Shortly after ‪11:15pm‬ Saturday, September 3, 2016, Courtney gave Matt a kiss and jumped off the Outrider boat and into the Pacific Ocean. A small section of the rocky beach was illuminated by Jamie Siler, her friend whom she had not seen since high school! 

As per CCSF rules, she got totally out of the water, and after a brief reunion, she removed her water shoes and gingerly stepped back into the water. The clock had started and Courtney’s double Catalina Channel swim had commenced!

Courtney swam strong throughout the night and morning. Despite the turbulent swells topped with whitecaps, she maintained a consistent stroke count and continued to make progress. She is currently just a few miles from Catalina. Once she hits ground, she has 10 minutes before she has to get back in the water. The plan is for Amy and Allison to swim behind her with her supplies, and give her essentials like sunscreen, Vaseline, and water while on Catalina. Then she will begin the second leg of her crossing. 

Follow Courtney’s swim on Facebook: #Paulk2xCatalina

And track her live at http://track.rs/courtneypaulk