:27:15 | |
| 2022 Oct 6 | Isabella Johnson | | 25 | Glorietta Bay Beach to Gator Beach via Zuniga Jetty | 18.6 | 04:55:45 | |
| 2022 Oct 8 | Becky Smith | | 48 | Glorietta Bay Beach to Gator Beach via Zuniga Jetty | 18.6 | 06:04:40 | |
| 2022 Oct 10 | Cathy Harrington | | 65 | Glorietta Bay Beach to Gator Beach via Zuniga Jetty | 18.6 | 06:30:00 | |
| 2022 Oct 12 | Erin O'Regan | | 65 | Glorietta Bay Beach to Gator Beach via Zuniga Jetty | 18.6 | 06:36:50 | |
| 2022 Oct 24 | Ashleigh Gilroy | | 28 | Glorietta Bay Beach to Gator Beach via Zuniga Jetty | 18.6 | 04:14:00 | |
| 2022 Oct 26 | Mike Peters | | 28 | Glorietta Bay Beach to Gator Beach via Zuniga Jetty | 18.6 | 04:34:25 | |
| 2022 Oct 28 | Paul Valitutto | | 51 | Glorietta Bay Beach to Gator Beach via Zuniga Jetty | 18.6 | 05:02:03 | |
| 2022 Nov 4 | Madeline Gibson | | 25 | Glorietta Bay Beach to Gator Beach via Zuniga Jetty | 18.6 | 05:30:10 | |
| 2022 Nov 7 | Suzanne Heim Bowen | | 64 | Glorietta Bay Beach to Gator Beach via Zuniga Jetty | 18.6 | 04:26:58 | |
| 2022 Nov 22 | Jing Li | | 34 | Glorietta Bay Beach to Gator Beach via Zuniga Jetty | 18.6 | 04:02:30 | |
| 2022 Dec 30 | Kerry Yonushonis | | 47 | Glorietta Bay Beach to Gator Beach via Zuniga Jetty | 18.6 | 05:08:05 | |
| 2023 May 12 | Thomas Rothenbach | | 53 | Glorietta Bay Beach to Gator Beach via Zuniga Jetty | 18.6 | 06:22:40 | |
| 2023 Jun 10 | Summer Wesson | | 46 | Glorietta Bay Beach to Gator Beach via Zuniga Jetty | 18.6 | 06:09:40 | |
| 2023 Jul 5 | Rachel Wetterlin | | 24 | Glorietta Bay Beach to Gator Beach via Zuniga Jetty | 18.6 | 05:42:50 | |
| 2023 Jul 5 | Ankit Sood | | 33 | Glorietta Bay Beach to Gator Beach via Zuniga Jetty | 18.6 | 05:42:50 | |
| 2023 Jul 7 | Jorge Ivan Agudelo | | 31 | Glorietta Bay Beach to Gator Beach via Zuniga Jetty | 18.6 | 04:48:58 | |
| 2023 Aug 3 | Claire Luciano | | 35 | Glorietta Bay Beach to Gator Beach via Zuniga Jetty | 18.6 | 05:20:40 | |
| 2023 Aug 5 | Greg Johnson | | Glorietta Bay Beach to Gator Beach via Zuniga Jetty | 18.6 | 05:19:50 |
Two-Way
| Date | Name | Gender | Age | Nation | Route | Km | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 Dec 1 | Abigail Fairman | | 44 | Glorietta Bay Beach to Gator Beach to Glorietta Bay Beach | 37.2 | 10:41:10 | |
| 2022 Jul 14 | Abigail Bergman | | 26 | Glorietta Bay Beach to Gator Beach to Glorietta Bay Beach | 37.2 | 09:42:49 |
Other Routes
| Date | Name | Gender | Age | Nation | Route | Km | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 Apr 16 | Scott Zornig | |
56 | Glorietta Bay Beach to Hotel Del Coronado via Zuniga Jetty | 18.3 | 04:31:59 | |
| 2016 Dec 7 | Tiffany McQueen | |
44 | Glorietta Bay Beach to Gator Beach via Zuniga Pt | 17.7 | 07:30:00 | |
| 2020 Sep 6 | Kathleen Wilson | |
57 | Glorietta Bay Beach to Coronado Shores Beach via Zuniga Jetty | 18.4 | 05:12:00 | |
| 2020 Oct 31 | Audrey Viers | |
36-37 | Glorietta Bay Beach to Hotel Del Coronado via Zuniga Jetty | 18.3 | 04:56:53 |
Reviews
Reviewer: Kelley Schall (September 2023)
Swam in 2022 (Finished)
Overall Experience: ★️★️★️★️★️
Pilot: Dan Simonelli and Tom Hecker
Fees: $1200
Communication ★️★️★️★️★️
Piloting Skill: ★️★️★️★️★️
Cost/Value: ★️★️★️★️✩️
Association: The swim was ratified by Dan's Open Water Swim Academy and MSF
Fees: NA
Communication ★️★️★️★️★️
Advice & Support: ★️★️★️★️★️
Value: ★️★️★️★️✩️
General Comments: "Wonderful experience- I have known Dan and Tom for 12 years and they are truly the "dream team" here in San Diego. I started my swim in the wee hours of the morning and finished just after sunrise, it was beautiful. Also fun to swim with the tidal assist. This swim is kind of like a mini version of 20 Bridges (but with cleaner water). This is a great swim for those who are newer to marathon swimming, or experienced swimmers alike who are wanting to do a fast, fun swim."
Reviewer: Mandy Leonards (August 2023)
Swam in 2023 (Finished)
Overall Experience: ★️★️★️★️★️
Pilot: Dan Simonelli
Fees: 1200
Communication ★️★️★️★️★️
Piloting Skill: ★️★️★️★️★️
Cost/Value: ★️★️★️★️★️
Comments: "Dan is extremely experienced and knowledgeable in marathon swimming and I felt nothing but complete faith in him managing this swim as my first marathon swim."
General Comments: "This swim is fantastic. I swam overnight and had the beautiful city lights, swam past the navy base and finished at sunrise on the beautiful Coronado beach. I can’t recommend this swim enough."
Reviewer: Angela Lee (August 2023)
Swam in 2023 (Finished)
Overall Experience: ★️★️★️★️★️
Pilot: Dan Simonelli
Fees: $1200
Communication ★️★️★️★️★️
Piloting Skill: ★️★️★️★️★️
Cost/Value: ★️★️★️★️★️
Comments: "Dan Simonelli takes the utmost care in keeping the swimmer safe. Before swimming myself I’ve been kayak support and have witnessed his navigation and communication skills. Also, since no escort boat is needed it’s one of the most affordable marathon swims."
General Comments: "Beautiful swim with downtown San Diego on one side and the Naval base on the other. Sometimes you’re treated to a passing naval ship or overhead air show."
Reviewer: Claire Luciano (August 2023)
Swam in 2023 (Finished)
Overall Experience: ★️★️★️★️★️
Pilot: Dan Simonelli
Fees: 1400 USD
Communication ★️★️★️★️★️
Piloting Skill: ★️★️★️★️★️
Cost/Value: ★️★️★️★️✩️
Comments: "Dan is highly experienced and was an excellent kayaker and observer for my swim. He was communicative and very helpful, answering all my questions before the swim and providing his perspective on training for it. I would highly recommend Dan as a pilot for the Around Coronado Swim."
Reviewer: Cathy Harrington (August 2023)
Swam in 2022 (Finished)
Pilot: Dan Simonelli and Sidney Russell
Fees: 1500 USD
Communication ★️★️★️★️★️
Piloting Skill: ★️★️★️★️★️
Cost/Value: ★️★️★️★️★️
Comments: "I had the perfect pilots that guided me safely to completion of this beautiful swim."