So am I gonna be able to sail to cuba! (Legally that is)

[Delancey]

Would be nice.

[Scot McPherson]

I just heard it on the news and logged in to see what people thought and it's already being discussed.

[Delancey]

A few spots on the north shore.

[natraps116]

Ohhhh baby I can't wait..

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[Group9]

Originally Posted by garrobito

..humm... cuban girls + salsa + varadero beach = great party time!!!

Not to mention, with the average Cuban only making like .20 cents an hour, your money goes really far.

Party down!

[SV THIRD DAY]

Originally Posted by Ded reckoner

Google "statute Cuba embargo". Apparently, there are half a dozen laws on the books that have codified the existing embargo. There are limited legal actions the Administration can take unilaterally. Since we are a law abiding nation, it will be up to the new Congress to modify or rescind those laws.

Ah....really....

Since when?

If the President has a Pen and a Phone that's all he needs to open up the Workers Paradise to US Tourists, McDonald, Home Depot and Dunkin Donuts.

Oh that's what the Cubans need all right...forget about freedom of the press, freedom of speech, and rights to assemble, the right to not have the Gov come take your dad away in the night for not supporting the "Party". What the Cubans need us us all right! Perfect thinking in a "All about me world", forget the people, give me that beach and anchorage, pay no attention to that political prisoner prison on the other side of the hill, heck, I'm working on my tan with a cheap beer...leave me alone. Sad to see, but here we have it:

Originally Posted by garrobito

..humm... cuban girls + salsa + varadero beach = great party time!!!

If that's what the Cruising Community is all about these days....then I will be perfectly happy to be called "Not a Real Cruiser".

[sandy stone]

Isn't China kind of like that? Didn't Nixon normalize relations with them like, 40 years ago? Only difference is China is just too far away for me to sail to. Also, I can speak a few words of Spanish.

[Pelagic]

Somewhat ironic.... Boat people escaping to Cuba.

I suspect tourism will be quickly promoted at really exorbitant costs for what you get and cruisers will eventually get squeezed out in favour of organized cruise ships.

The government will need a lot more easy cash from tourism to reinforce their dictatorship in the face of outside visiting influences.

It is definitely a mixed blessing for the people .

[denverd0n]

Originally Posted by SV THIRD DAY

If the President has a Pen and a Phone that's all he needs to open up the Workers Paradise to US Tourists, McDonald, Home Depot and Dunkin Donuts.

No, that's just not true. The president does not have control over all of these things. Congress has to pass laws before these things can happen.

For now, the only change is that we will have an embassy there, and they will have an embassy here. We will start talking with them. Then it will be up to Congress to decide if it will go any further.

[HappyMdRSailor]

I WANNA GO TO TACO BAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Group9]

Originally Posted by HappyMdRSailor

I WANNA GO TO TACO BAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, hopefully for you, that will be on the list of approved places you can sail. If you've ever talked to any sailors from other countries who have sailed down there, you will find that the Cuban government places a lot of restrictions on where recreational boaters from other countries can go and who they can interact with (the main thing being their extreme paranoia that you might really be down there to help Cuban citizens escape, or deliver outside communication devices, instead of just enjoying a really cheap vacation at their expense).

No matter what happens, that is not likely to change until the Castros are dead and gone and a government replaces them that is not so repressive.

I have a feelling that this is just another one of Obama's "Hey, look at me, I'm still important" proclamations. And, although he is getting bolder and bolder about changing the law of the land with a pen, I have a feeling that Congress is getting pretty close to "had enough" on that subject.

And, if I thought this would help the Cuban people live better and more free lives, I would be all excited. But, right now, the US is about the only country that doesn't trade with Cuba, and trade with all of those other countries sure doesn't seem to be changing things or helping non-Communist party members improve their lives one iota.

If the Communist Party members just continue to suck in all of that money, does it really matter how much more comes in to the average Cuban?

Like China starting to getting more free after Mao died, it will probably take Fidel and Raoul's deaths for anything positive to happen in Cuba for the Cuban people. We know it won't be Cuba's economy collapsing as a impetus to allow more freedom (as happened with the Soviet Union) as Cuba's economy collapsed a long time ago and nothing changed.

But, with Human Rights on the back burner the way it has been for several years now, in this country, and in the world, the time is probably ripe for those willing to overlook Cuba's treatment of its citizens for their own personal economic benefit.

But, saying that setting the politics of its repressive government aside, Cuba is a nice place to cruise, is like saying that setting it's history of fighting separatists with genocide aside, Sri Lanka is a nice place to cruise.

To each his own, I guess.

[RKsailsolo]

Originally Posted by Ded reckoner

Google "statute Cuba embargo". Apparently, there are half a dozen laws on the books that have codified the existing embargo. There are limited legal actions the Administration can take unilaterally. Since we are a law abiding nation, it will be up to the new Congress to modify or rescind those laws.

As stated before, let's keep political views out. Respectfully, this forums collective majority interest is in how, what, when and where the change is likely to impact a U.S. citizen's ability to sail to a Cuban port legally and in safety.

[denverd0n]

Originally Posted by RKsailsolo

As stated before, let's keep political views out.

Uh... So far everyone has. The snippet that you quoted did not contain any political views at all. It simply made the (absolutely true) statement that there is little the President can do on his own, and it will take an act of Congress to rescind the travel and trade restrictions.

Again, at this point, what the President has done is mostly a symbolic gesture. A good one. A long over-due one. One that may lead to more meaningful changes in the future. But still, mostly just symbolic. It will be up to Congress to make the really meaningful changes. Until they do, there has been--and will be--absolutely no change at all to our ability to sail to Cuba.

[amytom]

Originally Posted by denverd0n

No, that's just not true. The president does not have control over all of these things. Congress has to pass laws before these things can happen.

For now, the only change is that we will have an embassy there, and they will have an embassy here. We will start talking with them. Then it will be up to Congress to decide if it will go any further.

I'm guessing you missed the sarcastic tone?


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[Sailingmartin]

We went to Cuba in 2013 (Marina Hemingway near Havana and Varadero) and it was great. Being a UK flagged boat we had no trouble and then sailed up to the Bahamas and beyond. When (and if) things get more relaxed, we would think it would be a really big attraction for those from the US - Havana is such a beautiful city and only 90 miles away. I expect things will move slowly, partly because there are not huge numbers of berths available, although the French and others have been investing in new facilities in the expectation that eventually Cuba would become more open to its largest and closest cruising customer. Very definitely worth as visit as soon as you are able - US citizens that is. For those than can go already, go now before the rush!