This may well end up being my longest grunt5 post ever but there are so many incredible things to see on this island that I want to show you lots! believe it or not only about 20% of my edited photos ever make it onto this blog. This was the view as we caught the ferry out to Alcatraz, the setting sun hit the rock and made the whole scene very spectacular. I spent a good portion of my time, while working on the water, in the calm waters behind this rock so I got to know the outside of it very well, was eager to explore it though!
As the sun began to set and we were on the East side of the Island the light that surrounded us was just spectacular, made for easy photography. This building down close to the water was the social hall for the guards, derelict buildings at dusk look just awesome. Angle Island behind is where the Anglin brother and Frank Morris were said to have escaped too.
Guards still hang out up the tower to this day. The East being the sheltered side of the Island away from the prevailing winds is where Joey and I hung out on the boat while there was no AC cup racing happening. This is what I would be looking at all day, was cool to see it from the other side.
This yard is where a lot of Clint Eastwoods 'Escape from Alcatraz' film was shot. Prisoners got to spend a few hours a day or a few hours a week out here depending on how well behaved they were. This yard is on the West side and has an incredible view of the Golden Gate Bridge.
Home Base for a large group of people that called the rock their home. This yard was the only outdoor area that the prisoners were allowed to socialize. the 17mm f1.8 was working absolute wonders on Alcatraz, one of the first times I was really starting to get into this lens!
The view from the top step of the yard looking out over the GGB and Marin Headlands
Cell Block D was considered the 'Treatment Block' This is where solitary confinement was, nicknamed the hole. The most brutal of all the cells in the prison, devoid of light and any human interaction, the were given a bucket as a toilet that was to be emptied once a week. One of the stories was about a prisoner who got put in the hole, he took a button of his shirt and flicked it up in the air and then spent the next 10min on his hands and knees searching for it. He proceeded to do this until he was out.
At each end of the three corridors in the main block where two gun galleries, barred of corridors that as you can imagine had guards with guns. The key would have to passed down from the gun gallery to the floor if it was need by a guard down below.
One of the worst parts about being on Alcatraz according to some of the prisoners was the fact that they spent their life staring back at SF, An amazing skyline showcasing the freedom they will never have, a constant torture.
Each corridor was named after a famous American street, this was Broadway. Between cell blocks B-C
If you haven't heard of the escape attempt by the Anglin Brothers, Morris and West then i suggest you look it up on youtube. They managed to dig their way out of their cells and off the Island. They made fake heads that they used to fool the guards, surprisingly realistic!
These last two images are straight out of American Horror Story. The prison hospital is only open during the night tour and is one of the main reason to get on the night tour. The dimly lit hospital consisted of a theatre room which can be seen in the first image and many haunted rooms throughout. The 'Bird Man' had his own room here as he was a very sick individual. A truly creepy place to be walking round at night.
The pictures are just a small snippet of Alcatraz, make sure when you go to SF or if you go you pre book the night tour!