Cuban Landing @ The Dry Tortugas

In the 1840s this pre-Civil War fort protected the Gulf of Mexico from foreign invasion. How is that working out for you? If we rely on the government for answers to our problems we get government answers. Pray for our families and neighbors. Care for one another, 1 John 3:23 is the one we have the most trouble with, the rest is religion. Semper Fi!

Fort Jefferson, Dry Tortugas 70 miles West of Key West

http://www.nps.gov/drto/index.htm

Sailing Vessel Kanza

Two of my friends agreed to go for a sail with me to the Dry Tortugas in June of 2005. I had made six trips to the Keys (See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conch_Republic ) and the Dry Tortugas during the summers before with my sailing friend Dale Fasenmyer and one trip with my wife, Jean and sons. This year looked about the same weather wise. Yes, I know that is hurricane season, but we all were teachers and summer was our only time off work. Dale, Michael Smith, another teacher friend and I packed the Island Packet 27 "Kanza" at the private dock I rented in Madeira Beach Florida near St. Pete.

1990 27 Island Packet

We loaded up on enough food, water, fuel and beer to last the 15 or more days we would be out there. Our plans were, sail down to Venice Florida, use the free public dock for the night. The sail to Venice would give a shakedown on the vessel and equipment before we cut across the Gulf of Mexico to the Keys. We often meet up with a character called "Nicko" who sails a wooden boat with no engine up and down the coast, selling tourist stuff he makes out of palm fronds. We would then leave early the next morning usually in company with other boats doing the same voyage to either Key West or Turtle Crawl Banks Just north of the Seven mile bridge or if the weather is clear and the supplies are holding out head on to the Dry Tortugas direct. At good speed from a strong wind we could make either destination in 30-34 hours. The distance from John's Pass to all the destinations is about the same 165+ NM. The trip down was nice with a good wind giving a spirited sail with following seas.

Sailing down across the Gulf of Mexico

In 2000 My wife and sons went with me to the Dry Tortugas and Key West

Several boats had joined us when we went by the Crow's Nest Marina. We checked the weather and all was clear for the next few days on NOAA's web site. Sailing at night across the Gulf was always an adventure as Shrimp boats and other vessels sometimes will be on auto pilot, not keeping a lookout for a small sail boat. This trip we sailed direct to the Dry Tortugas in the company of a few other boats on the same mission.

The fort is being restored

We had been out there enjoying the clear water, wonderful weather, fishing and snorkeling for about 10-12 days when early that morning we were surprised by a Coast Guard cutter sounding a klaxon horn chasing a small homemade boat called a "Chug". Of course the cutter could not cross the reef surrounding the island, so they sent a smaller boat to try and catch the Cubans. Too late ! As the current laws give protection to aliens that are on US soil a free pass! Called "Dry Foot" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wet_feet,_dry_feet_policy

There is a small speck to the right of Bird Key dry land belonging to the US. That is ten Cuban Nationals seeking asylum to be in the USA.

Now we see the Cubans on Bird Key with dry foot

The boat they used to cross 90 miles of the Straits of Florida to reach the protection of the US. This boat is hammered out of two or three steel 55 gal drums. Fixed together with fiberglass and epoxy, rigged with a tiller and rudder. Flotation devices are inner tubes in feed sacks. Oars made from 2X4s.

Towed by the Coast Guard under the protection of Fort Jefferson. Our Flag is in the right edge of picture.

These young Cuban men are happy and relived. The Coast Guard would not allow us to talk to them. I knew it would not be wise to photograph their faces.

A Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer did tell me they would be taken to Homestead Air Base for debriefing.

The Cubans would be checked for health issues, criminal history and vetted to sure they were not a problem for us. Then they would be handed a bus ticket anywhere they wished to go and a check for $7500.

What a world we live in?

The boat was placed in a holding yard until a barge from Miami can come by and pick them up. We were told many come to the Fort and are given "Dry Foot" privileges. 20 or more "Boats" each month. When ever the weather is clear they set out in anything that floats. I wonder how many do not make it?

This was the engine used by the "Chug", a Russian diesel that they connected to a galvanized water pipe running out the transom thru another pipe stuffed with socks, to a small prop off an outboard. Their improvised stuffing box leaked and they had run out of Diesel half way across.

My friend and sailing companion Dale Fasenmyer with one of the homemade oars. A small campground for over night camping on the island is in the background.

\Michael Smith and I with one of the larger boats. Some of them had engines out of cars that were modified to use in a boat. One had a late model Toyota engine. Wonder how that happened?

Coast Guard towing the home made escape boat in the anchorage at Ft. Jefferson. Many boats of all sorts are anchored in the sandy bottom over limestone basin that is at the fort. The holding is not the best. The park has mooring balls but you can't stay overnight on them . They are placed for you to moor and enjoy the diving or snorkeling. You are not allowed to anchor overnight any where else other than the Fort.

Moat goes around the Fort. The reef and coral growth on the moat wall is a good place to snorkel.

Snorkeling is outstanding in the clear water with lots of sea life to observe!

Picture from top of the wall

Boats at anchor near reef

Dale inside the fort

One summer we were hit with a tropical storm with winds over 50 mph. All the boats drug anchor and were pushed out of the anchorage except ours. We caught our anchor on the channel marker. The boats had to be hauled off the reef near the Brick Barge wreck by a barge. God took care of us then and would do so when we meet up with Arlene in a few days. This summer in 2005 we would experience Tropical Storm Arlene, but that is another story. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tropical_Storm_Arlene_(2005)

Coast Guard made a big fuss of trying to catch the home made boat before it became a "Dry Foot"

We had a great time at the Dry Tortugas. The park is absolutely fantastic with the coral reefs, snorkeling is awesome, sea life is abundant! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dry_Tortugas_National_Park

http://drytortugasinfo.com/park-information.html

Here is a little back story about Cuba. I was stationed in Cuba in 1970-71 at Guantanamo Bay. It did not have the bad name as it does today. The bay is absolutely beautiful with great fishing and diving on the reefs. I met many nice Cuban people and tried to learn to speak Spanish. I was told by the Cubans to "Get those Grits out of your mouth, we can not understand you!"

The reverse side of the Cuban dollar shows Castro and Che along with the fighters that ousted Batista in 1959. I was handed this one by a Cuban National when I was stationed at Guantanamo in 1970-71. My job in Cuba at that time was to smuggle high priority Cubans out of Cuba to the US via an underground railroad run by Navel Intel and the CIA. The Cuban nationals I met were wonderful people. The Cuban military I met were intent on keeping us from helping the escape of the high priorty Cubans we were helping to leave the Communist nation.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuban_Revolution

Che is a very interesting person that was killed by the CIA.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Che_Guevara

If Cuba ever opens up for US citizens to freely travel I would like to visit. Yet the question remains, If the communist, socialist country of Cuba is such a grand place, Why are the people doing all these things to come here? If we the US keep going in the direction we are headed we will be a socialist nation. Sad to think of all the things we have fought so hard for are eroding as we speak.