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Not great photo weather for it, its really overcast with low mist everywhere here at the moment and pretty cold but still really looking forward to our ferry day out to Alcatraz island.
The only thing we booked to do so far and it was really worth the $60, Interesting and eerie!
The Alcatraz island being 1.5 miles from San Francisco main land it becomes way too far for many to make the distance back through currents and winds. On the island they developed a lighthouse, a military fortification, a military prison and a prison from 1933 until 1963. The cells in total could hold up to 330 inmates. Prison officers and workers lived in security protected areas with their families on the island where children would school across the way in San Francisco and wives etc would occasionally have day trips.
Listening to our audio tour we heard many stories of attempt escape, concurred escape -surviving the swim or not, nobody knows!, inmate riots, attacks on prison wardens and the convicted crimes of a few of the most notorious of inmates. The outside grounds seemed fairly normal but seeing the prison blocks and solitary confinement cells it became easy to set the scene.
Solitary confinement cells secured the prisoners with a 10" steel door, where they were aloud out only once a week for a shower and quick leg stretch, supposed to other inmates being let out daily. We saw the long three story cell blocks, dressing and shower areas, officers headquarters, eating areas, their library and the outside barbed wired communal grounds.
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