Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz

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Trace Malinowski

Training Agency President
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Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz (August 13, 1926 - November 26, 2016) has passed away at age 90. He was best known as "Fidel Castro" the revolutionary leader of Cuba from 1959 to 2008. What is not common knowledge is that Castro was an avid scuba diver. So much so, that the CIA was reported to have considered using exploding seashells at one of his favorite dive sites or infecting his wetsuit or regulator with deadly chemical or biological agents during the planning of Operation Mongoose to overthrow communism in Cuba during the Kennedy administration. He enjoyed a friendship with Jacques Cousteau and appeared in documentaries about Cuba's underwater history diving with many famous journalists.

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Trace,
Glad to see you back...Thanks for the post

Immediately after the Cuban revolution Castro was featured several times in the world's first and only magazine devoted to diving "Skin Diver Magazine; a magazine devote to skin divers and spearfihsermen." He was apparently very active in the sport as was a number of his followers

Then he announced he was a communists and all contact with Castro and Cuba ceased for the next 50 plus years.

SDM
 
Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz (August 13, 1926 - November 26, 2016) has passed away at age 90. He was best known as "Fidel Castro" the revolutionary leader of Cuba from 1959 to 2008. What is not common knowledge is that Castro was an avid scuba diver. So much so, that the CIA was reported to have considered using exploding seashells at one of his favorite dive sites or infecting his wetsuit or regulator with deadly chemical or biological agents during the planning of Operation Mongoose to overthrow communism in Cuba during the Kennedy administration. He enjoyed a friendship with Jacques Cousteau and appeared in documentaries about Cuba's underwater history diving with many famous journalists.

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Thanks for posting this, Trace. Apparently most people have not thought of it. I visited Havana shortly after Fidel's death. The city needs work badly, but the reefs off Isla Juventad are said to be pristine. Fidel felt strongly about that.
Barbara
 
There is a great documentary that shows up periodically - "Castro's Reef". Well worth the watch, both for the history and the wonderful UW video. Not sure whether its on PBS or one of the nature channels (Nat Geo, etc.)
 
Here I am in 2015 diving at Coco Divers in Cayo Coco Cuba one of Fidel Castro's favorite vacation/diving locations. He was said to be around at the time but too old to dive.

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https://www.shearwater.com/products/teric/

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