Key West locals discover Cuban refugee remnants on Marquesas Keys
By Sam Danger Klitenick
Summertime for Key West natives means one great boat day after another. With little-to-no wind, glass-calm crystal-clear waters stretch miles out in all directions. Strong solar rays reach your skin undisturbed by any clouds. This particular day, a few friends and I decided we would head to the Marquesas Keys which are located about 20 miles west of our tiny island home. Gliding along the Gulf of Mexico, our wake made the first tracks like skiing in fresh powder. Sea turtle, stingray, and dolphin sightings came all before noon on the way to our destination but were just the beginning of our days findings.
When we arrived at the Marquesas we quickly cracked a beer, hopped in the water, and soaked up some sunnothing to do except relax and enjoy ourselves. Per our standard boat-day ritual, we hung out for some time in the water and then decided to go explore the island. Just around the corner of the island we came across a fresh Cuban refugee boat. Its condition told us the refugees must have only landed in the last couple of weeks at most. The ingenuity of these desperate travelers amazed us.
The humble vessel to their new life comprised of a hull fashioned from roofing tin covered by a tarp supported by branches tied together with rope. A car engine located right in the middle of the vessel powered her, jerry-rigged to a small propeller and rudder with handles made of metal piping. Some small supplies like paintbrushes, wrenches, and rope were scattered along what you could call the deck. In our eyes, though, the real treasures were the four large empty oil drums aboard inscribed "Cubalub."
We saw one of these drums as the perfect addition to my childhood friend's newly opened taco shack "Andy's Cabana" on Petronia St. We grabbed one, loaded it on the boat, and brought it home with us. Four corks and a piece of round glass later, Andys Cabana had a new high table perfectly matching the eccentric design and unique atmosphere of the restaurant. The Cubalub table is just another example of Key Wests many hidden historical gems.
Sam Danger Klitenick is a student at Boston University, and studied in Mallorca, Spain for two years during high school. He was born and raised in Key West, FL, and that makes him a bona fide "Conch." With a lot of enthusiasm and love for his island home, he enjoys sharing stories of life in Key West.
