In Federal Prison

    Yesterday, my parents and I Baywatch ran into the ice cold San Francisco Bay to swim the distance from Pier 33 to the federal prison of Alcatraz.  In the 48 degree water, we battled with sharks and avoided barges and yachts.  We successfully arrived at the prison to find that tourists can actually take a ferry to The Rock.  Who knew?

On our swim...waterproof camera

The Vessel

    Alcatraz, also known as The Rock, was a federal prison from 1933 to 1963 housing some of the country's most dangerous men from Al Capone to the Birdman.  It is now a National Park where for a little money (predictable) one can walk the island seeing inside the prison and listening to recorded accounts of prisoners and guards.  From the isolation to the escapes, this tour may have been one of the best I've been on.

No worries, we didn't try anything shady...

Behind bars

Nerds

    On our return from the tour, we took the ferry, or what they called the vessel.  As our wet suits dried, we enjoyed a little of Fisherman's Wharf, a definite tourist trap (and we took the bait).  While dining at the Wharf, you can't help but envy the sea lions basking in the sun on the docks below.  Something I must try in the future....

On our return....my hair dried quickly from the swim.

Lazy sea lions

    Yet another day in San Francisco....