Posts Tagged ‘cuba’

Wow-Tuesday came around fast this week!! Sorry for posting a day late, but here is this weeks Travel Tuesday photo!

While in Belize a few years ago I had the experience of witnessing this boat sail (barely) into the vicinity of population near the hotel I was staying. The boat passengers: 12 Cuban residents roaming the ocean for 16 days, with little to no navigation capabilities and minimal water.

All 12 people survived, but were severely dehydrated and weak. The makeshift sails (on what clearly was a row boat modified to try and withstand high waves) were detached and torn and the floatation devices strapped to the sides, to help keep the boat from tipping, were actually old tire inner-tubes patched with materials that looked to have come from a bike tire patch kit. Inside the small boat were only a few signs that life had existed: scattered empty water bottles, a few blue tarps and some random black dress socks.

This is not the first incident of Belize welcoming Cuban’s escaping to freedom– Belize seems to be on the path of the ocean current from Cuba. The Belize people aid the refugees that survive these trips–they do not send them back or notify Cuban authorities.

It was a very interesting moment of contemplation for me. I couldn’t imagine being in the situation of boarding a rickety boat, leaving all of my possessions, my country, my friends and family behind–risking my life hoping to survive to start a new life. Whenever I feel that my life is not going the way I want it to–I look at this photo and remember how fortunate I am.