Cuban boats and the “wet foot, dry foot” policy

I saw this exhibit when it first arrived and if you are still breathing, you will be moved by the effort, desperation  and innovation it took to make these. As someone who makes things, I  play with the notion of ‘found objects’ but for some there are no other kind and the art is getting out alive.

This is a great article about what the boats mean, public opinion, how they were salvaged and who was behind the effort.

A talisman – A symbolic and defiant rendition of the American flag painted on the hull. Considering that this work was done in secrecy, this must have been really important to the escapees.

Just because these boats made it to land doesn’t necessarily mean that their inhabitants are safe and sound. The boats may have drifted here but the escapees captured by the coast guard and sent back. If they do make it to dry land they can apply to stay after a year. In 1995 the Clinton administration instituted the “wet foot,dry foot” policy. Of course it is controversial. Not enough for some and far too much for others. Here is a link to the Wikepedia description with some interesting links of its own that discuss the controversy.

Descriptions in italics are from the Cuban Chugs Exhibit pamphlet that may be picked up at  the Key West Botanical Garden I am happy to have taken these images but the boats are so much more poignant in person. This small boat graveyard seems a sacred place. It makes sense that they rest on dry land with vegetation that would be found in Cuba –  in a wild and free garden setting.

This boat arrived in Key West in 2008. The foam with plastic sheeting is hand sewn. It has an inboard engine. Note the unique wheel system which allowed it to be transported from where it was built to the ocean. It is suspected that the boat was built inside a home.

This traditional Cuban fishing yacht with a wood hull and gas engine is circa 1985. It arrived in Key West from Mariel, Cuba. The boat was used for many years locally. It can be restored for future use. Inquire at the garden office.

Named “Mariel”, this traditional wooden Cuba boat arrived in the mid to late 80’s. It has an inboard engine. It is believed that this boat was part of the historic Mariel boat lift in which over 100,000 Cubans made it to the shores of Florida.

This boat was found on the Marquesas Islands, about 20 miles west of Key West in 2008. Note the plastic sheeting over foam and two 25 HP outboard engines. The fuel tanks are set in the flotation hulls and it has aluminum siding on the bottom.

My note: I couldn’t find the two engines so went back the next day – it is the right boat with engines nowhere to be found.

This blue boat with an American flag was found on Boca Grande, 10 miles west of Key West. It has an outboard engine that was modified and an aluminum hull. Note the distinctive riveting with nuts and bolts.

This boat engine was salvaged by Ricky Arnold. What makes this so unique is that it is made from a lawn mower engine!

Also found in the Marquesas in 2008, note the industrial hoses used for stability at sea. Through stories from those who made it to land, there were refugees killed from shark attacks as the overpopulated boats hung low to the water line. The ballast helped to keep them safe from these attacks

This aluminum boat arrived in 2009. The engine of this boat is from a Nissan car. Note again the ballast construction that was used for safety and stability at sea.

Here are boats that I cannot find descriptions for.  They are flimsy and dangerous – nothing more than rafts.

Here’s another this one with a rubber sail:

Inside:

I think this is the latest large boat found, not yet described by the salvage team.

Here’s an abandoned leather jacket. I wonder whose it was and why such a valuable garment was left behind?

Cubans who make it safely ashore are eligible to apply for a change in legal status and may obtain an immigrant visa, permanent residence, and eventually, U.S. citizenship. No other undocumented immigrant is entitled to this status.

Cubans intercepted at sea are not always sent back to Cuba. They are often interviewed by the U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Service and if they are deemed to have a well-founded fear of persecution, they may be eligible for asylum in a third country.

Although illegal immigration is a crime in Cuba, in 1994 Cuba agreed not to take legal action against offenders provided they were not facing other criminal charges. In practice, it is impossible to say what actually happens to the returnees.

Nobody knows how many have died trying to reach U.S. shores. I have not been able to access any information regarding those numbers. The only witnesses to the stories are the boats who retain their sad mystery.

So here’s one that we know made it with all inhabitants alive, intact and allowed to remain.

This is the most recent arrival in early 2010 at the Marquesas Islands. The “USCG-OK” indicates that the persons aboard were retrieved legally under the “dry foot” policy and the vessel was abandoned. The artifacts inside are original.