OSCAR OSCAR OSCAR

It happened so fast. First a loud alarm and a frightened female voice repeating OSCAR OSCAR OSCAR, PORT SIDE!

 Our cabin was port side so we ran to the balcony to see what was going on and there right below us was a man in an inner tube. Yes you heard right, an inner tube. He waved and smiled at us as he seemingly flew by at the speed our ship was going, only in the opposite direction. All this excitement and no camera. By the time we grabbed cameras, our floating man was out of sight.

The captain came on the speaker to tell us that yes, Oscar Oscar Oscar means, “man overboard” but he was happy to say it wasn’t any of us. 

A young Cuban man, attempting to get to Florida, had been spotted. By law our ship had to pick him up and hold him until the Coast Guard arrived to get him.

That huge ship stopped on a dime, turned around and found that man. A rescue boat was sent out to get him, and according to the captain, he was tired, thirsty and hungry but OK.  He would be fed, given clean clothes; the opportunity to bathe and he would be safe and comfortable until later than night when the coast Guard would take him back to Cuba. All that and he goes back to Cuba! 

My heart was heavy. 

My sister-in-law was in tears. Her husband arrived in Florida over 30 years ago in the same fashion, only not on an inner tube.

That man would have died trying to get to Florida because the next day there was a huge storm. Unfortunately, he would have rather died than go back to Cuba. Once back on his island, he would go to prison, his family would lose everything they own and become homeless. Life was now going to be worse than what made him leave in the first place. I wonder with Fidel being ill, if life is easier now in 2007?

This all took place mid April 2006. I was in the lap of luxury and this poor man was going to prison because he looked for freedom. From what I understand, my experience on that cruise ship was not unusual. I’ve spoken to several friends who had similar experiences.

Sad…Isn't it?