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Conference unifix::sailing

Title:SAILING
Notice:Please read Note 2.* before participating in this conference
Moderator:UNIFIX::BERENS
Created:Wed Jul 01 1992
Last Modified:Mon Jun 02 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:2299
Total number of notes:20724

1744.0. "Alcatraz, the floating island" by POBOX::FEIGLE (Sales Consultant: attacking the 'hill') Tue Jun 18 1991 00:14

    Sometime last summer (1990), I picked a sailing or yachting book (??)
    that contained a story about sailboat races around the island of
    Alcatraz.  It seems that there were places where the currents were
    strange and only those most familiar with the island could take
    advantage of it.
    
    The bottom line: the article said that Alcatraz was a floating island. 
    A grid of chains holds the island in place.  The article quoted some
    Freedom of Information "stuff" that verified that it was a floating
    island.  The island is made from a porus type of rock, that allows the
    "rock" to float in very-very high water times.
    
    My question: have I lost my mind.... or does somebody else remember
    reading this article.
    
    I'd like to get the name of the article again, and possibly post a copy
    of the article here.  It wasn't "sailing", but it was some type of
    book, yachting today, sailing.  
    
    jff
    SNIPE owner, sailing Peoria while the Lake still has water
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name		DateLines
1744.1Club Fed - Visit Beautiful Alcatraz IslandVINO::LIUDancing the sky in Jazz timeTue Jun 18 1991 09:597
Haven't seen that article, but having been there I can say that Alcatraz
looks pretty solidly anchored in the bay.  It is subject to some pretty
good tides and currents as the Pacific flows in and out of the Golden Gate,
so I suspect that if it could really float, it would be gone by now.
It is run by the National Park Service, so you can take a tour and check it
out for yourself.  You don't need to resort to the Freedom Of Information
Act to look.  It kind of sounds like someone's paranioa is working overtime.
1744.2Flaoting island is spoof!POBOX::DBERRYTue Jun 18 1991 11:4110
    I lived in the San Fransisco Bay area for a lot of years, have sailed
    around Alcatraz many times, taken the tour etc.  I can assure you,
    Alcatraz does not float.  If you read that somewhere then it must of
    been some sort of spoof.  As to the currents, yes the get pretty
    severe. It would be very advantageous to measure current differences
    during different tidal conditions, especially the tidal differences
    right next to the island.  Beware though, off the Western end of the
    island there is a bell which marks rocks.  Do not get brave and go
    between.  Others have sunk there.
    Dave
1744.3Alcatraz floats, just ask Clint EastwoodELWOOD::KEENANTue Jun 18 1991 12:2412
    That article was in American Sailor last summer. It was a spoof.
    The article maintained that Alcatraz is a lightweight lava core
    blown from a volcano somewhere in the Pacific. It floated to 
    San Francisco and was chained in place by early pioneers. What
    a laugh.
    
    But there is some good info in this article, there's a wind shadow
    and a tide shadow behind Alcatraz (or any island). They're two
    different sized cones, you have to play the difference for the 
    greatest advantage.
    
    Paul
1744.4Clint and John(should have ducked on that last jibe)POBOX::FEIGLESales Consultant: attacking the 'hill'Tue Jun 18 1991 14:198
    Now that I've heard the response of 0.3, the laugh is on me.  After
    reading the replies, I wanted to just pretend that I didn't post the
    note.  But maybe someone else will get a laugh.  The article was quite
    good, and at least one turkey thought it for real (me).
    
    Jibe away
    
    jff
1744.5CHRCHL::GERMAINImprovise! Adapt! Overcome!Tue Jun 18 1991 14:345
    jff,
    
     don't feel too bad. Everyone gets to be a fool every now and then. :^)
    
    Gregg