varadero 
Sunday night 
Feb. 16, 1$8 
Dear Dr. Sohmitt; 
This letter should have gone out yesterday but I got rather 
involved with several visitors from Havana. 
Thanks so much for your your tw) last letters. 
Regarding the film. Am presently trying to fix a gasket on 
the luclte case that houses a camera using 127 film. If I can 
fix it I would prefer using it to the camera and case itiich uses 
620. I therefore thank you for your offer to take film along, but 
think that we can just let it ride until I see whether or not I 
can fix the orB first mentioned. I will acquire film for #iichever 
one I take and it will not amount to much. 
I have given considerable consideration to shipping gear and 
have finally decided that I can probably best take it along with 
me when I leave. What I intend to do is this; Take along the 
prepared tops and sides for two traps v/hich I can take along un- 
assembled; it wi 11 be a simple matter to wire them together on 
board with wire which I will take along. As regards floats, I 
have decided to take along two inner tubes which can be Inflated 
when I arrive at St. Thomas. The 4 lbs. of wel^t required for 
each trap can no doubt be picked up in any hardware store there in 
the form of several pieces of reinforcing rod. The Needham scoop 
dredge does not weigh more than 5 or 6 lbs. and that I can easily 
carry wl th a small bag containing other sundry small equipment. 
I find that I am allowed 66 lbs. weight so that should I gp some- 
vhat over, count ing all the impedimenta, it would probably not exceed 
by much what I would have paid anyway for sending some of the things 
ahead . 
The traps require a total of about 250 fathoms of #42 cotton 
fish line, i.e., for the t’flo traps. Do you suppose I could buy this 
at St. ThoriBS ? Otherwise I wl 11 pick it up here. 
I have made reservations, as yet unconfirmed, to leave Havana 
via Delta Airlines on March 20, which arrives the same day at San Juan 
Porto Rico. On the 22 in the morning I fly to St. Thomas in about 
half an hour, so that I wi 11 be there in plenty of time. I plan on 
looking up a doctor friend of mine vho lives there and pay my respects. 
Needless to say I will be foregoing the trip to Washington this 
year as I will not be able to take any more time off from work. It 
just happened to turn out that ny sister and her husbam could not 
be in Washington anyway this spring, as his work will take him to 
South America. We will therefore try to make it in '59 if all goes 
well. 
Note vhat you say about the various shots which I should have 
before leaving. Will duly attend to this. 
