Here’s one of my favourite photos from a trip to Alcatraz Island nearly 15 years ago. Me and my travel companion had managed to evade our tour guide and taken this tongue in cheek photo.
I travelled round the West Coast of the US for 3 weeks and the trip to “The Rock” was one of the memorable days of the trip…
When you stand looking back at San Francisco Bay the very cold water, strong currents and riptides coupled with a 50ft drop you understand why they thought it was a good idea to build a prison here.
I still swim in the Irish sea when I get the chance, but I wouldn’t get in there.
The tour guide talked us through the various attempted escapes when the building operated as a federal prison. He took pleasure in telling us about the various inmates who were from the central states who thought it was a good idea to swim across the bay despite the treacherous conditions.
Likely they had never seen the sea, never mind swum in it. Several inmates managed getting into the water (guards were ordered to shoot on sight) unfortunately none of them survived.
So, this neatly leads into a recent conversation with a CEO of a start-up. Whilst his track record within another sector (he’s a qualified Chef) is impressive he is about to launch a business which to him is in an unknown sector. After much deliberation and me advising him against it, to save costs, he’s deciding to do his own regulatory compliance.
Now the consequences aren’t as fatal as taking a dip in San Francisco Bay but I’d hazard a bet that it won’t end well…
If you’ve got that sinking feeling DM me, I can keep you afloat…
