Cuba Developing a Mega Marina

[avb3]

A very interesting article in Soundings.

http://blog.soundingsonline.com/loos...her-handshake/

I'm always aware that when the word Cuba is mentioned, that there are some on the board wish to make political statements on the issue. That is not the purpose of the posting or this thread.

For cruisers who are not citizens the United States, or have their boats registered there, Cuba is a legitimate, and in some cases frequent, destination. To see infrastructure being developed there to encourage cruisers to come speaks volumes. The fact that they have extended the ability of a yacht to stay there 5 years, with an extension for for the five years for total of 10, also speaks volumes.

I wonder how much it is going to cost to haul out and leave the yacht there during hurricane season? Some of us can fly to Cuba to pick it up.

At any rate is a very interesting development. I just hope that they don't destroy the character of the old Caribbean in what is very likely to happen when Cuba opens up completely.

[Zanshin]

I have always maintained that the other (mainly northern) Caribbean islands need to get their collective acts together in preparation for the American Cuban embargo to be lifted. Considering the potentially easy access and interesting locationn the island of Cuba has the potential to completely undermine or at least to take a big chunk out of the tourist income of many current Caribbean destinations.

I have heard mixed reviews from fellow cruising vessels regarding Cuba and if it weren't so darned difficult to get back upwind from Cuba I would already have tried it out first hand.

[Unkle Toad]

I look forward to sailing there someday maybe stay for a couple years assuming I like it.

[Islander36Kairo]

Finally! Maybe the beginning of the end! I've dreamed of cruising Cuba since my time visiting Gitmo (long before it became a prison).Ojala que si!

[goboatingnow]

oh no how long before First Choice buy up the place or Club Med start running breaks there!!

Where are u now Fidel when we need you huh.
Dave

[tomfl]

Not trying to dis Cuba as a tourist destination, but when my Dad moved back to his hometown of Miami in 1953 after graduating from med school it was possible to legally visit Cuba. My Dad was an avid sailor and knew several folks with contacts in Cuba. On more than one occasion I was able to accompany him on trips there. Of course we also visited the Bahamas and the other islands in the Greater Antilles. Quite frankly I always liked the Bahamas better because of the isolation. And English is spoken in the Bahamas.

Look at places like the DR, Haiti, and Jamaica. For boats Cuba is closer than the rest of the Greater Antilles but that advantage becomes trivial if one is flying or on a fast cruise ship. All the Greater Antilles are similar in geography, except maybe Haiti where the over population has resulted in an ecological disaster.

Why do folks think Cuba would be a better vacation destination than any place else in the area.

[TeddyDiver]

Dunno nothing about the north coast but Santiago de Cuba has one of the best bays to hide whatever season or hurricane. They have a small marina there but I don't recall the prices, been there last time some 6yrs ago https://activecaptain.com/quickLists...ba&i=515239169.
Anyways there were a lot of room around, only few boat's..

[brutb]

Yes it would be nice if USA sailors could legally sail to Cuba. It is about time to remove the years old restrictions and open Cuba to USA visitors. I for one would be ready for it now. Maybe it is just the stories and rumors that exists that makes it a place to visit. Unfortunately old wounds and political ways keep this from being a realistic place for USA passport holders to legally visit. Ah, for a government that could forgive and forget.

[lorenzo b]

It seems Raul is planning on a slow orderly change.
"He told lawmakers that Cuba wants better relations with the U.S. but will never give in to demands for changes to Cuba's government and economy, saying "we don't demand that the U.S. change its political or social system and we don't accept negotiations over ours."
Let's hope it never turns into Florida.

[cheoah]

A beautiful island with lovely people. The people, the history, music and dance, the food.

If you don't have the need to see old Havana, then fahget about it. It may be lost on you, and it is not for everybody.

I'll be back there in the new year, and am starting to feel at home there.

Have spent way more time in MAtanzas rather than the resort area of Veradero but it is a nice area. Lots of cool caves to check out in Matanzas, discovered by Antonio Nunez Jimenez, a contemporary of Fidels.

[AnchorageGuy]

This isn't anything new, We have been following developments in Cuba for years and we have done an extensive cruise there. To us, it is one of the highlights of our cruising years. These marina developments go in fits and starts. Most have been trying to expand for years and sometimes there is the money and will and sometimes not. I wouldn't read too much into this. These megayachts that the marinas are interested in are mostly flagged in other countries that are less taxing and restrictive than the U.S. so lifting travel restriction won't affect this kind of renewal for Cuba. We do very much look forward to the time that we can return. Chuck

[Boatguy30]

Originally Posted by tomfl

Not trying to dis Cuba as a tourist destination, but when my Dad moved back to his hometown of Miami in 1953 after graduating from med school it was possible to legally visit Cuba. My Dad was an avid sailor and knew several folks with contacts in Cuba. On more than one occasion I was able to accompany him on trips there. Of course we also visited the Bahamas and the other islands in the Greater Antilles. Quite frankly I always liked the Bahamas better because of the isolation. And English is spoken in the Bahamas.

Look at places like the DR, Haiti, and Jamaica. For boats Cuba is closer than the rest of the Greater Antilles but that advantage becomes trivial if one is flying or on a fast cruise ship. All the Greater Antilles are similar in geography, except maybe Haiti where the over population has resulted in an ecological disaster.

Why do folks think Cuba would be a better vacation destination than any place else in the area.

You're quite right. Once the forbidden fruit thing has worn off, I believe it will not be well visited. I have cruised lots of places and Cuba is nothing special. Perhaps some highland/ inland areas are interesting??

[SV THIRD DAY]

AP Story from Dec 21st.
When it's illegal to open a Video Arcade, a marina for "rich cruisers" to come visit the workers paradise kinda seems funny doesn't it?

Cuba: Raul Castro Issues Stern Warning To Entrepreneurs

[cheoah]

Originally Posted by Boatguy30

You're quite right. Once the forbidden fruit thing has worn off, I believe it will not be well visited. I have cruised lots of places and Cuba is nothing special. Perhaps some highland/ inland areas are interesting??

100 people can have 100 different experiences in a place like Cuba. Speaking Spanish helps, salsa is an unofficial language. Not for everyone, but it is pretty pristine. They've protected their reefs by not allowing people to anchor wherever they want. It is a very interesting place compared to typical Caribbean islands.

Boatguy where did you go?

[tomfl]

Originally Posted by cheoah

100 people can have 100 different experiences in a place like Cuba. Speaking Spanish helps, salsa is an unofficial language. Not for everyone, but it is pretty pristine. They've protected their reefs by not allowing people to anchor wherever they want. It is a very interesting place compared to typical Caribbean islands.

Boatguy where did you go?

True different folks will have different impressions of the same experience.

I am not sure what a typical Caribbean island is. Cuba is part of the Greater Antilles and not really much different in geography than the others, except for the environmental disaster in Haiti caused by over population. Jamaica has some great water falls and rafting rides. Diving on the Silver Banks with whale out of the DT is one of the most interesting experiences I have had anywhere.

Also not sure how pristine the whole place is. There is a reason the BDF has more boats on the Cay Sal banks than the rest of the Bahamas. The Cuban fishermen are miners that harvest everything. They have cleaned out huge areas close to the island and tried to do the same thing in Cay Sal till the Bahamas put a stop to it.

Again I am not trying to dis Cuba and would definitely like to go back. But to me it is just another place, not an attraction head and shoulders above the rest of the Greater Antilles.