Mill Valley swimmer Catherine Breed aims to become first to swim California’s entire coast

THE MENDOCINO COAST WELCOMED an extraordinary swimmer — and an even bigger mission — to Noyo Harbor on Sunday.

Catherine Breed of Mill Valley, on a historic 900-mile Swim California expedition down the length of the California coast, took a break long enough to speak to an overflowing crowd at the Noyo Center for Marine Science’s Noyo Field Station. Under a beautiful, sunny sky, with seagulls flying overhead and harbor seals swimming nearby, more than 100 people gathered at the edge of the Noyo River on the field station’s outdoor deck, filling every seat, while those standing nearby pressed close to hear every word.