A pair of Marin County “Mermaids” worked their magic at the 2025 U.S. Masters Swimming Spring Nationals in San Antonio earlier this spring.

San Rafael’s Abby Pledger, 50, and Andrea Salmi, 60, did their pod of fellow women swimmers proud with gold-medal finishes at the short-course championships in April.

Often meeting at 5:45 a.m. to practice at Redwood High, tackling open-water swims in San Francisco Bay, and supporting each other in life, the self-proclaimed Mermaids are a group of eight to 10 women who train and race together as part of North Bay Aquatics.

“The high caliber of talent on North Bay Aquatics is matched by the high camaraderie,” said Pledger. “Day in and day out we push each other to perform at our best while always cheering each other on and supporting one another. Being the fastest swimmer is not what is most important to us — it is being the best version of ourselves, surrounded by a community of like-minded women who embrace each other.”

Pledger, who swam three seasons at University of Washington, just moved up to the 50-54 age group and earned two first-place finishes, three seconds and a third in San Antonio. Her time of 1 minute, 5 seconds in the 100-yard individual medley was the fastest in the nation this year for her division and her personal best since her youth days.

“It all came together,” said Pledger. “I think that came as a surprise.”

Pledger also won the 200 freestyle by more than four seconds with a time of 2:05.73. In the 100 butterfly, Pledger was second in 1:04.02, only four seconds off her best in college. She was also second in the 50 free (26.84) and 500 free (5:39.37). She was timed at 58.44 for third in the 100 free.

After training hard for more than 10 years, Salmi claimed her first gold medals. She won the 60-64 100 free in 59.49 and the 200 free in 2:10.08. She was fourth in the 50 free, 500 free, 100 IM and 50 breaststroke.

“I have a lot left in me,” said Salmi, who serves on the North Bay Aquatics board. “The combination of incredible coaching and inspiring teammates makes it easy to stay in the game. After seeing what the women on my team were accomplishing in the pool and at meets, I raised the bar for myself.”

The venerable Don Swartz leads the North Bay Aquatics coaching staff along with Ken DeMont. Swartz was inducted into the USA Swimming Hall of Fame in 2013.

The Mermaids also include Meghan Hardin, Sarah Quick, Brenda Lein, Kim Oster, and Dea Cristea. At the 2022 Pacific Masters Short Course Championships, the Mermaids set two national relay records that still stand. Salmi, Quick, Lein and Oster were timed at 8:43.94 for the 55+ 800-yard free relay record. Salmi, Quick, Oster and Cristea clocked a record-setting 3:58.86 in the 400 free relay.

Salmi says the Mermaids embody “The Shine Theory” popularized by author Ann Friedman, who espouses collaborative approaches for success and achievements within women’s circles.

“It involves investing in the success and well-being of others, believing that everyone benefits when their peers are thriving, rather than viewing success as a zero-sum game,” said Salmi, who runs the local Make A Splash swim program for at-risk youth.

Pledger admittedly had a chip on her swimming shoulders in college because she never earned a scholarship at Washington. But that gave her freedom to stop swimming before she burned out and has allowed her to fully enjoy Masters competition.

“What I’ve gotten from these women is tenfold what I got in college,” said Pledger. “We race in solidarity with each other. We celebrate each other’s successes. It just keeps getting stronger.”

The Mermaids’ successes aren’t limited to the pool. They have become a dominant force in the famous Trans Tahoe Relays, winning the 50+ women’s division a dozen times. Started in 1976, the Tahoe relays are 10 to 12 miles and draw teams of swimmers from throughout the world.

Pledger is currently training for the 20 Bridges Swim in New York City. The 28.5-mile swim circles Manhattan Island. She’s also completed the five-plus hour swim around Angel Island.

“It is the spirit of continuing to grow and push boundaries, not being held back by age or societal expectations,” said Pledger. “It is about showing our daughters and sons what aging can look like. We do hard things in the pool and in the open water so that when life throws even tougher hurdles our way, we are ready. We show up, we stand together and we get to work.”