DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) -- A central Florida mayor still intends to go through with his plan to return home from a visit to Cuba alone in a makeshift raft.
DeBary Mayor Clint Johnson tweeted on Saturday "Ocean test run complete! ... (hash)Cuba next!" after spending Friday night out in the Atlantic Ocean. A GPS tracking website says he started at a Ponce Inlet ramp, went around the jetty and about 12 miles north to Daytona Beach Shores.
Johnson also tweeted out: "Educational, enlightening, and an awesome experience. (hash)Cuba next!"
Johnson said he plans to cross the Florida Straits in a couple weeks without a motor because he wants to understand what Cuban migrants experience. Many, including the U.S. Coast Guard, have urged him to reconsider.