We booked for the 11am ferry , well originally we booked the 12:30 but by the time we’d of got there it would of been a hurry round to catch the last one back, then it’s the evening tours. So they changed it for us.
It’s strange coming up to the island, as its built up of layers from the past.
You have the federal war times, the prison years, Indians time of claiming and finally the bird take over. All are very distinctive and very present still to this day!
As you finally get on the island you kind of feel abut of a prisoner, especially when the boat leaves. Lol
Other than a $1 charge for the map/info everything else is free,(included with the ticket) talks and walks from the Rangers , head sets in the cell/prison block narrated by the guards and inmates.
Really interesting with some quite outrageous stories.
3 inmates tried to escape by using large blocks of soap sculpted to look like heads and dug away at the vent.
Another one escaped was gone for a few days then because he couldn’t get off the island broke back in to the prison.
The funniest was a guy who was given the job to sweep the decks, military sent there clothes to the island to get washed by the inmates, after a period of time he had managed to collect every piece of item for a Sargent , I think, and sunk on board, he’d forgotten clearly that they did counts every time a boat departed from the island.
Above was in the hospital block…creepy!
Below is the soap heads! Lol
Prison cell block from recreation area
View from the gardens
What would of been the front entrance
The wardens home…well what’s left of it
Some of it was closed and some was burnt down which is a shame.
We left on the last ferry … 4:25
It was really interesting! And worth it! Lol
Sea lion!
We we’re starving even though we had taken a subway with us, o yer you can’t buy food on the island and it can only be eaten on the dock area. We headed to buba gump shrimp !!!
The them is totally about the movie and is fab, they have a flip sign to get the attention of the staff, says stop forest stop, and when your fine just leave it on run forest run.
I had the ribs , Kieran had the ribs and shrimp. Was gooooood!!! Also cool as you could see Alcatraz as its at the bottom of the pier.
