Back in June, the folks at Makewild Films alerted us to an interesting reality in the Caribbean island country of Cuba. Surfing is technically not legal there. I hesitate to say illegal, because the minuscule population of Cuban surfers has somehow made a space for itself. But over the years as many Cubans have fled the island attempting to navigate the 90-or-so miles to Key West on all sorts of craft with varying degrees of buoyancy and hydrodynamics, it makes sense that the government would be suspicious of anyone paddling away from the shoreline, God forbid, for recreation.
Photo: Marco Bava
The geopolitical situation what it is between the United States and Cuba, the free flow of information, culture, people, etc. between the two countries is like a folded garden hose. Drips and drabs. But as far as surfing goes, even some Cubans themselves can’t believe surfers are able to find ridable waves around the island.
Photo: Corey McLean
I mentioned a few short months ago, the guys at Makewild Films made a short about the surf scene in Cuba, its existence in legal limbo, and the desire of local surfers to represent their country in the Olympics:
But as a way to spread the beautiful images they took as a result of that project and in an effort to bring their full-length film to life, the team created a stunning photo book that offers an insider’s glimpse of an enclave of the collective surf world that is so often misunderstood, if its existence is even acknowledged at all.
Photo: Seth Brown
As with any Kickstarter (for that, click here), there are a number of rewards depending on the financial support you care to pledge, along with a drawing for a new Firewire surfboard should you pledge $40 or more. And the book ships in time for Christmas.
