Open-water swimmer Catherine Breed — who is making an approximately 900-mile swim along the California coast, from the Oregon border to Mexico — will host a Swim California community gathering, 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 24 on Stearns Wharf in Santa Barbara.

Hosted by the Santa Barbara Natural History Museum’s Sea Center, the event will feature remarks from Ted Morton, executive director of Santa Barbara Channelkeeper.

The gathering is part of Breed’s California swim, during which she is stopping in coastal communities to share her experience and meet the people working to protect local waters.

“Swimming this coast has given me a deeper appreciation for the work it takes to protect it,” said Breed. “I look forward to sharing the journey with the Santa Barbara community and hearing from Ted about Channelkeeper’s efforts to keep local waters healthy and thriving.”

“We’re excited to welcome Catherine to Santa Barbara and to share the work our community is doing to keep our ocean and coastal ecosystems healthy,” said Morton.

“Her inspirational journey is a powerful reminder of the connection between people and the waters we’re working to protect,” he said.

Swim California supports the mission of Sea Dreamers, the nonprofit Breed founded to connect women to the ocean through adventure, education, and community.

The expedition’s community stops introduce residents to local conservation organizations and opportunities to support their work.

Santa Barbara Channelkeeper is a nonprofit dedicated to protecting and restoring the Santa Barbara Channel and its watersheds through water-quality monitoring, advocacy, education, enforcement and community engagement.

Catherine Breed is a former NCAA champion, U.S. National Team swimmer, and internationally recognized open-water athlete with record-breaking swims across Lake Tahoe, Monterey Bay, and the English Channel.