Escape to Alcatraz

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Thursday 13 September 2012 Escape from Alcatraz

Happy Birthday Annie

Day 154 and 4 days to go

So here we are the final day on overseas soil. We are well and truly on that final slide into home. Our sleep last night was not as restful, for me it was the excitement of heading home for Paul it was dreaming up ways to set up a Segway business in Perth.

By 8.30am we were unable to hold off the morning any longer so we got ourselves up and showered before beginning the task of packing up the suitcases once more and sorting out exactly what we would require with us on our 15hour flight later. Having done this just a few times in the last five months it was a relatively painless exercise and before long we were all zipped up and heading to the lobby where we were able to store our bags for the day.

Now out on the brisk San Francisco streets we walked toward the 8x bus stop where we caught a very packed bus to the pier area. One advantage of the sardine effect was we squeezed on through the back doors and didn’t have to pay for the ride.

By the time we made our destination the bus was almost empty and we had a seat rather than hanging like chimps from tree branches as we grabbed for anything to stabilise our ride.

We walked across the road and down to Pier 33 where the Alcatraz tour cruises depart and collected our tickets from the ticket window and then with an hour to spare we wandered back along the boardwalk passing two cruise ships that had come into to dock. One of them was the Disney line. We ended up back at Pier 39 where we stopped in at the Wipeout restaurant for brunch with a view over the harbour; a great place to enjoy our pancakes with bacon and eggs.

By now it was 11.45am and as we were expected to board our boat at midday we wandered back to the departure point. Here we were able to read up on some of the Alcatraz history on the various boards and displays they had around the pier. At noon it was time to join the cattle and herd ourselves through the weaving barriers and onto the boat.

The journey from mainland to the island of Alcatraz took only 10 minutes as it is only 2km from shore.

Once we docked we were greeted by a worker giving the run down of the island and then we were free to lock around. We opted t o watch the 15 minute documentary first that outlined the island’s history from civil war times through to it’s close in 1963 when it’s life as a federal penitentiary came to an end.

With the end of the doco we moved up the hill to enter the cell block building. From here we were given audio sets and were able to follow the self-guided tour. This lead us through to the three tiered cells of which there were 349 rooms, most of them only 5x9x7 feet concrete boxes with a metal grate for a door. During it’s time as a prison the rooms were never all full at the same time.

Following the audio guide that was narrated by former prison guards and inmates we made our way to D block. This was the confinement area for those prisoners causing extra hassles. Here they looked out on the bay, not on other prisoners. They saw no other humans in their 24 7 confinement. With only a weekly shower their opportunity to leave the cube.

If they were really naughty they moved further down D block to the ‘Hole’. These cells had solid doors and left them sitting in the dark chasing buttons they would throw around and then attempt to find in the dark to keep themselves amused.

We passed the visitation area, 3 square holes in the wall and then onto the officers area. This was where shift change occurred and where the warden was housed. We left the prison walls and wandered outside taking in the view of the city and the bridges. Today was fairly clear and crisp so we were afforded great views.

When we returned to the prison we listened to stories of prison breaks. 36 people attempted escape all but 5 were accounted for. Many drowned in the bay as the water is so cold and the currents too strong. Some men even managed to carve holes through the concrete cell using metal spoons in which they had removed the head. It took them a year to create a hole that lead to the utility area behind the cells and then they were able to climb to the roof. Desperate times.

The final spot we wandered through was the dining and kitchen area. Considered the most deadly place in the prison as the prisoners had access to cutlery, as a result tear gas canisters were mounted on the walls.

After completing the audio tour we entered the shop, having a look around before emerging outside once again. It was now 2.30pm and we figured we should make it back to the mainland so we joined the long line of other tourists and waited for the 2.45pm boat that we all managed to board.

Once back at the pier we walked along the waterfront to Ghiardelli. This is a well known chocolatier in San Francisco and we figured we should try it out as we had a voucher for discount on their hot fudge sundae. Yum. We sat outside and shared one. It was delicious.

With time ticking away we walked a few blocks to the 30 bus stop and made our way back towards the hotel, walking the final few blocks. We decided we would make use of happy hour in the restaurant, enjoying ½ price drinks and appetizers as our final meal in San Francisco.

By 5.15pm we decided to head upstairs to the club lounge where we could freshen up for our flight and could use the net to upload photos. By 6.15 we had done all we wanted and decided it was time to grab our bags from the bell hop and begin dragging them through the streets to the BART station a few blocks away. Luckily there were escalators to the underground station, saving the heaving of bags.

With tickets sorted we stood on the platform waiting for the yellow train to the airport that arrived shortly after and by 7.30pm we were in the airport and at the check-in counter loading our bags and receiving our boarding passes. We attempted a seat move but were told we had to wait until we were at the gate.

We then moved onto the security and for the final time removed shoes, jackets, belts and emptied pockets as we put everything through x-ray screenings. Of course no sooner are you through the screening you have to do everything in reverse and redress yourself.

We were then left with walking to our gate. The variety of shops was limited including the duty free though we did eventually pick up a couple of bottles to bring home. With our flight not until 11pm we had a fair bit of time to fill in while sitting and waiting at the gate. I worked on the blog as the terminal area began to fill with passengers. We knew it would be a packed flight.

And so now it is 9.15pm and we are still waiting. Airplanes are moving around on the tarmac outside the window. There are lots of lights sparkling in the distance. It is a bit like a pacman game.

Time disappeared fairly quickly as we waited for boarding, finally beginning at 10.10pm, though we had to wait until our section was called at 10.25pm. We watched one poor lady struggle with her two sleeping boys under 5 and her carry on bags. Not one United staffer offered to help her and in the end anolder gent, another passenger, carried one of the sleeping boys for her while struggling with his own bag and she attempted to manage the rest but was forced to leave a bag and come back for it. It really was poor customer service.

We had a long walk as we were sitting at the tail end, second back row and right in the middle. Paul had the aisle while I was in the middle, waiting for whoever would sit on my left, though the seat never filled so I had a bit more room. We had issues with storing our hand luggage, as our bin was full because another passenger had filled it with his bags. I wish airlines would enforce their one carry on per passenger so others who follow the rules are not penalised. We ended up with our bags opposite us, so not too far away.

With the plane now holding all it’s passengers we were moving along the tarmac by 11pm and were finally in the air fifteen minutes later. With no ability to see the view I got suck into my book, as I was not ready to sleep. I think the adrenaline pulsing through knowing we were on the way home was keeping me well awake.