Alcatraz – Not just a Prison but a Sanctuary

When I think about Alcatraz it makes me think of negative things: prison, cold, dark, criminals and yet I had to see it. As we ferried the half hour to get to the island, my mind was racing with thoughts. The prisoners who tried to swim in these rushing eddies of water to escape, the fog surrounding the buildings and how painfully lonely it must have been, the dock for arriving prisoners who may never step foot on it again. I envisioned myself never getting off this island, sobering.

As I toured and learned more about this place my thoughts began to brighten. I learned about the waterbirds of Alcatraz. Long before this place became a prison it was a sanctuary for the birds. In fact, Alcatraz comes from the word, alcatraces, which means seabirds. After the prison was closed in 1963, without the human disturbance once again, the birds returned. The island is a safe place for over 5,000 nesting birds including Pigeon Guillemots, Brandt's Cormorants and Western Gulls. In the gardens near the parade grounds, a beautiful Anna's Hummingbird was flitting about, drinking from the plants nurtured by volunteers.

If you have the opportunity to see this National Historic Landmark in the bay of San Francisco, enjoy the rich history as well as the birds.

I did step on the dock again and as the island receded from my view, I was left with the happy memories of seeing those wonderful waterbirds of Alcatraz.