Cuba

From CruisersWiki

An online cruising guide for yachts sailing to Cuba

Cuba is the largest Caribbean island, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean. It lies 145 km (90 miles) south of Key West, Florida, between the Cayman Islands and the Bahamas, to the west of Haiti, and northwest of Jamaica.

There are two main island groups to explore along the southern shore of Cuba. Your sailing area from the two main bases, Cienfuegos or Trinidad incorporates the Canarreos Archipelago and the Juventud Islands or Jardines de la Reina Archipelago.

The full background and history of Cuba is best observed on Wikipedia

Cruising in the region

The Cuban people welcome outsiders with open arms, and although Customs and Immigration are slow they are generally more welcoming than most.

Charts

Source

Chart Number - Chart Name

Chart Number - Chart Name

Source

Chart Number - Chart Name

Weather

The local climate is tropical, though moderated by trade winds. In general (with local variations), there is a drier season from November to April, and a rainier season from May to October. The average temperature is 21 °C in January and 27 °C in July. Cuba lies in the path of hurricanes, and these destructive storms are most common in September and October.

Sources of weather forecasting:

Passages

List popular passages/routes, timing, etc.

Islands

• Cayo Coco-Guillermo
• [[Island2]]

Special Navigation Notes

Any navigation notes here.

Communication

Add here VHF channel for coastguard, harbor masters. etc.

Also see World Cruiser's Nets

Navigation

Add any navigation notes such approaches, dangers etc here. If this section does not apply remove it.

Entrance

• Private vessels may enter at Hemingway Marina in Havana or Acua Marina in Varadero. There are no visa requirements. Expect to hand out several $10 bills to facilitate your entry.

Immigration, Visas & Customs

Immigration

A tourist visa card (visada tarjeta del turista) is necessary for arrivals from most nations. This visa, which is really little more than a piece of paper on which you list your vital statistics, costs between 15-25 CUC (or 15-25 Euro), depending on where purchased. It is usually valid for 30 days and can be extended once for another 30 days at any immigration office in Cuba - beyond this you would need a pretty good reason. Canadians are the exception, getting 90 days on arrival and can apply for a 90 day extension. Your passport needs to be valid at least six months past the end of your planned return.

Regular visitors who renew their 30 day visa are eligible to depart the country (to any destination) and return immediately enjoying a further 60 days (30 days plus a 30 day extension). You are only allowed two consecutive stays in this manner.

Citizens of Antigua and Barbuda (28 days), Barbados (28 days), Benin, Bosnia and Herzegovina, CIS (except Ukraine and Uzbekistan), Dominica, Grenada (60 days), Liechtenstein (90 days), Macedonia, Malaysia (90 days), Mongolia, Montenegro (90 days), Namibia, Singapore, Slovakia, Saint Kitts & Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Serbia (90 days), Turkmenistan who can stay 30 days without visa.

Customs

Details?

Documentation

Details?

Restrictions

Details?

Health

Submit any health warnings/information.

Security

Cuba is generally a very safe country; strict and prominent policing, combined with neighborhood watch style-programs keep the streets safe from violent crime. Nonetheless, a certain degree of common-sense and caution is advisable, especially in major cities. Visitors are advised to avoid coming to the attention of the Cuban police and security services. Drug laws can be draconian and their implementation unpredictable. The same may be said about the laws concerning prostitution. The importation, possession or production of pornography is strictly prohibited. Visitors are therefore advised not to involve themselves in the following three areas: politics, drugs, or pornography/prostitution. It should be noted however that Cuba is not totalitarian by any means, and usually mild comments concerning the regime will not lead to arrest or other penalties. In fact, many employees and locals will often openly agree with the criticisms, especially away from the major cities.

A few well established scams exist:

• Real-looking discount cigars of dubious authenticity being offered by street touts.
• Friendly locals inviting tourists to bars for a drink (normally a Mojito) or to a restaurant; the tourist will be charged two to three times the normal price, and the spoils split between the establishment and the friend.
• Short-changing in bars or taxis or giving national pesos (CUP) in change for convertible pesos (CUC).
• Beware of credit card scams.

Berthing

• Baracoa
• Cayo Coco-Guillermo (Port of entry)
• El Colony
• Hemmingway Marina (Port of entry)
• Marina Maria La Gorda (Port of entry)
• Marina Puertosol Cayo Largo del Sur (Port of entry)
• Marina Puertosol Cienfuegos (Port of entry)
• Marina Trinidad
• Marina Vita (Port of entry)
• Santa Lucia
• Santiago de Cuba (Port of entry)
• Varadero (Port of entry)

Transportation

List transportation (local and/or international.)

Friends

Submit details/contacts of cruiser's "friends" that can be contacted in advance or on arrival - who can offer information and assistance to our cruising "family".

Forums

List links to discussion threads on partnering forums. (see link for requirements)

• Cuba Sailing and Cruising Discussions on Cruisers Forum

Links

• Cuba at the Wikipedia
• Cuba at the Wikivoyage

References & Publications

Books, Guides, etc. Use the Reference template or not at your discretion. For example:

Rod Heikel, Greek Waters Pilot, Imray Laurie and Wilson, Cambridgeshire, ISBN 9780852889718, expands to

Rod Heikell, Greek Waters Pilot Imray, Laurie and Wilson, Cambridgeshire, ISBN 9780852889718

• Author, Title, Publisher, ISBN ISBN number
• Author, Title, Publisher, ISBN ISBN number

You may want to remove the above entries and use instead a link to the Country or Region that lists the relevant references. If so enter, after removing xx, the following:

See [[Country or Region#References_&_Publications|Coutry or Region]].

If you do not use the above link, please remove it.

Comments

We welcome users' contributions to the Wiki. Please click on Comments to view other users' comments, add your own personal experiences or recommend any changes to this page following your visit.

• By member Berniekatchor - (Posted June '08) - Second Visit to Cuba - more Cuba pics on Our Website; See More Comments.

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Date of member's last visit to Cuba and this page's details validated:

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Contributors to this page
Names: Lighthouse