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Old 17-03-2009, 19:16   #1
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Hello I am a newcomer here

I am a professional working photojournalist. I did everything from commercial fishing to Ironworking. Back in the 70's and 80's before the cost of dockage went sky high I lived on sailboats. I have been away from living aboard and cruising for years but can now start to collect retirement and thinking about the past and getting out of the rat race - I had my fill.

I have talked with several editors of travel publications and they are nibbling on the bait. I am planning on sailing the Caribbean and writing articles about the places I stop. The first place I am thinking about is Cuba. Currently taking Spanish classes so I won't have a communication problem when I visit places in the Caribbean.

A lot has changed since I was last cruising. The electronics and all are different now and I suppose a lot of places have been commercialized. Anyway, I plan to buy a sailboat this spring and sail it this summer. I would start cruising 2010.

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Old 17-03-2009, 19:37   #2
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Hi Ray,

Welcome to the forum. Plenty of sailing addicts and rat race drop outs to commiserate with.

I assume you know about current Cuba travel restrictions for US citizens? There was a period a few years back where cruisers found a loophole in the prohibitions but the feds have closed that and you may be threatened with dire consequences or persecuted to the full extent of the law (pun intended) if you go there. With the change of power in DC this may change but I would advise caution for now.

On the bright side, now is a good time to buy a sail boat. Look around and you may benefit from anothers reduced circumstances or just a soft market in general.

Skip
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Old 17-03-2009, 19:50   #3
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http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...uba-23388.html

Hey Ray

Have a peek at this thread. Might help.

Welcome aboard!
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Old 17-03-2009, 19:51   #4
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Yes, I won't go into the legal details but as a photojournalist I can gain access to Cuba as can anyone who goes as their own journalist. Besides the laws that are stated are in direct violation of the 1st and 6th amendments of the constitution. The government threatens and if anyone is not aware of his or her rights they can be in for a hard time. I have mountains of paper work on the subject. It is the very fact that the so-called travel ban may soon be lifted that makes Cuba travel article so appealing to the editors.

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Old 17-03-2009, 20:02   #5
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Hey, Dave the Canuck,

Thanks for the thread

Ray
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Old 17-03-2009, 21:24   #6
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Hi Ray,

No information to voice an opinion on whether or not travel restrictions are consititutional or not but look at it this way. If I'm riding a motorcyle and approach an intersection with a green light so have the right of way but see an 18 wheeler coming from the other direction and not slowing down I don't think I'm in a position to argue who's right.

For me I'll voice my opinion (the travel ban is pointless, doesn't work, etc) but will choose other fights to fight.
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Old 18-03-2009, 12:57   #7
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Aloha Ray,
Welcome aboard! Good to have you here and hope you post some of your articles on this forum.
Kind regards,
JohnL
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Old 18-03-2009, 13:23   #8
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Good luck with the traveling publications. From what I've found they either have their own writers or pay in peanuts. There are a lot of sailors out there trying to do what you're talking about with the writing thing. Truly, in my opinion, the caribbean has been done to death in publications. The fact that you are a photojournalist with a portfolio should be a great step up though, you'll just have to find a niche that nobody's used yet.
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