The Boats of Cuban Refugees
On our recent trip to Florida, my wife and I took the opportunity to venture out to the Dry Tortugas. These islands are not inhabited except for the wild birds and a few Federal employees that labor at Fort Jefferson; a National Park.
There is plenty of history that follows Fort Jefferson but some of it's most recent events (recent in comparison with the fort's 1846 start date) are the arrival of Cuban boat refugees. Cuba is a mere 90 miles south of Key West. The Dry Tortugas and Fort Jefferson are at about the same distance and have become a more desired destination for the boat people because there is less boat traffic near this U.S. shore. Less boat traffic can increase the chance of a shore landing on U.S. soil.
I will display the following pictures without comment except to say, ingenious and brave. For picture descriptions click on the small images and look at each larger picture individually.
Those who go down to the sea in ships... Psalms 107:23
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Comments: 16
I have seen some of the most horrific contraptions in which whole families would trust to take them across the Florida Straights!....goodness knows how many never made it and no one knows about........
Most people here don't have a clue as to how bad things have to be in that "tropical paradise" for whole families to take to the sea in flimsy rafts made out of whatever they can find and risk their lives to scape.
The political power of the people that left Cuba with millions of dollars, before the Castro takeover, has prevented a sane policy from developing.
We cannot save the world but we sure the hell could save a country 90 miles away!