Originally shared on Instagram on November 3, 2025. Photography and story by Mark Middleton.
This photo was taken in Havana, Cuba — my first visit, and still one of my most unforgettable. In the harbor just after dawn, a lone boat rested on impossibly still blue-green water. Behind it, the edge of the Malecón and the silhouette of Morro Castle framed the scene like a timeless postcard.
The journey to get here was as memorable as the photo itself. Captain Carl Roth invited my friend Frank and me to join the very first sailboat race to Havana from the St. Petersburg Yacht Club — the first one since the race was canceled after Castro took power. It was an amazing invitation, an adventure that carried both excitement and a sense of history.
After a couple of days exploring Havana, I woke up in the stillness of early morning and walked through the quiet streets to the harbor. The city was asleep, but the sunrise wasn’t waiting. I spent what could have been 2 hours shooting this one boat — more than 250 frames — letting the calm, the colors, and the history of this place wash over me.
That morning, the world felt big and quiet, and I knew I was blessed to be a witness.
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