Hurricane Ike and Cuba

With people on the Gulf Coast of the United States justifiably concerned about the potential threats posed by the approach of Hurricane Ike and its 125-knot winds, it’s important to remember the terrible damage this hurricane has already done in the Caribbean.

When we took our Ocean 71 Big O on a two-week tour of the north coast of Cuba in ’95, the first place we pulled into was the lovely little town of Baracoa on the far eastern tip of the island. It was dumbfounding to us to see how little the people had. Now that Ike has come through, they have even less.

Jo McIntire of the St. Augustine, Florida-based Baracoa Friendship Association sent us these photos of the destruction in Baracoa. And we think we’ve got problems! The Friendship Association, which has somehow been certified by the IRS as a non-profit organization under Section 501(C)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, is putting together a November hurricane relief shipment for Baracoa, and could use your help.

If you’d like to contribute, visit www.staugustine-baracoa.org or email Jo McIntire.