Canadians from Cuba to Florida

[Rastarea]

We are Canadians aboard a Canadian vessel and are planning to go from Varadero to Florida in a couple of months.

I am lookinf for ''fresh'' (recent) information on check-in in USA coming from Cuba, recent mean this year or last year!

Please no politics on this thread, just facts...

[marlinespike]

Done this 15 to 20 times. ALWAYS check in at West Palm Beach. Never Key West or Miami. Good anchorage and easy ashore to customs etc at Riviera Beach Marina. Have never been hassled or even boarded.
Fast passage up riding the Stream
Don

[Rastarea]

Thanks Don, I will check onto that.

Anybody else?

[S/V Alchemy]

Resist the urge to wear a Che Guevara T-shirt, maybe?

[perchance]

Originally Posted by S/V Alchemy

Resist the urge to wear a Che Guevara T-shirt, maybe?

Are beards and big cigars allowed?

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by marlinespike

Done this 15 to 20 times. ALWAYS check in at West Palm Beach. Never Key West or Miami. Good anchorage and easy ashore to customs etc at Riviera Beach Marina. Have never been hassled or even boarded.
Fast passage up riding the Stream
Don

+1 but emphasize the "Never Key West or Miami" and will add Port Everglades (Ft Lauderdale) to that list.

ciao!
Nick.

[denverd0n]

If you're wondering about legal restrictions, there aren't any. Not for a non-U.S. flagged boat carrying exclusively non-U.S. citizens. They may check your papers a bit more carefully than usual, but otherwise the check-in is no different than if you were coming from any other country into the U.S.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by denverd0n

If you're wondering about legal restrictions, there aren't any. Not for a non-U.S. flagged boat carrying exclusively non-U.S. citizens. They may check your papers a bit more carefully than usual, but otherwise the check-in is no different than if you were coming from any other country into the U.S.

That is indeed the legal side, however it is not the reality for the south Florida ports of entry mentioned above. You will be considered guilty of many things until you prove otherwise there. Personally, I would not do a US entry south of Ft Pierce anymore.

[Rastarea]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

That is indeed the legal side, however it is not the reality for the south Florida ports of entry mentioned above. You will be considered guilty of many things until you prove otherwise there. Personally, I would not do a US entry south of Ft Pierce anymore.

Jedi:
so you had first hand experience lately about this. I did reed stuff about Key West, so I wanted to hit Miami as port of entry, did you personally have problemes at Miami?

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by Rastarea

Jedi:
so you had first hand experience lately about this. I did reed stuff about Key West, so I wanted to hit Miami as port of entry, did you personally have problemes at Miami?

What is not clear from what I wrote? This is just a forum and I'm just a guy trying to help with info; you can completely ignore me and enter in Miami, I am not going to argue with you about it or provide proof or something.

We never had problems anywhere because we avoid them by listening to others explaining what is the best way around bureaucrats. We've seen plenty trouble around us though, incl. the places mentioned by me and others.

[Rastarea]

ok ok ok, no need to get excited here...If I had listen to 'everybody' I would be still in my marina up north!

Thank-you all for your inputs.

This tread is over and out.