Quiet, idyllic, and peaceful, Puerto Esperanza is a little fishing village north of Vinales, Cuba.
In February 2019 my friends and I hired a driver to take us there and wait while we explored.
We met a Canadian gentleman who invited us up to the balcony of his casa. where the host made coffee for us. He told us that he has been coming to this village for years. I can see why.
He also got us past the gate and into the marina for a few quick images.
I was a little disappointed when we arrived and found a guard at the gate to the base. But after my friend and taxi driver schmoozed the woman in charge, we went right in.
I worked quickly so as not to abuse the privilege and made some images that I liked.
This boat was for sale and the owner was proud of it.
Across the river there were some “pleasure” craft.
To get back and forth, you simply pulled your way across.
The Village: https://wp.me/p4fUlX-18V
I love to photograph old boats. Old wooden boats with layers and layers of paint. Each applied by a different owner. Old working boats, well worn from years of use and abuse. Old boats with frayed rope, tied, and re-tied to serve a special purpose. Old boats with stories to tell, if they could speak.
A lot of places in Cuba keep their boats behind fences and no amount of persuasion, verbal or otherwise ($$), will get you into the base.
In Santiago de Cuba I was surprised when my bici taxi driver told me that there was no fence and no problem to visit the base.
The cast net has been in use for years the world over and many who fish in Havana use this method.
It requires skill to throw without tangling and requires even more skill to haul it back in quickly without losing any fish that have been captured.
I watched these fishermen early one morning on the outskirts of Havana.
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