Laura’s Journals: Alcatraz, of course

Posted on by snukes

Transcriptions of the journal pages in the photographs below can be found at the bottom of the page. I’ve stopped believing I’ll ever turn this into a proper blog post, so I’ve included photos here. The gulls do not care.

Alcatraz Island is centered in the frame. The water below is dark with a few whitecaps, the sky above cloudy. The cell block and lighthouse are visible among the rocks of the island.
The mandatory ferry-shot as the island approaches.
A photo of a handwritten journal page. Green stamps depicting the lighthouse on Alcatraz Island, one in an oval and one in a rectangle, are on the top right corner of the page. A full transcription of the writing is below.
A photo of a handwritten journal page. a photo cut from a brochure is pasted in the bottom left corner, showing a view of the buildings on Alcatraz Island, including the cell block and lighthouse. A full transcription of the writing is below.
The side of a building on Alcatraz Island, its top and right side disappearing out of frame. Graffiti is painted over the top of an official government sign, reading "INDIANS WELCOME - UNITED INDIAN PROPERTY - INDIAN LAND" A red bird with outstretched wings is also painted.
As you arrive at the ferry dock, graffiti is visible on many surfaces of the buildings and water tower, artifacts of a 1969 occupation by a group of Native Americans calling themselves Indians of All Tribes, who were protesting government policies concerning Native issues. The occupation lasted two years before falling apart due to internal challenges and a government shutdown of electrical and telephone connections.
Looking up the road while we waited to disembark the ferry. The lower part of the large building dates back to the island’s early days as a military fort guarding the bay. The upper floors were added to house soldiers and later prison guards.
Three gulls perch on the peak of a metal roof. One looks left, one looks down, one has his head nestled into his wing.
The gulls, happy and safe in their island sanctuary, were really showing off.
A closeup shot of a gull, head turned to the right for a nice profile. He looks both soft and mean at the same time.
Handsome beastie.
A gull stands behind a metal lattice rail. He regards the camera with a baleful stare.
This one is into roleplaying.
The camera looks down a three-story row of cellblocks, the aisle between them stretching an apparently long way into the distance. Lights glow orange from inside the cells while skylights above admit white daylight. The aisle is full of people listening to audiotour headsets.
The cell blocks during our tour, shortly after arrival, while the sun was still up.
The same triple-high row of cells, now with dark skylights above and the light from inside the cells glowing white. There are no people in the frame.
The cell blocks right before we left, well after dark. No crowds. It was a little spooky, though really only as a large, empty space.
Photo of a card reading: REGULATION 41 IN ADDITION TO YOUR REGULAR MAIL PRIVILEGES YOU WILL BE ALLOWED TO SEND YOUR MOTHER AN EXTRA LETTER ON MOTHER'S DAY. INSTITUTION RULES & REGULATIONS US PENITENTIARY ALCATRAZ, CALIFORNIA
Rules are fun.
A night time photo with the Bay Bridge and shoreline visible as glowing lights in the background. In the foreground, a gull perches in a flower planter, looking put-upon as he stares over your shoulder.
Good buy and good night, says the gull. You will not be remembered.

Transcription:

Thursday, May 5, 2022
GOLDEN GATE NATIONAL RECREATION: ALCATRAZ ISLAND

Welcome to San Francisco! We rolled in this afternoon, after spending last night with Aunt Dee and her kitties, where we also picked a lot of lemons, just in time to find our friend Matt’s house, drop off some things, then head down the Embarcadero to catch a ferry. On the way, we stopped at Fisherman’s Wharf to get some dinner, which turned out to be giant crepes.

The ferry ride out to Alcatraz Island is lovely, and the day was cooperating with lovely weather and a few puffy clouds to make for a nice sunset. I’d been here once before, as a child with Grandpa George, but my memories were hazy (mostly just a general impression of cell blocks), and neither Dustin nor Matt had ever been.

We listened to one of the ranger talks, then took the self-guided cell block tour. The place really does have a creepy vibe, though I think that’s due more to the way it makes you think about incarceration in America than any spooky echoes of particular past inmates. The handful of stories they shared about specific inmates were really interesting, though. I’m always in it for the stories.

We tried on a second ranger talk, but it was dull so we peeled off to go see the lighthouse and lights from the city. Also, a lot of gulls. The island is a protected bird sanctuary.

The trip back across the bay was Chilly but full of lovely views. I oogled the bright sign for Ghirardelli Square, but we were all too tired to have a go at that tonight, so we’ll definitely make another trip out, just for that.

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