Why is the submarine the only way off the island?

[LostGirlDeb]

My big question last night was:
Why is the submarine the only way off the island?

Why can't they just take one of the boats?

Any thoughts or ideas about this?

Do they have to travel through underwater channels to get back and forth?
or
I wonder if the submarine ever really took anybody home?
Could be Ben lied and they (Jack/Juliette) were not going to be taken "home" as promised.

[BRBob]

A submarine is the best choice if you want to try to hide where you are going.

[LostGirlDeb]

BRB I understand that, but the way it sounded that is the ONLY way off the island
My questions is why can't they use the boat or even Des's sailboat?

[Mitchny]

If the Sub is the only way off!  Where did Mike and Walt go in the Boat?

[hefalumps]

I don't think Ben ever intended for Michael and Walt to get back to civilization. I think, like Desmond, they've been sailing around in circles and we'll eventually see them again this season (although, not sure how they'll account for Walt's growth unless there's some kind of time component to the Lost mythology, which is entirely possible).

I know Ben gave them a specific bearing that should get them out, but when else has he actually told the truth? Now, I'm not sure what was so special about the sub that it actually could allow them to get away from the island - maybe staying well enough below the water allows you to get passed whatever "attraction" the island exudes that keeps people stuck around it.

[Grimstar]

Maybe traveling via submarine allowed you to get low enough to avoid whatever magnetic pull that kept Desmond going in circles

[LostGirlDeb]

I agree and I also think Michael and Walt are wandering around in circles just like Des and hopefully Michael is dead by now.

Maybe the sub was just an illusion that really didn't take anybody home.
Just an illusion of "if you really want to leave you can" when in fact nobody can really leave.  I don't know...I found it stange that the sub was the ONLY way out, unless your right and it has to somehow not be detected.

Maybe it was just a smokey manifestation    ok kidding

[LostGirlDeb]

Maybe traveling via submarine allowed you to get low enough to avoid whatever magnetic pull that kept Desmond going in circles

I agree but can't we now assume that there is no more magentic pull since the hatch implosion/incident/anomaly?

[CastawayCayley]

I thought that the key was that no one could find the island once they left, that  the sub USED to be able to find the island by the underwater sonar, and now that the sonar is not working that the sub wouldnt be able to come back after taking Jack and Juliet away, and the others would then be stranded. But, yeah,  by using a boat they should at least be able to LEAVE... just unable to return. maybe they don't have enough boats for everyone?

[goober]

Maybe they simply do not have a sea-worthy vessel. Many smaller boats would sink in the open ocean during storms because the waves get to 20 feet or higher. They also lack bilge pumps that are able to move large quantities of water out of the boat in a short period of time. The large research vessel that they used to get to otherville from alcatraz may be of the "puddle-jumper" variety and not adapted for the open ocean.

Submarines are not affected much by storm conditions because they travel underwater.

[LostGirlDeb]

GOOD POINTS Cayley ((( )))) and Goober
It makes more sense now thanks

[char1]

Maybe traveling via submarine allowed you to get low enough to avoid whatever magnetic pull that kept Desmond going in circles

I agree but can't we now assume that there is no more magentic pull since the hatch implosion/incident/anomaly?

The Others don't seem to know what the anomoly was. 

[scrod]

Ben talked about 'maintaining the illusion', so still a little unclear if you can get back to the outside world. The sub may be another ruse that the others employ.  Certainly, Juliet was able to get there intentionally, but that was just over 3 years ago. We may not know anything until we get to talk to our arctic friends again and see if they can pinpoint the location.

[LostGirlDeb]

Ben talked about 'maintaining the illusion', so still a little unclear if you can get back to the outside world. The sub may be another ruse that the others employ.  Certainly, Juliet was able to get there intentionally, but that was just over 3 years ago. We may not know anything until we get to talk to our arctic friends again and see if they can pinpoint the location.

((((SCROD))))
Yes I aboslutely agree with "illusion"
Plus we can't really trust what Ben says anyway
He is a master manipulator.  Alex said so herself

[rdt2323]

What about the Air drops, we know that they were getting re-supplied. So why not by air?