San Francisco`s Historic Dolphin Club. Editorial Photo

Founded in 1877 by two different sets of German immigrant brothers, the Dolphin Club has always had an emphasis on swimming and rowing activities. Membership was initially limited to only 25, and was not increased to 40 in 1883. One of their big events is the golden Gate Bridge Swim, a swim from Fort Point in San Francisco to Lime Point in Marin. Although only 7/8 of a mile, it is the frigid tempertures along with the rough currents that make this a very difficult swim. The Dolphins have been swimming this since 1917, and the oldest recorded swim goes back to 1896.