Question About Sailing to Cuba

[TexSail]

It's a crazy world. Half the rice eaten in Cuba was grown in Texas.

Re: diplomatic relations between the US and Cuba:

Theoretically there is no such thing. Realistically, the Swiss Embassy in Washington has a Cuban Interests Section and the Swiss Embassy in Havana has a US Interests Section. These function like embassies. A friend of a friend in Key West is a neophyte sailor and tried to sail from KW to Isla Mujeres. He disappeared. His family was able to find him (in a Cuban jail) through the efforts of the Swiss Embassy (a big thank you to the Swiss). This was just a few months back.

[AnchorageGuy]

Originally Posted by Zanshin

My boat is on the hard at Nanny Cay right now, I'm off earning money for the watermaker in Europe .

Cuba and the UK entertain diplomatic relations (unlike the US and Cuba) and there are no travel restrictions. You will need a tourist visa.

The US Embargo applies to commerce between Americans and Cubans, the laws quoteed earlier in this thread extend that embargo but apply only to vessels with the intent of travelling to cuba.

Note that although a seizure is mentioned, there are a lot of "ands" in the letter of the law and the US Authorities will need good reason to actually go through with that.

Remember that you will also need a US visa to sail into USA - the normal US visa waiver program does not apply to private vessels. Entry into the country is not automatic with a visa, the immigration officer can still deny entry at will.

p.s. I would recommend calling or, better yet, writing to the dept. of the Treasury stating that you intend on entering the vessel from the Bahamas but that you will have stopped in Cuba prior to that and what their stance is - that way you would have official word, in writing.

{Edit, addendum}
I looked through the treasury pages to see if an restrictions are placed on visitors or vessels that have been in Cuba, and could only find

Under this current administration I don't think I would contact any US agency and say "I have just been to Cuba". If ask, by all means do not lie but going in and volunteering this information will only open a can of very large worms. You will not have broken any laws so why stir the pot?

[imagine2frolic]

Are you a U.S. citizen? My South African friend who sailed a S.A. flagged boat used Cuba all the time. He would check out of Florida to Cuba, and back to update his status here. Never a problem, but if you are a U.S. Citizen you are asking for problems.

You can always fly to Cuba from Nassau!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Hud3]

Originally Posted by imagine2frolic

Are you a U.S. citizen? My South African friend who sailed a S.A. flagged boat used Cuba all the time. He would check out of Florida to Cuba, and back to update his status here. Never a problem, but if you are a U.S. Citizen you are asking for problems.

You can always fly to Cuba from Nassau!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

John,

Was that before 2004? That's when the government started enforcing the rules against domestic and foreign-flagged yachts.

[Soft Air]

Thanks for your replies, they will all be very helpful when making a decision.

Hellosailor, I am a colombian citizen (proudly) and I own a BVI software corp. that allows me to not only register but also document my veseel under British flag.

I used to be a resident of the US (for nearly 15 years) when I was in College and later as an airline pilot, I gave up my US resident status for moral reasons. I still travel to the US all the times and I respect their system very much, however this does not necesarily mean I share the way their government "thinks" about being "global democratic guardians" while still keeping prisioners under NO law either domestic or international in Guantanamo Bay which is to say the least "part of the far west" but in the 21st century.

I do not desire this thread to become political I just wanted to clarify that my solely intentions here is to be able to enjoy Cuba (where I have been as a teen twice and many times as an airline pilot) and the US while sailing and still be legal and to allow other folks with the same question to make a wise decision.

Best


JC

[hellosailor]

JC, I think I'd tread very lightly on that. The USCG views "Columbian" as potential drug problems, Cuba as suspect in ever way, and a resigned resident with more suspicion. So they'd probably best be greeted with toothbrushes and asked to scrub while they're al the way down in the bilge tearing the boat apart, BVI registry or not.

Better to come and go from Cuba to someplace else, and try to avoid the topic. A number of Arab nations including Egypt used to deny entry to anyone (including Americans) who had an Israeli stamp in their passport. So US tourists used to visit Eqypt first, or have their passports replaced after a trip the other way.

Not at all unusual.

As for US-Cuba politics...I'll leave that to the Cubans right now, including the expats. They got their Saint Castro, they can keep him. Not that Batista was such a nice man either, but Cuba is just one more item on a terribly long global ToDo list.

[imagine2frolic]

Hud,

I think that was all the way up to 05. I went back to work in 06.

[Soft Air]

Thanks Hellosailor, you stated

The USCG views "Columbian" as potential drug problems...

First off the name of the country is COLOMBIA and we are much more than drugs, we are not Columbian rahter colombians and I do not agree with the outcome of the mixtue British Boat + legal colombian citizen onboard = Trouble.

If you would like to know about our country take a look here

YouTube - Vive Colombia (EN)

Additionaly, COLOMBIA is the number one COMMERCIAL and POLITICAL allied of the US in the entire region and we are the ones keeping Venezuela and some other countries in the region aware of the common goals we share with the US.

Biggest US embbassy in the region is located in Bogota, capital of COLOMBIA.

Thanks

[GordMay]

Andre:
I don't think hellosailor was (necessarily) voicing his own opinions about those Nations and/or it's Nationals, as he was offering his opinion on his Government's (in the body of the USCG) opinions.

[pogo]

It occurs to me, the nut of this conversational thread has become discussion akin to how to avoid a red light by cutting through the gas station parking lot.

I am not a lawyer, but I do know, tickets in the USA are issued to offenders who cut corners to avoid a signal.

This thread has degenerated into two elements I am not in favor of;
1. discussion on how to avoid the law
2. country bashing.

I personally find it to be offensive and counter to the spirit of this forum.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by pogo

It occurs to me, the nut of this conversational thread has become discussion akin to how to avoid a red light by cutting through the gas station parking lot.
I am not a lawyer, but I do know, tickets in the USA are issued to offenders who cut corners to avoid a signal.
This thread has degenerated into two elements I am not in favor of;
1. discussion on how to avoid the law
2. country bashing.
I personally find it to be offensive and counter to the spirit of this forum.

Emphasis mine. Gord

AMEN!
Let me add, that political bashing (& it's like) will not be tolerated.

[imagine2frolic]

I don't see any country bashing, and if the man is not a U.S. citizen....where's the crime?

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by pogo

... Do you believe he is a person who has renounced his US citizenship ...

You've mis-read his post, in which he said he renounced his US RESIDENT (Alien) STATUS.

Please do NOT indulge in name-calling!

[Martinini]

Americans have been going to Cuba for years on fishing trips with the blessing of the US. They do this by buying some medical supplies, and list the trip as Humanatarian and donate supplies to a hospital or Orphanage etc. and is legal. Not sure who to contact, but one of my previous Doctors went on a week long fishing trip in the interior.
The simpler solution would be to just go from BVI to Cuba then to Bahama's or back to BVI and than US.

[Hud3]

I just finished reading the recent posts in this thread, including one that was (thankfully) deleted by Gord. Let me say something very clearly to everyone:

We will not tolerate posts that are demeaning to others because of their nationalities or ethnic heritage. Nor will we tolerate posts that personally attack others because of their opinions or beliefs.

We encourage respectful debate and expression of differing opinions and beliefs. There will be consequences for those violating the Forum's rules.