The Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon swim portion is the classic annual swim, although swims have become very popular and are more frequent. While there are a few qualified companies and outfits who organize these events, the ones I usually watch are put on by Dave Horning and Envirosports. The Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon had approxiametely 2000 participants this year. I go out on a boat of varying sizes every year at the crack of dawn for two reason. The first being the water is mirror flat at that time of day and really magical and the second being the sound of the swimmers swimming. This year the sound was drowned out by a trailing hovering helicopter. I was cursing the helicopter and joking to my guests on my boat that since I am an aerial photographer, that is probably what people say about me. Later that afternoon I found out they were friends of mine in the helicopter because they called me to help them with their emergency landing in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, Marin Headlands. They had to land to avert a potential crash and everyone was fine. Since the second rescue helicopter was not allowed to land in the GGNRA without an emergency, I spent the afternoon driving to another airport to get the parts. I was happy my friends were fine but it still was ironic after I was cursing their hovering ruining my swim sound meditation.