Blue skies greeted us this morning for a planned visit to Alcatraz.     First a 15 minute ferry ride across the bay with Alcatraz coming into view.

Starting life as an island visited by Indian tribes but unused there were plans to build a lighthouse in 1854. The Gold Rush spurred its construction as the wealth coming out of the gold mines increased the ship traffic.  Due to its position in the harbour it was an ideal fortification and so it became a fort. As civil war broke out it had rows of cannon and soldiers stationed on the island. It was decommissioned in 1907.  During and after the  Civil war it was a place of incarceration for soldiers, military convicts and Indians.  Then in 1934 it opened as the Federal Prison it is most famous for.

1,545 men did time there, only a handful were notorious. Al ‘Scarface ‘ Capone, Robert Stroud the ‘Birdman of Alcatraz’ and George ‘Machine Gun’ Kelly, to name a few. Cells were cold, small and windowless, 5′ wide, 7′ long.  14 men attempted escape, the best known in 1962 when 3 men dug and enlarged their air vents. They built dummy heads left in their beds and got themselves to the bay. Using raincoats as flotation devices they were never seen again.  Did they make it? No one knows

Back on the ferry and after landing at Pier 33 we walked along to Pier 39, a more famous and family friendly part of Fisherman’s Wharf. We have often skipped breakfast for garage bought lunches as we got on the road but this was an opportunity to find somewhere nice for lunch.  It’s a very touristy place but full of interesting shops, restaurants, museums and activities. We made for The Crab House and had  a delicious fresh crab lunch.  Many go to Pier 39 to see the Sea Lions.

They took up residence in 1990 after the 1989 earthquake. There are up to 900 males in the winter.

This blog reads a bit like a lesson, sorry,  but once a teacher always a teacher! 

After an enjoyable meal out tonight we came back early to the hotel to continue our cerebral day – a game of cards.  It’s a good job we go back a long way as a contentious game of Rummy can test friendships!  We called it a day by 10 as it’s another early start  – the Big Bus followed by a Harbour Cruise.

There is also a total solar eclipse due over North America tomorrow.

We won’t be on the path of totality but approximately 36% of the sun will be obscured by the moon in this area.  Forecast is for clear skies so should be good – the next one due for the USA is 2044 and for the UK it’s 2090 so we’d better make sure we catch this one!!