I want to fill in some activities that occurred prior to the Mariel harbor changing. By changing, I mean the Russian cruise ship moving to one end, the Russians patroling the harbor, and the soldiers shoulder to shoulder on land.

We were BORED while in Cuba. Lots of hours with little to do but worry if you let it. I can remember each crew member having one day where they were about to explode. Fortunatley, it did not happen to us at the same time. I can't describe this feeling..being trapped I guess was one. Because the small entrance to the harbor had been closed off by two large gun boats. They sat lengthwise to the harbor side by side so no one could get out or in unless they moved.

We were being moved all over the harbor becuase "we were getting closer to getting our people out" Baloney! But we still believed at this point.

A newspaper was delivered to us each day. It was a Cuban paper written in English (how nice) and full of propaganda.

Jimmy Carter was Presdient and was tangled up with the Iran Hostage crisis.

We made a monopoly type board game on a paper sack we were supposed to put our garbage in. John found it a couple of days ago. We were reminded of many little nuances about our stay there. We played the game frequently. And John wrote a song about the expereience but I'm not sure either one of us remembers the lyrics.

On Board ship, we only had hard surfaces to sit on. This is normal and we had been doing it for several years by now but the chairs were a problem John had. He began to hate the chairs. Of course, many pranks occurred to rile him about the dam chairs. He ended up throwing every one overboard once we were out of the harbor! We could not wash our bodies or our clothes or our sheets so John threw our sheets overboard also! We laid on uncovered foam ont he trip back. I really did not care-we were moving again!

Back to the Harbor. A friend called from another ship -he had had a mutiny aboard and needed a place to go. Food was very tight. John presented the crew with the situation and we had to come up with a consesus. Three crew members came aboard for about 36 hours until they hitchhiked their way back to the states aboard a vessel that had been loaded and ready to go.

Plese do not forget that while my story goes on, boats are being loaded with Cuban prisoners and sent to the US. We are not told they are prisoners but one look at the boats moving by and you know.

One boat was pulling out from the loading dock and a Cuban guard jumped into the harbor and swam to the boat for escape. he was picked up about 50 feet from our boat with a fish gaffe and then hauled aboard the Cuban boat and shot.

Things were changing. We had been on our guard for a while but the tone was changing. Something was a foot.

One day, a large speedboat approached us. They were immigration and they put an older gentleman aboard and said his name was Perez. His boat had left him there and he needed a ride home. Perez was pleasnant and swept the decks everyday. (We could not hose the decks down because the water in the harbor was full of feces). Perez was fed by the Cuban Americans aboard our ship. He sat on a chair (hard one) outside of the galley all the time and all he could say was good morning. He said it all the time. Perez was dressed in what I would call 50's clothing. We were quite suspicious of Perez but he appeared harmless, we had our watches so we waited it out.

The newspapers started reporting that the Iranians were shooting one American hostage each day until Jimmy Carter relented. Americans tried to talk on their radios to each other but the radios were jammed by the Cubans so talk amongst ourselves ceased.

John gathered pieces of an old single side band radio we had laying around. He put it together and one person from each watch was supposed to listen to the Key West radio station (if we could get it) for any word from home. Days went by, we were dirtier, food was real low, and we were over our 14 day limit. Remember this was a three day excurisiuon. We had one man in the cross trees (Up the mast) all day watching the harbor. Our mate, Lou Buck had to leave to get back to the states to runhis ship so he went home on another little sailboat that was loaded with prisioners and leaving. We were sorry to see him go but understood. We watched him motor out of the harbor not knowing what the future held.

No one was getting past the gun boats unless they were full. We were supposed to get 300+. YUK and SCARY. Our mutiny firends told of being hauled off by the Cubans one night for questionming under gun point. Another thing to worry about. Captains drug off, Hostages being shot, no tampons left on board, I'm dying for a coke and we sit in this sewer.

On my watch I hear Key West on the radio.....Jimmy Carter changed his mind and all Americnas in Cuba are to return home immmediately. If they bring Cubans back they will be fined $1,000 per head and their boats confiscated. That's it! Reember that the US government sanctioned our going to Cuba. Upon our return thousands of ships were confiscated and left to rot in the old navy base in Key West. These people lost their livelihoods and went into debt over the fines. it was a travesty.

It was late afternoon and John gave the order to raise anchor.

I will never forget it. I was sitting along side the anchor writing when the order was given. I asked if we were leaving? And he said" You bet your ass we are leaving and we shall see how these cutthroats like it". Pretty brazen for a group of worn out crew to take against a bunch of guns huh?

But we rallied. We reaised anchor and headed for the harbor entrance. OUr Cuban Americans were not happy they were not getting their families but they actually had known that for some time. It was the leaving that was so final.

We pulled up to the gunboats and they opened so that each ship was along each of the Western Union's sides. The boats were about 20 feet apart from our rails. The gunboats' rails were lined with soldiers armed with AK47's pointed directly at our crew and followed us around the deck.

Two massive guns attached to the deck of the gun boats were pointed at John. We sat very still between the ships and told them we were leaving. They relayed this information to a little tiny boat tied off to a buoy not too far away. Minutes seemed like days.

One of our own Cuban Americnas began screamming and crying to the Cuban gun boats. Since we could not speak spainish, we did not know what she was saying. We freaked. John had a crew member take her down into the focs'le to shut her up. We still waited.

Word came back that we could go. We asked for clarification since we could not speak Spainaish and all these guns were on us. It was not a time to make a mistake. Word came back that it was OK to go.

By this time, we had a line of smaller boats behind us wanting to leave. More time passed.
I thought we were dead. I became very aware that I did not have enough clothes on to be in front of all these soldiers. (Dumb thought but I had it) I really don't know how you dress for an ocassion like this but I felt acutely that a bathing suit was not enough.

Word came back agian that we could go. John slowly slipped the engines forward so that we were in a forward drift. Our eyes locked. If we were going to go we were going together. hearts were pumping and prayers were flying. We edged a little further. We slowly moved passed the gun boats and they closed behind us locking all the other boats in. We were in total silence. We slowly moved under power to the entrance buoy and then John gave the order to raise sail.

Movememnt was everywhere. We got those sails up in record time. And he gunned those engines. We all let out a war whoop and hugged and kissed and I broke out a bottle of Vodka I had stashed. We had a toast and then we settled down for a long quiet session. Watches were kept. Except most could not sleep so I went to my bunk (no sheets) and took the Am watch.

I really felt like I was insane that night. I laid in my bunk and laughed until I cried and just needed the release it brought. A couple of times I got up and looked and the lights of Havanna were still in sight. It felt like we could not get away from the island. The Southern Cross was bright and large in the sky that night and the memory will last my lifetime. What glory!

The next morning before sunrise, I took my watch alone and the nemesis (dave) slept on deck in case I needed him. He gave me my heading and tried to sleep. The seas were a bit rough and his heading was impossible to keep. I jibed and the ship headed west.

I woke Dave and told him and he scolded me. Then i began to see something with the early morning light shining on it. Whenever we got on top of a wave I could see it. Dave thought I was nuts but I think he saw it too cause he agreed to go check it out.

Well it turned out to be SandKey light. The very entrance into the Key west reef. The boat knew where she was going. She just need someone at the wheeel who would not fight her about it.

Perez was up with a bucket washing the decks down.

As soon as we got into the Key West Harbor we were met by Customs and told to anchor until they could get to us. The past Captian of the Western Union came out to see us and threw some candy bars aboard and packs of cigarettes. Sailors always smoked in those days.

Hours later, we were asked how many people we left with and how many returned. The number was the same since one crew left and Perez arrived.

The agriculature department confiscated all Cuban food and warned against all manner of disease if we ate Cuban food. Good to know now!

So we were finally free.

John and I rented a motel room, bathed for hours, he went to sears and bought new underwear and shorts and a shirt. We ate food and I immediately bought a coke.

The ship was washed down the next day and we discussed why we were allowed to leave.

!. Perez was someone they wanted to get out.
2. The Western Union was taken under escort into the Mariel harbor a few days prior to the onset of the Cuban missile crisis and the US sent fighter planes to get her out. Maybe castro rembmered.

We will never know the real reson. But the story is immense, much larger than could be included here and the people we went to get were profressoinals and castro would not let them go. I oftern wonder of them

Thanks for listening.

Lynn

Lynn, do you look back on this time and marvel at your gutsy adventures? I can't imagine your lifestyle. You were so young and brave. I feel like such a wimp in comparison.

If you didn't have a family, would you continue to live so courageously? Or, do you not even see it that way?

You and John have such a rich history. It's exhilarating!

I think you should try out for a survival show.

Keep sharing!

Dotsie,

No I do not feel like I lived courageously. I just lived and was very fortunate.

Actually, all through high school I knew that I had to get "out there" and start livng. The calling was strong but had no direction.

Family definitely changes the way we make choices. So does age. Mentally, I could handle a survivor show but physically I am just a middle aged woman who needs to lose 3o pounds and tone up alot.

No, I would never do anything to put Nathan at risk or myself at risk for fear of him losing me. Everything has changed. But as you say, differnet times in our lives call for different environments.

Lynn

WOW.....thanks for another "episode" Lynn. I was looking forward to hearing more of your adventures in Cuba. Sounds like it was just about as nerve-wracking as it could be with people being killed all around you and the uncertainties of just surviving.

This is just the best read...! I'm so happy you are sharing your story with us - knowing it's all real makes it just that much better. I would like to think I would have as much poise in the circumstance as you did.....probably not!!

Pam

Lynn,

I love your great adventures. It's so neat that you were a part of history. Just proves what they say about not regretting the things you do and only regretting what you didn't do. You should have no regrets at all.

And your story telling is riveting.

smile

[ February 02, 2004, 10:21 PM: Message edited by: smilinize ]

Lynn, I can just picture you standing on this boat, surrounded by men, with your tan body, dark hair, and bathing suit! You were such a brave woman. I'm so glad nothing happened to you during your wild adventures on the sea!

Any other stories up your sleeve?

I want to hear about your adventures with Jimmy Buffet! How did you meet him? Where? How did it happen that you were asked to be in his music video? And anything else you want to tell us.

OK A Buffett story is next. Not now but soon.

Should I make him one big story or just do snippets?

once again, I am spellbound! Lynn, thanks so much for taking your valuable time and sharing your past with us all. Movie girl...we're talking movie...

Lynn, I'm waiting for the Buffett snippets! How about the first time you met him. Can't wait to tell my parrothead friends that I know someone who knows him. How fun.

For my husband's 40th birthday, we took a bunch of friends to see him in concert outdoors. It was a beautiful night. The weather was there, wish you were beautiful!

He rocked. We felt like kids again.

One of our friends had his arm around his wife on one side, and this woman tried to pick him up on his other side. It was so packed she didn't know his wife was there. We've gotten lots of laughs out of that one.

Anxiously waiting Lynn....

I'm with you Dotsie. We're enjoying every chapter, but can't wait for the Jimmy Buffet part.

Go Lynn!!

smile