MovieChat Forums > Escape from Alcatraz (1979) Discussion > The BBC reckons that could have made it.

The BBC reckons that could have made it.

posted 9 years ago by chunkylefunga
8 replies | jump to latest

If the trio had left at midnight and had paddled hard to the north, then the strong currents could have worked in their favour.

"If they hit it exactly at midnight, the beautiful thing is that we see that they would have been sucked out towards the Golden Gate Bridge," Dr Hut told BBC News.

"But the moment they were close to the Golden Gate would have been the moment the tide reverses.

"And that would give them a moment of slack tide, in which they could have reached marine headlands in the northern site of the Golden Gate Bridge."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-30349106

[–] steelywulf 9 years ago

Tested by the Mythbusters and found to be plausible for the escape and their survival.

[–] vestdennis 9 years ago

Discovery Channel and others reenacted conditions with an expert swimmer and say hardly any chance. The water is so cold and rough even the expert swimmer had to be rescued. I realize most people want to believe otherwise but they were almost certainly pulled into the ocean and perished.

[–] Samclyde2 9 years ago

It's been said that actually, the water in San Fran bay is not as treacherous as its reputation, and that it's possible that they made it. It was said that the staff at Alacatraz exaggerated the danger of the water to deter prisoners from attempting it.

As far as that expert swimmer/Discovery Channel thing, who knows, maybe the currents were just bad that day.

But there are no water experts who can say with certainty that there's no chance the three couldn't have made it. There are no infallible experts in any field.

[–] imadbasayev 9 years ago

Discovery Channel and others reenacted conditions with an expert swimmer and say hardly any chance. The water is so cold and rough even the expert swimmer had to be rescued.

They had a raft so assuming it didn't fall apart swimming wasn't an issue.

[–] vondiesel-1 9 years ago

Except they didn't swim any of it so all that's irrelevant and inaccurate information to actual events.

John Paul Scott escaped Alcatraz and swam to the mainland, he was swiftly recaptured. That proved it could be done even without a boat which the Morris/Anglin had.

[–] robbins-jerry 7 years ago

I vaguely remember that episode; didn't the raft start to fall apart before they reached the shore?

[–] LeonardPine 9 years ago

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3270269/The-picture-proves-two-inmates-DID-escape-Alcatraz-Notorious-escapees-didn-t-drown-body-surfed-passenger-ferry-freedom-started-farm-Brazil-claims-family.html?ITO=1490&ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490

This is an interesting story. Incredible if it's true.

Was it a millionaire who said "Imagine no possessions"?

[–] Oblivioid (1249) 3 years ago

I think they made it. Prisoners are not only very motivated, but also hardened against environmental conditions. Too much has been made about the temperature of the water in the bay. The escape was made in June, so the water would have been around 60 degrees F. Cold at first but the human body adjusts to that easily when actively swimming, or foot paddling as these 3 guys did. I swam in similar waters in the Gulf of Mexico during Christmas, and was in the water for around 30 minutes. I never came close to hypothermia.

These men made it across the bay to freedom. No bodies were ever discovered. This predates the internet and the era of security cameras everywhere, meaning it was easier to evade authorities and even slip back into society with a new identity. It didn't take much to get a new driver's license back then. The singular reason it is proclaimed that these men drowned is because of embarrassment from Alcatraz prison itself, and from the FBI.