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The San Francisco Standard
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Photos: San Franciscans cool off at city pools—for free!—as heat wave ramps up

While much of California is facing a triple-digit heat wave, San Franciscans unable to bear the 80-degree weather fled to public pools to cool off.

A person floats peacefully on their back in a pool, wearing a bright swimsuit with a yellow and red design and an abstract figure on the front. The water is clear and blue.
Lorna Reed floats in the Mission Pool in San Francisco on Wednesday. Due to warm weather, the city offered free admission to all nine SF public pools for one day. | Source: Jason Henry for The Standard
By Garrett Leahy

While much of California is roasting under a “potentially deadly” and prolonged heat wave, San Francisco is…mostly just nice. The city is under a heat advisory through 7 p.m. Thursday with highs in the lower 80s, but it will be spared from the scorching heat being felt elsewhere across the state.

Still, on Wednesday, the city responded to the rising heat by making its nine public pools free to enter. The Standard sent photographer Jason Henry out to the Mission Community Pool, the city’s only outdoor public swimming facilty, to see who was taking advantage of the weather—and the unpaid entrance.

Soak it in, folks. Foggy summer days are just around the corner.

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A girl is mid-dive into a swimming pool, with another girl in the water and two others standing on the poolside. Blue and white flags hang above the pool.
Milo Martinez, 13, dives into the Mission Pool on Linda Street Wednesday. | Source: Jason Henry for The Standard
A shirtless man wearing a wide-brimmed straw hat and dark sunglasses smiles by a swimming pool on a sunny day, with blurred pool goers in the background.
Mission Pool supervisor Charles Williams | Source: Jason Henry for The Standard
A person in black swim trunks is inverted in a pool, with only their legs and part of their torso above the water's surface, creating a splash around them.
Source: Jason Henry for The Standard
A group of boys is joyfully posing in a swimming pool, some holding a ball and a water gun, with a man sitting on a bench in the background using his phone.
A group of boys from Everett Middle School. | Source: Jason Henry for The Standard
Children are playing with a large beach ball in a swimming pool under a blue sky, while two lifeguards watch from the poolside. A building is visible in the background.
Source: Jason Henry for The Standard
A person wearing blue swimming goggles is partially submerged in a clear blue pool, with water splashing around their head as they swim.
Source: Jason Henry for The Standard
A smiling person is in a swimming pool, wearing reflective swimming goggles and a pink swimsuit. The water glistens in the sunlight around them.
Nayeli Maxson Velasquez | Source: Jason Henry for The Standard
Three people are at a pool; one is swimming, one is doing push-ups, and one is sitting on the deck near a wall with blue and white flag bunting above.
Source: Jason Henry for The Standard
A joyous toddler in a purple floatation device with a snorkel design is being held in a pool, smiling broadly, and holding a colorful toy.
Sheila Pasene and her 8-month-old son Isreal. | Source: Jason Henry for The Standard
A child wearing purple swim goggles and a colorful swimsuit with fruit designs is happily standing in a pool, smiling widely with their hair wet.
Eight-year-old Georgina | Source: Jason Henry for The Standard
A smiling man stands beside a pool, holding a skateboard. He is shirtless, wearing colorful swim shorts with cat faces printed on them. People are swimming in the background.
Emele Uka has lived in the area for eight years but came to the pool for the first time Wednesday. | Source: Jason Henry for The Standard
The image shows a person wearing colorful necklaces, including one with wooden beads spelling "CHUCK," and dressed in a blue shirt with red and black straps.
Chuck Louden, a retired lifeguard, volunteered his time Wednesday to help with the expected large crowds. | Source: Jason Henry for The Standard
A pair of bright green water goggles with orange straps rest on the concrete poolside, with blue, shimmering water in the background.
Source: Jason Henry for The Standard
A busy pool scene with numerous people swimming and playing, including some children. A colorful beach ball is in the air, and a few people are seated on benches outside the pool.
Source: Jason Henry for The Standard

Garrett Leahy can be reached at [email protected]

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Bay AreaCultureEast BaySummerWeather