In this week's Field Notes: a Golden State Valkyries momcast, Audium’s 50th anniversary 176-speaker revival, Bandaloop in Oakland, Tamera Avery’s surreal art, the best swimming holes, Victorian towns, zany dioramas, and more.

Courtside vibes and Bay Area pride

Two former high school ballers turned San Francisco moms, educators, and entrepreneurs have created a podcast that’s as much about community as it is about basketball.

Valkyries, Say Less dives into the stories behind the players and coaches of the Golden State Valkyries, offering insider perspectives, bite-sized game updates, and the best Chase Center eats. Listen on Apple and Spotify.  — KPIX

Bay Area swimming holes worth the drive

Looking to beat the heat and escape the city grind? Bay Area swimming holes like the Inkwells in Marin, Russian River's Sunset Beach River Park, China Hole near Morgan Hill, and Garden of Eden in the Santa Cruz Mountains offer cool, refreshing dips in scenic spots.

Float beneath the redwoods, hike to hidden beaches, or spend a lazy afternoon tubing in the sun. Just check the water conditions, pack out what you pack in—and be sure to park legally. — Axios

A Victorian road trip through Northern California

From Ferndale’s dairy-fueled “Butterfat Palaces” to the gold-built facades of Grass Valley and Murphys, these Northern California towns flaunt 19th-century charm.

Nevada City saved nearly 70 Gold Rush buildings, including California’s oldest theater. Eureka’s Carson Mansion is a Queen Anne masterpiece. Together, they offer a road trip through California’s ornate architectural past. — Secret San Francisco

Audium at 50

A former donut shop turned sound sanctuary, Audium is celebrating 50 years in San Francisco with a revival of its first-ever tape piece, Audium VI. Created by founder Stan Shaff in 1975, the piece returns as an immersive, in-the-dark experience running now through August 23 — its 176-speaker choreography pulling sound across walls, ceilings, and floors like an aural dance.

Director Dave Shaff, Stan’s son, describes the composition as funky and raw — full of foghorns, field recordings, and subconscious stirrings. The lobby features archival gems: reel-to-reels, taped conversations, and the analog gear that shaped SF’s weirdest legacy venue. — KQED

Dancing on the walls of Oakland’s City Hall

Vertical dance pioneers Bandaloop return to their roots this July with Somewhere to Oakland — a free public series of gravity-defying performances on the walls of City Hall, the Rotunda Building, and more. Catch them through July 26. — Visit Oakland

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Call for zany local historic news dioramas

The Oakland Library is inviting the public to create miniature dioramas based on weird and notable local news stories throughout the ages for a new exhibit, All the News That’s Fit to Build, opening August 9 and running through November 29 in the Oakland History Center.

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KQED’s suggested diorama topics include a raccoon jailed for disorderly conduct, a Lake Merritt mud mishap, and a 1940s tomato spill in Hayward. Dioramas (max 6 inches tall) must be submitted July 21–August 2, along with a copy of the original news story. Outstanding entries will be honored at a special October 4 reception. — KQED

A local’s guide to Alcatraz

Alcatraz is more than just a prison tour—just ask longtime guide Brian Stannard. In summer, skip the crowded cellhouse and head for the quiet West Road, where birdlife abounds and the views of the Golden Gate are unbeatable. Winter is ideal for locals, with fewer crowds and access to the rarely open Agave Trail, marked by towering, Seussian trees.

Time your visit around the Red Power exhibit, which honors the 1969 Native American Occupation. Day tours offer more time to explore, but night tours deliver moody magic. — Broke-Ass Stuart

San Jose time capsule

Nostalgic social media account, Era Envy, featured the interiors of an immaculately preserved 1960–70s era San Jose home. That shag carpeting is just begging to be caressed. — Era Envy

Grappling with absurdity and decay

San Francisco painter Tamera Avery took an unexpected path to art. After earning a business degree at UC Berkeley, she rose through the ranks at Levi Strauss, eventually leading the Youth Wear Division. In 2002, she left to paint full time.

Largely self-taught, Avery creates large-scale oil works based on collages, costumes, and staged photos of friends and family. Her masked, isolated figures appear in surreal landscapes shaped by social and climate anxieties. Her work is currently featured in Force of Nature at Oakland’s Gearbox Gallery through August 9, with an opening reception this Saturday, July 12 and an artist’s talk on Saturday July 26. — 48 Hills

More days, more trips for the free water shuttle

The Oakland-Alameda Water Shuttle is now running six days a week with 63 free daily trips between Jack London Square and Alameda’s Bohol Circle Park. Friday through Sunday hours stretch from 7:20 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. — Port of Oakland

Top Image: tamaraavery.com

This week's notable humans are Maya Merhige, a Berkeley teen who completed her fourth Oceans Seven swim; Tim Friede, whose work self-injecting snake venom has aided crucial antivenom research; and Brighid Kohl, creator of an innovative anti-bullying and leadership program at her college.

Berkeley teen Maya Merhige spent 14 hours crossing New Zealand’s Cook Strait last month — stung by jellyfish every few seconds, swimming 27 miles through pitch-black seas, and pushing her body to the edge of collapse. It was the latest in her quest to become the youngest person ever to complete the Oceans Seven, a marathon swimming challenge that spans some of the world’s most dangerous waters.

At just 17, Merhige has already crossed the English Channel, the Moloka’i Channel, the Catalina Channel, and now the Cook Strait — four of the seven swims required to join the elite club. All with just a swimsuit, a support boat, and whatever mental grit she could summon.

She swam mostly at night, not just to avoid sunburn, but because she preferred not seeing the jellyfish — which struck her face, lips, and ears every few strokes. “Out of sight, out of mind,” she told CNN. “They’re not there if you can’t see them.”

Despite battling injury, hallucinations, and terrifying sea life — including sharks and whales — Merhige says the ocean is where she feels most herself. She’s used her swims to raise over $130,000 for pediatric cancer research and plans to finish the Oceans Seven by 2028, even as she heads to college on a pre-med track.

“There are kids in hospitals right now getting chemo,” she says. “If they can get through that, I can keep swimming.”

Bay Area transplant Tim Friede has spent two decades putting his body on the line to help save lives — by self-injecting venom from some of the world’s deadliest snakes. His goal has been to build immunity that could lead to a universal antivenom and prevent tens of thousands of snakebite deaths each year.

Friede began his experiments in Wisconsin while working as a truck mechanic. With no formal medical training but a deep interest in science, he developed a radical routine: injecting himself with venom from cobras, black mambas, and taipans. He’s survived more than 200 venom exposures — including several near-fatal encounters — and developed a rare immune response that scientists now study closely.

In 2023, Friede moved to San Francisco to collaborate with researchers at UCSF, who are analyzing his blood in hopes of developing more accessible antivenoms. “I do this so others don’t have to,” he told National Geographic, which profiled him in a recent documentary. “Snakebite is one of the most neglected global health issues out there.”

Snakebites kill more than 100,000 people each year, mostly in rural areas without access to region-specific treatments. Current antivenoms are expensive, fragile, and species-specific — making Friede’s vision of a broad-spectrum alternative especially urgent.

Now partnered with leading scientists, Friede is transforming decades of self-experimentation into data that could revolutionize antivenom — proving that even the most unconventional paths can lead to lifesaving breakthroughs.

Brighid Kohl, who’s autistic and has a stutter, created the “You Are Not Alone” (YANA) program at the College of Adaptive Arts (CAA) in Saratoga, which helps combat bullying and isolation. Inspired by a Canadian YouTuber’s anti-bullying campaign, Kohl wanted to offer a space for students who felt alone or bullied. She pitched the idea to the CAA administration through a PowerPoint presentation, and not only was the program approved, but Kohl was also asked to help lead it.

The weekly YANA class fosters a supportive environment where students check in with each other, engage in conversations, and share heart gestures if someone is feeling down. Kohl's leadership has had a significant impact on the class, helping students build stronger social skills, emotional resilience, and a sense of empowerment. In addition to her role in the class, Kohl has become an associate professor at CAA, where students are encouraged to take on leadership roles, including teaching and administrative positions.

Kohl’s work at CAA has not only improved the experience for her peers but has also highlighted the value of inclusive education. Her leadership in the YANA program and role as an associate professor are examples of the opportunities CAA provides for students with disabilities to take on meaningful roles and contribute to the community.

CAA remains focused on supporting students in achieving their academic and personal goals, offering an environment where students can develop social, emotional, and professional skills. Kohl’s story is a testament to the impact of an inclusive educational approach that recognizes the potential in every student, regardless of disability.

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Previously: Notable Humans: Thomas Bennett’s Dedication To Miyako Ice Cream And The Fillmore Community

1980 U.S. Olympic swim team member, former U.S. national team swim coach, and four-decade coach of San Ramon Valley Aquatics Richard Thornton died while heading out to surf in Santa Cruz on Thursday, according to his family.  

Olympic swimmer Richard Thornton might have been a better-known swimmer, had his 1980 U.S. Olympics team not been part of the boycott of the 1980 Moscow Summer Olympics. But his legend was huge in the the Bay Area, as he went on to coach the U.S. national swim team, and co-founded and coached San Ramon Valley Aquatics for nearly 40 years.

Thornton died unexpectedly Thursday of apparent unknown causes while heading out to surf at a Santa Cruz beach known as The Hook, according to the Chronicle. He was 65.

There is some dispute over Thornton’s cause of death. A Thursday Facebook post from  Thornton’s brother Marc says Thornton "passed away surfing today.” But an update from the Bay Area News Group says “initial reports Richard died while surfing are inaccurate,” and that “Thornton died while stepping into the water but the cause of death is unknown.”

Regardless, Richard Thornton may have peaked as a swimmer on a 1980 Olympics team that ended up not competing, but he would impact the lives of generations of Bay Area competitive swimmers, and even Olympic gold medalists. He co-founded San Ramon Valley Aquatics, a year-round swim program for swimmers of all ages, in 1985, and in 1995, coached the 1995 US World Championships team in Rio de Janeiro.

As the publication SwimSwam explains, in San Ramon Thornton coached future Olympian Matt Bondi, who would become an eight-time gold medalist (1984, 1988, and 1992). Thornton also coached Pan Pacific Championships gold medalist Sarah Anderson (now Sarah Anderson Cramer).

“Rich had one of the biggest impacts on my life,” Anderson Cramer said in a Facebook post. “He was an outstanding person and someone I truly loved and respected. By the end of my swimming career I considered him a member of the family. Heaven called home one of the best today. Trying my best to smile through the tears! Sending all my love to the Thorntons.”

Related: Mavericks Surf Rally Underway as 30-Plus-Foot Waves Pummel Half Moon Bay [SFist]

Image: Roxanne L via Yelp

A swimmer who disappeared off the coast of Ocean Beach Tuesday remains lost this morning, as officials resume their search off the San Francisco coast.

According to a tweet by the San Francisco Fire Department, a "reported victim in water" was called into 911 at 7:34 p.m. Tuesday evening.

KRON 4 reports that the person, about whom officials have released no identifying details, was seen in the water near the Cliff House restaurant.

"Thick fog and low visibility hampered with search efforts," KRON 4 reports, as crews with the SFFD and Coast Guard searched the water.

After an hour of effort, the Chron reports that rescuers "found no sign of the victim" and called the search off for the night.

NBC Bay Area reports that the effort will resume Wednesday this morning, and that "A helicopter may join the search effort Wednesday depending on visibility."

Related: Tourists And Selfie-Takers Need To Stop Going Near The Cliffs And Caves Near The Cliff House

Nine percent of California's beaches were unsafe for swimming at some point last year, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)'s nationwide report "Testing the Waters 2014." That's one percent better than the rest of America's bacterial beaches, on average, so woo.

Nevertheless, there are still some beaches in the Bay Area that are, on occasion, not specifically too good (see list below).

According to the report, many local beaches, for example most of Ocean Beach, are generally bacteria-free, but other beaches frequently tested poorly, particularly on the Bay, where the waters are stiller. The NRDC report explains that stormwater pollution and "untreated sewage spills and overflows are also frequently to blame."

The report uses the EPA's Beach Action Value (BAV) safety threshold, which examines bacteria levels (a.k.a. raw sewage and fertilizer runoff) in beach water samples.

Each beach in the report was tested multiple times last year, and the percentage given to each represents the number of times the beach exceeded the EPA's BAV safety threshold last year.

Here's the list of the beaches that the EPA deemed most unsafe for swimming.

• Parkside Aquatic Park (San Mateo County): 64 percent
• Lakeshore Park (San Mateo County): 48 percent
• Candlestick Point at Windsurfer Circle (San Francisco): 47 percent
• Mitchells Cove Beach (Santa Cruz County): 42 percent
• Capitola Beach west of jetty (Santa Cruz County): 33 percent
• McNears Beach (Marin County): 32 percent
• Baker Beach, Lobos Creek at lower parking lot (San Francisco): 28 percent
• Pillar Point near West Point Avenue (San Mateo County): 28 percent
• Kiteboard Beach (San Mateo County): 23 percent
• Candlestick Point at Sunnydale Cove (San Francisco): 22 percent

"The overall trend is that there's a substantial pollution problem," Noah Garrison, staff attorney for the Natural Resources Defense Council's water program, tells SF Gate. You can click through all the test results on the NRDC's report here.

"Human Dolphin" by Ariel Dovas.

Brian Stokle and Burrito Justice created this fun-filled map showing what San Francisco will look like after global warming (or "global warming") goes full tilt boogie come 2072. (Thanks, Mission Mission!) Burrito explains: "Reflecting coastal erosion due to the accelerated disintegration of the East Antarctic ice cap, the NCCS (Northern California Coast Survey) has released a higher resolution topographic map of the San Francisco Archipelago showing the 200 foot sea level rise compared to the 2012 sea level datum."

You can get this terrifying map in three wonderful sizes too!

[via Mission Mission]

Andrew King, affectionately known as Coach Andy in his role at San Jose Aquatics, has been jailed since this past spring for felony child molestation. Investigators have been building their case against him ever since, and it recently led them to interview a woman who, in 1988, reported some abuse by Coach Andy to a school counselor in Danville. The woman was 17 at the time, and claimed she had intercourse with Coach Andy three years before, got pregnant, got an abortion and never told her parents. King had a well-established pattern over several decades as a swim coach of targeting girls between the ages of 10 and 17, taking them to dinner, driving them home, taking them sailing, making out, and then "making love." The Santa Clara County D.A.'s office is seeking the maximum sentence for King, 42 years, and court documents released yesterday make their case sound pretty damning. King has plead no contest.

by Amy Crocker

While most city folk were enjoying the newly warm weather, about 800 people from around the state (and a few non-Californians) converged on Aquatic Park to freeze their goggles off for the Alcatraz Sharkfest swim. Swimmers arrived Saturday at the Maritime Museum as early as 5:30 am to catch a ferry to Alcatraz. At around 8:45, they jumped off the boat for a 1.5 mile race back to shore. But even as they shivered out of the water, barely able to walk, let alone speak for numbness, swimmers remarked on this being the best conditions in recent memory. The water was about 60 degrees with fairly mild currents for the area.

The winners in the wetsuit division were Brad Hibbard from San Clemente with a time of 30.24 and Elizabeth Markman from Los Angeles, 34.41. The winners in the non-wetsuit division were Mike Sample from Berkely, 32.35 and Casey Merrill, 37.44, from Marmora, NJ. For complete results, go here.

An Oakland man died on Sunday night after drowning in the Russian River during a swim at his party. According to CBS 5, "Paulo Dominguez was celebrating his 32nd birthday with his wife and friends and had been drinking before he started swimming across the river at DuBrava Beach in Guerneville around 5:45 p.m." Then, after struggling with his swim, Dominguez went under water. His friends "found him 7-10 minutes later." Dominguez died later in the evening at at Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital.

She went to Cal-Berkeley, she holds eight world records, and she is notorious as one of the most babealiciousest swimmers alive. Concord native Natalie Coughlin has a ridiculous-busy schedule of swim competition in this year's Olympics, but her big race today is the Womens 100-meter... backstroke. She holds the current world record, and she'll be putting it on the line in a pool full of fit, gorgeous ladies. Here's hoping Natalie will backstroke the daylights out of the competition!

(By Joe Kukura)

The 2008 Olympics kick off tonight, and SFist is all over it! We mean, like, really disgustingly all over it -- as in, people are going to be talking behind our backs. Because every day during Olympic competition, we'll be getting our horndog on and featuring arousing photographs of the sexiest, most fuckable Bay Area natives competing that day. Well, every day except tomorrow. Because there will be football to discuss.

Very few actual games are being played today, just the inevitably god-awful opening ceremonies from Beijing National Stadium. (Bob Costas calls it "The Bird's Nest". We call it "The Stridex Pad".) But we love us some Olympic porn so we're starting today with that magically delicious stud to the left, Ben Wildman-Tobriner.

Ben's a 23-year-old San Francisco native and a Stanford grad. He even went to Lick-Wilmerding High School! We'd lick his wilmerding any day. Ben will be getting off the blocks and causing quite the splash in the 400-meter relay swim Sunday, and the 50-meter freestyle swim this Thursday and Friday. Get set to get wet!