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Step 5How Not to Sail to Cuba
In 2003 I built an outrigger sailing canoe and tried to sail to Cuba.
My rudder broke when I was somewhere in Cuban waters near Havana and the current carried me away. The wind died entirely and the current continued to carry me away. Then a storm hit and I had to keep swimming around tying my boat back together while the storm kept smashing it.
Then it rained hard and my skin started deteriorating from the fresh water.
I couldn't sleep because my boat was arranged to splash water on me at random intervals, just like water torture.
I started hallucinating due to exhaustion and sleep deprivation.
I spent several days like this. Finally the voices in my sails and the voices in the waves taught me to sail again and I managed to get to Florida.
Read the rest of the story.
My rudder broke when I was somewhere in Cuban waters near Havana and the current carried me away. The wind died entirely and the current continued to carry me away. Then a storm hit and I had to keep swimming around tying my boat back together while the storm kept smashing it.
Then it rained hard and my skin started deteriorating from the fresh water.
I couldn't sleep because my boat was arranged to splash water on me at random intervals, just like water torture.
I started hallucinating due to exhaustion and sleep deprivation.
I spent several days like this. Finally the voices in my sails and the voices in the waves taught me to sail again and I managed to get to Florida.
Read the rest of the story.
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Nov 19, 2009. 1:36 PMnixoid
says:
Don't people usually say AWAY from Cuba? And are there not patrold of Cubans and US Coast Guard in the area to deter defection/ offer support?
Reply
2
Jul 10, 2011. 7:26 PM_Scratch_
says:
Yea, I wouldnt want to go to a place people try to ESCAPE from....
Reply
Feb 14, 2009. 6:17 PMMetalcaster14
says:
im probably going to fell dumb for this but really? it sounds real but then all the stuff about water splashing on purpose and sails teaching you to sail....
Reply
6
Sep 29, 2009. 6:17 AM
Kryptonite
says:
Kryptonite
says:
I guess that what happens when you're isolated with no one and nothing, and so tired you can't sit. I've experienced the latter and I thought I was a knight rescuing a damsel in distress, when the cry was actually just a baby screaming across the street.
Reply
Apr 9, 2008. 1:38 PMnrlucre
says:
The non-snarky part of me says: "That's terrible, but dang! How many people have stories that awesome?" The snarky part of me says "What, no pirates?"
Reply
6
Sep 29, 2009. 5:28 AMKryptonite
says:
Kryptonite
says:
I actually thought exactly that, "Ooooh, was there pirates?"
Reply
8
May 11, 2009. 3:38 PMRotten194
says:
Rotten194
says:
Write a book. Seriously.
Reply
Mar 7, 2009. 9:20 AMpopartifacts
says:
Wow, that's great. Very well written and a great plot. I'm so jealous.
Reply
5
May 15, 2008. 11:50 PMRishnai
says:
That is really an epic "It looked like a good idea at the time" moment.
Reply
Apr 9, 2008. 4:42 PMfosho4
says:
Wow! Amazing story. I read it all. It's very good. I wish I had the balls to do something like that. It's very inspiring. I'm going to have to read your other stuff...
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