Cruisers Net publishes Loose Cannon articles with Captain Swanson’s permission in hopes that mariners with saltwater in their veins will subscribe. $7 per month or $56 for the year; you may cancel at any time.
Morro Castle guards the entrance to Havana Harbor. (Photo by Peter Swanson)
THIS WEEK’S knuckleheaded attempt to overthrow the vestiges of the Castro regime has once again focused our attention on the fascinating and seriously effed-up island nation that sits astride so many Caribbean cruising routes.
No, Cuba did not want a gunfight, not in the middle of its worst crisis since the Soviet Union pulled out of the place in September 1991.
Given events, I thought this would be a good time to showcase what has to be the most thoughtful coverage of things nautical in Cuba. Here are links to 11 stories, including a couple historical pieces, about maritime Cuba.
There is also a link to my novella “Hemingway: Hunter of Men,” a fictionalized account of the author’s involvement in a political assassination, much of it set in Cuba when the man was hunting German UBoats.
Enjoy, and know that there will be more Cuba stories to come. Consider the stories in this package—none of which are behind a paywall as of today—as an appetizer and an incentive to upgrade your free subscription to paid.
LOOSE CANNON covers hard news, technical issues and nautical history. Every so often he tries to be funny. Subscribe for free to support the work. If you’ve been reading for a while—and you like it—consider upgrading to paid.
I know! Iknow I promised Galapágos tails and tales, BUT, true to my try-to-capture nature, I took WAY too many photos and videos to filter, choose and share this week, having just returned on a 33-hour, four-flight mini-marathon —worth every second—late Thursday afternoon. All characters were captivating and so are the impressions they left on me; looking forward to the share. It’s worth the wait ‘til next time. Promise. ~J
If you’ve just joined our engaging little community, please read SPARS & SPARRING, my introductory piece.….it introduces my wonders an my wanders.
I did a little whoop-dance heart-skip after taking a good, hard look at all the projects that have come to conclusion at the beginning of 2026. I wanted to create this short photographic journey through the last few weeks because, well, —after months and months—she looks like a liveable, trustworthy, seagoing vessel! Did I say that loud enough?I hope so.
Sometimes it’s hardest to realize what’s closest to you, right? We all do that, so I stepped away and upon my return I realized that even more hard, complex work had been tackled and tamed, bringing STEADFAST to the final stretch of our long, windy tunnel, discussed so many times on these weekly pages. There is a light, and I can see it. We’re not done, but the end is (REALLY) (pretty) near.
Please feast your eyes on these examples; they are the most striking to me.
Entire bottom protected with fiberglass, engine propulsion refit & ready, 14′ drive shaft, 32″ Luke prop before & after reconditioning.
Her 1934, 300-pound rudder remains solid, but required new upper straps. We continue to find original signatures from the builders; here, on the rudder shoe. Wheeler Shipyard custom Silicon Bronze.
Teak pilothouse floor.
STEADFAST’s bow was see-through– now even her decorative mahogany fascia board is completed.
Galley salt water washdown, an essential in life aboard.
All thru-hulls redrilled, replaced, refit and/or eliminated, new hoses and refreshed plumbing; where that toilet sits there was access to new frames, all new planking, and the outside world. So many layers, so much complexity required to be self-sufficient. AND it’s a tad stressful to saw holes in the bottom after all that work!
We’ve come a long way. And I’m so glad you’re with us.
Until next week, Happy March! ~J
No better way to express it. Heartfelt, visible, perfect. With sunshine.
GOT NUTS?! I bet ours are bigger….we can discuss that next week, too, if you wish…..
Spring is on the horizon, and there’s no better time to explore the natural beauty, rich history and small-town charm of Camden County, NC.
We know the perfect way to start your spring story:
Bloom into the Outdoors ~ Stroll scenic boardwalks and paddle peaceful waters along the Dismal Swamp and Pasquotank River. Have your camera ready to capture wildlife sightings and the first blooms of spring.
Step into History ~ From Revolutionary roots to local legends, discover the people, stories and places that shaped our region at the Camden County Heritage Museum. #America250NC
2026 “Capture Camden, NC” Photo Contest ~ Calling all photographers! Submit your best shots showing off nature, people and places that make Camden County unique. Contest opens March 1st and runs through May 21st. We want to see Camden through your lens.
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Plan your visit today and let Camden County be the beginning of your spring story.
Cruisers Net publishes Loose Cannon articles with Captain Swanson’s permission in hopes that mariners with saltwater in their veins will subscribe. $7 per month or $56 for the year; you may cancel at any time.
This is a Pro Line 24, one possibility for the boat involved in the shootout. Is this the boat you would choose to take 10 men across the Florida Straits to Cuba?
As most readers are by now aware there was a gunfight yesterday off the North Coast of Cuba involving Floridians. Naturally, some Cuban-American congressman in Florida immediately jumped up and called it a “massacre.”
Cuban Coast Guard personnel had shot up a Florida registered boat, killing four men. The congressman and others cried out for revenge.
According to Cuba, their patrol boat had challenged the Florida boat when it was one nautical mile from the Cuban coast. Cuban authorities said that there had been 10 men aboard, six of whom had survived. All of them had been wounded and taken to hospitals.
Personally, I tend to believe the Cuban government’s assertion that the Florida boat fired first. That’s because the junior officer commanding the Cuban patrol boat—who is said to have been wounded in the initial fusilade—would not have had the authority to initiate any action with geopolitical consequences.
He—probably a he—would have had a broad authority to deal with misbehaving Cuban citizens, but if he were able to see the FL 7726 SH registration on the boat’s bow or even suspected American origins, given her position just 30 miles south of Cay Sal, the rules of engagement likely would have been: Do not fire unless fired upon.
Cay Sal is a regular rest stop on the people smuggling route between the mangroves of Cuba’s North Coast and South Florida.
Various political figures in the U.S. called for an investigation, including the assertive Florida attorney general, James Uthmeier. Captain Obvious observed that “the Cuban government cannot be trusted.” Okay, right. However, with Cuba starved for fuel, food and medicine, and the U.S. military racing around the world in sixth gear, the Communists can probably be trusted not to make a move tantamount to state suicide.
The Cuban government identified the men as Cuban citizens living in the U.S. That is likely because Cuba considers anyone born in Cuba to be Cuban citizen regardless of the status they may hold in another country.
One of the men killed was identified by the New York Post as Michel Ortega Casanova, a truck driver and U.S. citizen living in Miami. His brother said Casanova, who had been in the U.S. for 20 years, “fell into an ‘obsessive and diabolical quest’ for Cuba’s freedom,” according to the Post.
According to Cuba’s Ministry of the Interior, which oversees the secret police and Coast Guard (and all fire departments, too), the men from America had military style weapons, improvised explosive devices, body armor and camouflage clothing. Cuba labeled them terrorists and said that most had criminal histories.
(One news account posited that the men were actually on a mission to rescue family members from oppression and bring them back to Florida, but that seems unlikely, given the number of men already taking up space on the small vessel.)
As described, this scenario was a replay of the 1960s, when Cuban exiles from South Florida snuck into Cuban waters aboard small craft, attacked Soviet ships on the docks and machine-gunned oceanfront resorts. The attackers were often trained and funded by the Central Intelligence Agency.
Christopher Baker is a travel guide writer, photographer and bonafide Cuba expert. Baker put yesterday’s incident in historical perspective, writing:
I recall being in Havana during the 1997 hotel bombing campaign directed by Cuban-American arch-villain and ex-CIA agent Luis Posada Carrilles that killed an Italian tourist, Fabio DiCelmo. An unremorseful Posada Carrilles proudly admitted responsibility during a 1998 interview with the New York Times, sneering that DiCelmo “was in the wrong place at the wrong time.” Carrilles also masterminded the bombing of Cubana Aviacion flight 455 that killed all 73 innocent civilians aboard in 1976.
Which brings us to the vessel in question—a 1981 Pro-Line that is maybe 23 or 24 feet in length. So far, the Cubans have not released a photo of the actual vessel, so we don’t know if its the center-console or the walk-around cuddy model. Either way, and maybe this comes from too much Hollywood, but if the CIA were sponsoring a covert mission today, wouldn’t the agency find something bigger and newer than an ancient Pro-Line?
The inshore waters near where the fight happened are well suited to a paramilitary staging area. Without a major port nearby, the waters are not heavily traveled, and there are numerous mangrove cays for concealment. Also, the nearest town, Corralillo does not lie directly on the water (even though it was the port of entry for the 18th century slave trade).
LOOSE CANNON covers hard news, technical issues and nautical history. Every so often he tries to be funny. Subscribe for free to support the work. If you’ve been reading for a while—and you like it—consider upgrading to paid.
Harbour Town Yacht Basin, A CRUISERS NET SPONSOR, is ready for your reservation with newly renovated docks, upgraded electrical service and onSpot WiFi, also a CRUISERS NET SPONSOR. And, as always, numerous activities at the Sea Pines Resort are offered for your enjoyment, as you will see in the Event Schedule below. Hilton Head Island is absolutely marvelous any time of year.
There is always plenty to do around Charlotte Harbor. While berthed at Fishermen’s Village Marina, A CRUISERS NET SPONSOR, you are certain to enjoy visiting Western Florida’s beautiful Charlotte Harbor/Peace River.
Fishermen’s Village MARCH Calendars of Entertainment/Events
Cruisers Net publishes Loose Cannon articles with Captain Swanson’s permission in hopes that mariners with saltwater in their veins will subscribe. $7 per month or $56 for the year; you may cancel at any time.
“I’m down with Fish & Wildlife’s proposed new testing procedures,” said Michael Arrieta. “I know I can pass this one.”
I don’t often tout YouTube videos, but this one was different because the material it covered has been consequential. Florida law was actually changed after state leaders saw how a misguided “mullet sheriff,” as some used to call Fish & Wildlife officers, could absolutely ruin some poor smuck’s life.
Except, in this case they picked the wrong schmuck.
Michael Christian Arrieta, 36, of Jupiter might have been a hapless boat handler, but nothing in the body camera footage seemed to suggest he was drunk. And, after he was handcuffed and hauled away in front his young family, he went on to blow 0.0 on the jail breathalizer. Ariega also happened to be a wealthy guy, part of Governor Ron DeSantis’ inner circle, a deacon of his church…yada, yada, yada.
The next thing you know: Florida has banned police from any further random boarding stops for a “safety inspection.” As of May 2025, state law was changed to require that police have probable cause of a violation or safety issue to pull anyone over.
YouTuber Tells the Story
To me, there was a second important issue—the ridiculous field sobriety test used to arrest Ariega. YouTuber John Lang concluded that such tests are designed to create evidence against you where none would exist otherwise, certainly not to prove anyone’s innocence.
The case inspired the Loose Cannon parody below. It wasn’t labeled as such in its first go-around, and some readers actually believed the story, which says a lot about Florida, doesn’t it?
YES, PEOPLE. THIS IS PARODY…
Florida Considers New BUI Field Test After Wrongful Arrest
Florida Fish & Wildlife officers were taken aback last week when Governor Ron DeSantis proposed eliminating random vessel safety inspections without probable cause. For sure, stripping the state’s “mullet sheriffs” of their boarding powers would constitute a drastic change in marine law enforcement.
DeSantis cited the arrest of Michael Christian Arrieta, 36, of Jupiter, who was handcuffed and taken to jail last year for boating under the influence, even though a breathalyzer test later showed he had zero alcohol in his system.
“People who are just out enjoying themselves when there’s no indication that anything is wrong, they should not be subjected to these intensive searches,” DeSantis said during a visit to the Miami International Boat Show. He called the existing law “a wrong that has been an issue in this state for far too long.”
Arrieta, a self-described Christian capitalist and church deacon, was hauled away after failing a field sobriety test administered by Jared Stiltner, now the world’s most famous Fish & Wildlife officer. Body-cam video of the arrest went viral.
Yesterday, Fish & Wildlife Commission Chairman Rodney Barreto of Coral Gables proposed a compromise to the governor that would preserve his officers’ power to board recreational vessels while honoring what he called “the Free State of Florida vibe.”
Barreto’s proposal would eliminate the three sobriety tests¹ failed by Arrieta in favor of a single, fluid test procedure:
Right arm straight out, palm down. Repeat with left arm.
Turn right palm up. Repeat with left palm.
Bring right arm across chest. Repeat with left arm.
Put right arm across front of hips, touch left hip. Repeat with left arm on right hip.
Place right hand on right hip. Repeat with left hand.
Sway hips from side to side to the beat, repeat three times.
Jump, landing a quarter turn to the right.
Repeat.
Barreto said the test would be conducted to the tune of an upbeat song called “Macarena,” which would be played by Fish & Wildlife officers at the scene. An operator’s performance would be graded on a one-to-ten scale with one indicating totally wasted and ten indicating high school cheerleader.
The so-called Macarena moves would also be included on the curriculum for Florida’s Boating Safety Course, which is mandatory for all operators born after January 1, 1988.
“This new test procedure is not only more streamlined than what we now have, but it’s also a shout-out to Florida’s Hispanic heritage,” Barreto said, referring to the Spanish pop duo Los del Rio of “Macarena” fame.
“As a Puerto Rican, I appreciate this much needed reform” said Arrieta, founder and CEO of Garden City, a purpose-driven buyout holding company.
“The next time I get caught speeding sober through a manatee zone, I’m confident that I could draw upon my cultural roots to ace the test. Boricua, baybee!”
LOOSE CANNON covers hard news, technical issues and nautical history. Every so often he tries to be funny. Subscribe for free to support the work. If you’ve been reading for a while—and you like it—consider upgrading to paid.
In this test, the boater is asked to touch the tip of their nose with their index finger while keeping their eyes closed and head tilted back. Officers look for accuracy and coordination, which can be affected by alcohol or drugs. The procedure is as follows:
Step 1: The boater tilts their head back and closes their eyes.
Step 2: The officer instructs the boater to touch their nose with their left or right index finger in a specific sequence.
Step 3: The boater must accurately touch the tip of their nose with the correct finger.
Officers observe for signs of impairment such as missing the nose, using the wrong hand, or leaving the finger on the nose instead of returning it to the side.
Palm Pat Test
The palm pat test is unique to BUI investigations and is designed to assess a boater’s coordination and ability to follow instructions. Here’s how it works:
Step 1: The boater extends one hand, palm up.
Step 2: The other hand is placed palm down on top of the extended hand.
Step 3: The top hand pats the bottom hand, then rotates to pat with the back of the hand, increasing speed.
Step 4: The boater must count “1, 2” in rhythm with the patting.
Officers look for signs of impairment, such as difficulty maintaining rhythm or confusion in following instructions.
Hand Coordination Test
The hand coordination test is another exercise adapted specifically for BUI investigations. This test mimics the nine-step walk and turn exercise used in DUI investigations but is performed while seated. Here’s the procedure:
Step 1: The boater makes a fist with each hand, placing the left fist on the center of their chest and the right fist against the left.
Step 2: The boater moves their fists in a step-like fashion, counting “one” to “four.”
Step 3: The boater claps their hands three times.
Step 4: The boater then reverses the steps, counting “five” to “eight.”
Step 5: The boater places their hands on their lap.
ACE Basin Property Tour (Edisto Island) | Friday, March 6th, 9 AM – 12 PM | Join SCDNR staff on a tour of the ACE Basin to explore the cultural and natural resources found within Botany Bay Heritage Preserve and Wildlife Management Area. 
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