50 years ago: Marooned sailors reach Cayman, CUC blackouts and Cayman trough project
The top article in the 29 Jan. 1976 issue of the Caymanian Compass reported ‘Marooned Sailors Reach Cayman” and described the anchoring at the Holiday Inn of the 52-foot ketch called ‘Poco Loco’, which arrived from Swan Islands where the crew members spent 11 days having the rudder repaired and refuelling for the trip to Cayman.
The crew, from Florida, had left Jacksonville for a three-day holiday to Key West and the Dry Tortugas and were caught in a 36-hour storm north of Cuba on 5 Jan. “The aftereffects of the ranging storm lasted six days, tossing the crew about like toys,” the article said. The ship was blown 30 miles off Honduras where it gradually lost the mizzen mast, ran out of fuel, lost power, radio, oars and dinghy, and the sails were ripped. With limited water supply, the crew drifted for the next eight days, eating marinated artichokes and pickle juice, wondering if they were going to make it. They were finally rescued and towed to Swan Island by a ship out of Rock Port Texas, which happened to pass by. For a more complete summary of the story, please see the below link:
Published on: Jan 31, 2026 10:03 PM