Few navigational aids have been established among Cuba’s reefs. Therefore, navigation in the coral waters is almost entirely dependent upon visual sightings through the water and the sea conditions for which reefs can easily be seen.
Coral heads will be seen sooner and more easily if the height of the observer is as high as possible above sea level and also when the sun is high and behind the observer—an elevation of 20 degrees is best. The ideal sea condition is when the sea is ruffled with a light breeze. When seas are glassy calm it is extremely difficult to distinguish the colour differences between shallow and deep water. The use of polaroid sunglasses is strongly recommended as they make the variations in water colour stand out more clearly.
The colour/depth correlation may seem difficult at first but soon it soon becomes second nature and almost without thought. In tropical water, an area with a covering depths less than 1 m (3.3 ft) will appear to be a light brown colour. Areas with a covering depth of 2 m (6.5 ft) or more will appear to be light green. This colour will deepen to a darker green in depths of about 6 m (20 ft), and finally to a deep blue for depths over 25 m (80 ft).
Floaters (a cloud’s shadow on the sea surface) are indistinguishable from reefs, with practice you will know which are clouds and which are coral heads.
The edges of coral reefs are usually more uniform and therefore more easily seen on their windward or exposed sides, while the lee sides frequently have detached coral heads not so easily detected—polarized glasses and eyeball navigation becomes essential.
Are you planning to sail to Cuba with a planned departure from within U.S. territorial waters?
If so, then you need to file form CG-3300.
Recreational boaters on U.S. flagged vessels that are less than 100 m (< 328-feet) must have a
Coast Guard permit to depart from within U.S. territorial seas.
An applicant must submit information on form CG – 3300 to the Coast Guard seventh district
before a permit can be issued authorizing a departure to Cuba.
NOTE: At present, U.S. flagged boats are only granted a 14-day stay in Cuba.
CG-3300 (application form and instructions).
The first link will take you to the form and the second link to the instructions for filling out the form.
The cost of a Cuban tourist visa is $25 Cuban Convertible Pesos (CuC) per person. Visas are valid for one month and can be renewed for one month for an additional $25CuC. Canadians, however, are issued a tourist visa that is valid for three months and renewable for an additional three months. The fee for this visa is also $25 CuC.
At the customs dock in Marina Hemingway preparing to check out
A boat (of any flag) can stay in Cuban waters for up to 5 years. It must then be taken out of the country for a minimum of 24 hours before returning. Failure to take the boat out of Cuba will incur importation fees.
Health insurance is needed for travel to Cuba. Visitors arriving from a country that provides national health coverage (Canada, Europe etc.) do not need to buy Cuban medical insurance but must carry prove of their home provider. U.S. citizens are required to buy Cuban medical insurance. Expect to pay $3CUC/day per person. The total (based on the number of people and the number of days in the country) will be added to the marina bill at your port of entry. According to those who have paid this fee, it is considered good value. Should medical attention be required, facilities and service is good and will be undertaken at a tourist hospital.
Providing a vessel qualifies for insurance, there are marine insurers that will provide coverage for vessels going to Cuba. Fairway Insurance Services Inc. (Digby, Nova Scotia), Nesika Insurance Services Inc. (Richmond, British Columbia), Dolphin Insurance Services Inc. (Burnaby, British Columbia) and the German Company Pantaenius with offices in the USA. These companies can be found on the internet.
North Coast Cabo San Antonio – Marina Los Morros Havana—Marina Hemingway, Varadero—Marina Gaviota Cayo Guillermo—Marina is depth restricted. This is an exit port only. Puerto Vita—Marina Puerto Vita (replaced Naranjo) Baracoa is not a port of entry
South Coast Santiago de Cuba—Marina Santiago Cienfuegos—Marina Cienfuegos Cayo Largo del Sur—Marina Cayo Largo Maria La Gorda and Manzanillo are not ports of entry
Entry Procedures
Boaters will arrive on the shores of Cuba from many different regions. The most common sailing routes are those between Cuba and: Florida, Mexico, and the Bahamas. Europeans are most like to arrive from the Eastern Caribbean.
Cuba has only seven ports of entry (PoE) and your landfall must be at one of these designated ports. To arrive in any other location—regardless of your circumstances—will result in being turned away and with the likely-hood that you will not be granted entry into Cuba when you do finally reach a designated port of entry. This may sound harsh but Cuba has a set of rules and procedures for foreign boats entering the country and these rules are strictly adhered to.
The first thing you must do when you are roughly 12 nm from the PoE is to make contact via VHF. Often 12 nm is too far away as most officials are using only a hand-held radio – contact will likely not occur until 3 nm from the coast. In most ports the harbour master will respond in English but often with a heavy accent. In all the years we have been entering Cuba we have not needed any advanced knowledge of the Spanish language. Once you have made contact, the harbour master will give you all the pertinent information for entering their port—buoyage, depth, courses, where to tie etc. After your vessel is secured the officials will come aboard. Everyone on your vessel must have a valid passport.
The entry process is relatively quick and easy. Expect it to take up to 2 hours. American’s with firearms can expect the clearance procedure to be much longer. Cuban officials will be friendly and happy to welcome you to their island. The number of officials and inspectors that will come aboard will vary from port to port and the procedure will vary slightly too. For example at Puerto Vita the Doctor will actually take everyone’s temperature, this does not happen in Varadero or Havana. For your check-in expect anywhere from two people to a dozen people including drug sniffing dogs in the larger ports. It is recommended that a member of the crew accompany any official who searches your boat.
In 2015, the entry fee was $55CUC and this is paid to the marina at your port of entry. The break down is: $20CUC for customs entry, $20CUC exit fee and $15CUC cruising permit. Once clearance of the vessel has been granted tourist visas will be issued for each member of the crew.
NOTE: Some officials will ask for a “tip or donation”. You are not in away way obliged to tip them and in many ports a handout is frowned upon by the ranking official. Tipping should never be more than 1-5 dollars.
Cruising within Cuba
If you will be doing any coastal cruising then you must have a cruising permit. The fee for the permit (despacho) was paid as part of your entrance fee.
Arriving at an out port where there is a Guarda Frontera post you will need to present the despacho for the official signature with a time/date entry. This is a quick procedure and no vessel search is required by the official. If, however, they insist upon a vessel search, then a crew member should accompany the person doing the search.
Provisioning the boat for a Voyage to Cuba and Dining and staying ashore
For any voyage to Cuba it is essential that you have a well-provisioned vessel. Cuba is off-the-beaten- path despite being only 90 nm from the United States. It is best to assume that nothing will be available to you in Cuba this way, any food or grocery items that you do obtain will be a welcome bonus. When cruising, much of the time you will be anchored in bays where there is no habitation so you must be
prepared. What you can expect to find in Cuba is an abundance of fresh seafood whether caught by you or procured through trade with local fishermen.
A road side fruit stand
Stock up with bottled and canned goods: ham, chicken, fruit and vegetables, soups, sauces, mayo, jam, peanut butter, UHT milk. Tinned ham and chicken make a change from a daily diet of rich lobster and grilled fish. Take packaged dried goods: rice, a variety of beans, pasta, flour, powdered milk, tea and
coffee, yeast, spices, hot and cold cereals, cake mixes, fruit/nuts, chips, cookies, crackers. Rice and
beans are rationed items and there is not enough to go around. Cubans must supplement these staples
buy purchasing them on the black market. Don’t forget chocolates, gum and candies, etc.—wonderful for the sweet tooth cruiser but also to give to the officials that come aboard and for the kids ashore.
Items that are hard to get in Cuba are: milk, butter, good bread, potatoes (though South American root
vegetables are nearly always found at the market). Sugar and coffee are also rationed items.
If you have a freezer then you will be able to purchase meat in Cuba—mainly chicken (frozen) and freshly butchered pork. Chicken is often available at ship chandleries and also some hard currency stores. Prices will be in Convertible Pesos (CuC). Fresh pork at the local market is always available and is very good. I learned the following from an Italian gentleman I met in Cuba. He told me “never purchase
fresh meat that doesn’t attract flies. If flies are absent, assume there is some sort of pesticide on the meat. Cubans probably couldn’t afford a can of “Raid” but I always keep this little gem of wisdom in
mind.
The ship chandler at Marina Hemingway often has fresh eggs. Stock up when available. Sometimes you will find eggs at the local markets too. They come in flats of 36 so I suggest bringing some empty 12 and
18-sized egg cartons and transfer the loose eggs into these for safe storage. A type of Gouda cheese can
be purchased at chandleries and in some supermarkets at fairly reasonable prices. Some supermarkets also stock Cuban cheese a.k.a. frying cheese at a good price-when available. Cuban cheese is very different to the cheeses we are used to. It is somewhat like very rubbery feta compressed into a block and if bought by the roadside can have a strong smoky flavour.
At the market you will only find fresh seasonal produce. Now that farmers are able to sell their produce
and retain a good percentage of the sales, the supply at the weekly markets has increased by leaps and
bounds. Unfortunately, there is still little if any shipment of product between provinces.
You will have no problem finding fresh tomatoes, cucumber, peppers, lettuce, onions, cabbage, carrots,
garlic, coriander, bananas, plantains, yams, malanga and other root vegetables, papayas, pineapple, mangos, guava, and watermelon.
You cannot over stock toiletries. What you don’t use you can always give away or use for bartering.
Since Cubans must spend what little money they have to supplement their food rations, they rarely have
money left over to buy toiletries. The elderly will approach you on the street or in bus stops asking for soap and toothpaste etc. Take plenty of: soap, toilet tissue, toothpaste and toothbrushes, disposable razors, laundry soap, shampoo and conditioner, Tylenol and or aspirin, cough-syrup, antihistamine creams for cuts etc., mosquito smoke coils and repellent, band-aids, hair colour…whatever you use take some of it with you. Popular gift items can include: nail polish, perfume and men’s cologne.
Cuban street vendors selling fresh roast pork
If you take any medications, have your doctor prescribe all that you will need for an extended vacation
as you will not be able get any medications in Cuba. In a medical emergency you will be taken to a tourist-only hospital. These hospitals are good and can handle any situation that may arise. Herbal
tinctures and remedies are commonly used in Cuba and are inexpensive. I particularly like Propoleos, a
tincture made from bee pollen. Good for all that ails you…this reportedly includes shingles.
Beer, rum and bottled water and colas are available throughout Cuba. Wine too but it is not cheap so
bring your own table wine. Fruit juices, in UHT boxes, are readily available but have become more
expensive. Most paladars (restaurants) will offer fresh, seasonal juices which are cheap and delicious.
On-site at most marinas there is a small grocery. These shops are not well stocked but prices tend to be
a little less expensive than in the main centres. Grocery stores in Havana and Varadero carry a selection of North American and European goods but these are expensive. It goes without saying that tobacco products are sold everywhere and are inexpensive.
Follow similar guidelines when stocking the boat with spare parts and marine supplies. Marine parts are
virtually non-existent in Cuba. Cuban mechanics are miracle workers but there is only so much one can
do with nothing. By now, you should have a good idea of what you need for a Cuba cruise.
Extra Tips
At local markets, use the Pesos Nacional but don’t convert too much, no more than a few CuC worth at a time. The $ symbol is the same for both CuCs and Pesos. In 2015, the exchange rate was 1 CUC for 24 Pesos. Note: There is talk of reverting back to a single currency.
Take your own shopping bags to the market. You cannot count on the vendor having them.It is handy to have a bicycle if staying in one location for any length of time. Have a carrier to bring your purchases back to the boat. (Don’t forget the bags)
If dining out, go to a Paladar (a privately owned and operated restaurant) rather than eat at a government-run eatery. The prices are roughly the same but what you get at a paladar will be much better. A good meal at a hard currency paladar will cost $4-8 CuC, drinks not included. If you can find a local peso paladar a meal with a juice will cost the equivalent of $1-2 CuC.
If staying ashore, stay in a casa particular (now called a hostel). A blue upside down anchor painted on or by the door indicates rooms are rented to tourists. In the cities, the standard price for a room/night is $35 CuC. In the country, the price is cheaper, typically $25 CuC. These rates are set by the government.
If your hostess offers a meal at night ($6-8 CuC/person) I suggest taking your meal at the house the food will be absolutely worth it. Breakfast is not included in the room fee but for $3-4CuC/person they will make you a good breakfast.
Cuba is the largest island in the Caribbean having more than 2000 nm of coastline. On its ample but sparsely populated shores there is an abundance of well-sheltered bays yet little in the way of dockage for transient vessels. Marinas, akin to those we have in North America, are few and far between in Cuba.
For the most part, marinas are fixed docks and of cement construction. There are usually power pedestals with 30 and/or 50 amp service but polarity is often a concern. Check polarity before drawing power. Fresh water to the docks is often interrupted and, in some locations, it is brackish or should be treated. All marina complexes have security guards. Ashore there is at least one restaurant and a ship chandlery that sells a limited selection of perishable food items. Some chandleries offer canned and frozen foods too and all chandleries carry a large supply of rum and cigars. Cuban marinas do not have laundry machines/service and often showers and toilet facilities are in poor condition. Details for each marina can be found in my Cuba cruising guide series – Volumes 1 and 2.
100-ton wide-body lift at Marina Gaviota Varadero
On the north coast (directly across the strait from Florida) there are three large marina facilities in fairly close proximity to one another—within 130 nm. The first is Marina Hemingway, which has up to 400 berths. It is located about 10 nm west of Old Havana. Its configuration is 4 half-mile long canals where vessels side-tie to the concrete walls. Marina Darsena at Varadero has dockage for up to 65 vessels. Cuba’s new facility, Marina Gaviota Varadero, will accommodate up to 1200 vessels when fully complete. Together these three marinas contain the bulk transient dockage in Cuba.
Continuing east from Vardero the next deepwater port is Puerto Vita. The marina is inside a pocket bay that is located across the Old Bahama Channel from the Ragged Islands in the Bahamas. Dockage is stern-to and there is room for about 20 vessels. The remaining north shore marinas are either too shallow to enter or the facility is exposed to the north. These are: Marina los Morros at Cuba’s westernmost tip, Cayo Guillermo in the Jardin del Rey. Marina Tarara, close east of Havana, has closed and Marina Chaplin in Varadero is no longer a transient marina.
Cuba’s south coast has far fewer marina facilities and they tend to be small. From east to west the first facility is Marina Santiago de Cuba. This one was badly damaged in hurricane Sandy in 2012. It has dockage for 6 to 8 vessels, perhaps 12 if everyone were med-moored. As a result most cruisers will be anchored off the marina for which there is a fee. The fuel dock was destroyed in the hurricane and it has not been replaced. The shower facilities were rebuilt.
Half-mile long canals, Marina Hemingway
The small marina at Trinidad can accommodate 4 to 6 transient vessels. This facility has floating docks. Access into the enclosed mangrove bay, however, is depth restricted so most visitors anchor out. Marina Cienfuegos has 8 or 9 transient slips alongside fixed cement docks. This is a popular location so many cruisers end up anchoring off the marina for which there is a charge.
Marina Cayo Largo del Sur in the Canerreos Archipelago is comprised of floating docks with finger piers. There is dockage for more than 24 boats. In such a remote location the chandlery has very limited supplies. There is, however, a deep-water fuel dock close by which services the ferries that bring in workers from Isla Juventud. The only other facility on the south coast is marina Siguanea on Isla Juventud but this one is severely draft restricted so anchoring is necessary but the anchorage is exposed.
All the marinas have on-site Guarda Frontera and they will need to sign your despacho (cruising permit), which you will have obtained at the port of entry.
Note: During a cold front the entrances to some of north shore marinas will close as conditions in the channels become hazardous.
Marina Hemingway ship chandlery. Good place for cheap rum
In 2012, the United States’ Dept. of the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) introduced the “People to People” educational exchange general license which allows U.S. tour operators to fly groups of American travellers to Cuba.
By 2014, American tourists were travelling to all parts of Cuba–including the remote coastal ports and famous diving locations on the south coast–Jardines de la Reina (Queens Garden).
In 2015/16 OFAC allows American flagged vessels to sail to Cuba for 14 days. There is no longer an application process as the permits previously needed for exporting a vessel that is going to Cuba is no longer required. In addition to the people-to-people general license, OFAC has issued 11 more general license categories for authorized travel.
American boaters should find at least one category that they fit into and therefore qualify for legal travel to Cuba. No paperwork is needed but one must maintain a journal of all activities while in Cuba and this must be retained for 5
years. Tourism is not one of the 12 categories. Since tourism is not permissible, the activities conducted in Cuba must fall within the guidelines of the OFAC categories. American passports are not stamped by Cuban immigration upon
entry.
Today, U.S. Coast Guard cutters that patrol the waters off the Florida Keys are not harassing boat traffic that is headed to or coming from Cuba.
Our 2014 expedition to Cuba was very rewarding. Not only did we enjoy the company of more cruisers, better food, access to day-to-day items that we couldn’t buy in other years but we also completed research for Volume 2 of the Cruising Guide to Cuba series. To do this, we covered a lot of ground including car trips into the interior in order to visit as many unique, out-of-the-way places as we could.
Mogote hills in Pinar del Rio province (western Cuba)
What stood out the most was the number of tourists that we encountered. There were buses loaded with visitors in colonial towns and villages and even cruise ships in remote ports that, until now, rarely saw foreigners. An upside to all this appears to be more restoration of Cuba’s beautiful historic buildings in places you wouldn’t expect. Helping this along is the fact that Cubans now own the home they live in. As a result of ownership there is more pride and – paint. Many of the ordinary stuccoed cinder block buildings have been brightened up in beautiful Caribbean pastels and surprisingly, many for sale signs.
The farther east we travelled the better the food became. Now that farmers are allowed to retain more cash received from the sale of their produce there is a huge incentive to grow more produce and more varieties. This year was the first time in our many visits to Cuba that we ate lamb (ovejo). It was mouth-watering when cooked in yerba buena (mint) sauce. We were delighted to find that, like the south coast, shrimp grow large and plentiful along Cuba’s northeast coast—look out Aussies, the Cubans are throwing shrimps on the barbie and they are positively delicious. At times, pork and chicken were the only meats offered. This is odd considering that cattle are grass-grazed by the thousands in Oriente (the eastern half of Cuba) but beef never makes it onto the table. It is still illegal for Cubans to eat beef and what little might be slaughtered makes it no further than a few hotels. And yet, some all-inclusive hotels apparently serve nothing but hot dogs. “Where’s the beef?” is another Cuban mystery yet to be solved.
Cuban street vendors selling fresh roast pork
The price for a good restaurant meal in a (paladar) was cheaper this year than in other years. Meals ranged from $1 to $10 Cuban Convertible Pesos (CUC) though you could pay much more for the same thing if you didn’t shop around. For $1 or $2 you can get fried pork, chicken or fish with seasonal salad, rice and plantain or malanga. For $10 it is possible to have a lobster supper with a mojito included. For about $20 per week a live aboard couple can eat very well provided they stick with fresh pork, organic produce, herbs and spices, eggs, bread and other food staples that are available from farm markets, street vendors and bodegas (ration stores where rationed items such as sugar, rice, beans are sold when available).
Diesel had increased to $1.40 per litre but it could be had on the black market for $0.90. Dockage rates remain unbeatable with an average price of 0.40/ft/day for a boat less than 45 feet. The customs fee to enter a boat into Cuba increased in early January 2014 to $55 (up from $20). This, however, includes the exit fee and the cruising permit which were sold separately—still a bargain compared to the Bahamas and many other Caribbean islands. And compared to Mexico, the check-in procedure is a breeze.
The above-noted prices are in Cuban Convertible Pesos. In 2014, the average exchange rate for the Canadian dollars was 1.14. After the 10% discount on the USD the exchange on that was also about 1.14. National Pesos (MN) (used for all local purchases including some restaurants) were exchanged at a rate of 1 Convertible for 24 Nationals. Cuba is planning on reverting back to the Peso National as its single currency. This may occur as early as summer 2014. Credit cards are still not widely accepted but there are more ATM machines in the large tourist centres. Since cash remains king in Cuba, banks are open 7 days a week.
At the customs dock in Marina Hemingway preparing to check out
There has been no change to the cruising restrictions on foreign vessels. Entering into pocket bays, anchoring off villages and going ashore is still not possible. Fortunately, the coastline is so extensive and sparsely populated that there remain plenty of cruising options and places to go where these limitations have little affect—this is particularly true on the south coast.
One of the most remarkable cruising grounds on the east coast of North America is Atlantic Canada. To get there follow the Down East Circle Route and then spend some time exploring the Canadian Maritimes. The Down East Circle Route is a 2,400 nautical mile, clockwise loop route that begins with the Erie Barge Canal in New York State. It continues into Lake Ontario, the St. Lawrence River and Seaway and into the Gulf of St. Lawrence. From the gulf, one has many cruising options: southern Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island and coastal New Brunswick, the wonderful Bras d’Or Lakes on Cape Breton Island and mainland Nova Scotia.
Whether you have six weeks or the entire summer, whether your boat is a rugged offshore vessel or a light coastal cruiser, the Down East Circle Route is for you. Set your course for the Canadian Maritimes via the spectacular Down East Circle Route—it’s the most logical way to take your boat down east.
Back at home, friends and family will enjoy tales of dramatic fjords, white whales, seabirds too numerous to count, the joie de vivre of Québec’s French culture and cuisine, historic cities and warm Maritime hospitality, of dining on fresh seafood such as shrimp, snow crab and lobster and delicious French pastries, breads and specialty meats. There is no other North American cruise that can boast such a blend of experiences.
Yacht Pilot cruising guides for the Down East Circle Route and the Canadian Maritimes provides cruising directions for yachtsmen seeking an adventure and the rewards that the most beautiful and unspoiled cruising ground on the eastern seaboard of North America has to offer. More specifically, the guides provide the small boat skipper with sailing directions for easy passages by providing pertinent information on navigation, playing the currents and the weather patterns. It gives information on marinas and anchorages, points of interest and where to find supplies and services.
The information contained in our comprehensive cruising guides has been collected and compiled by the most knowledgeable people in the marine industry in eastern Canada. We are always on the water and we look forward to seeing you Down East.
The current that runs northward along Florida’s east coast is officially named the Florida Current and not the Gulf Stream, a name most boaters tend to use. Call it what you will, whether bound for the Bahamas or headed to Mexico or Cuba either way this virtual river must be crossed.
The rule of thumb—do not to cross the Gulf Stream during a cold front—in other words when the wind is northerly. North winds create a terrible wind-over-tide effect in the Gulf Stream resulting in a motion that could be described as “putting your boat in a washing machine”. In addition, seas pile up on the Cuban coast making for extremely rough conditions at the entrances to ports and harbour. The entrances are often closed in a strong front. After a cold front has past the seas settle quickly and prevailing easterlies return. The best weather window for crossing the Gulf Stream to Cuba is to have easterly winds of 15 to 18 knots or less.
Your best strategy is to make the crossing during the night, when the winds tend to be light, and reach the coast of Cuba in the morning. The axis of the Gulf Stream will be encountered at approximately 50 nautical miles south of the Florida Keys here the current can attain a velocity upwards of 2.5 knots. The roughest part of this crossing will be approximately 10 miles before reaching the axis and 10 miles after you have crossed it especially if the wind is gusting. Don’t be concerned about compensating for the current. You can easily make back your westing in the morning close to the Cuban coast. Here, you may find a west flowing counter-current.
On our many crossings from the Florida Keys to Cuba, our strategy is this… we depart Marathon and cruise west through Hawk Channel. Our timing is such that we arrive off Key West just before dark. At sunset we head onto a course of about 203°T. In the morning, we awake to see the Havana skyline and then alter course to head for the fairway buoy off Marina Hemingway. We have made about 23 crossings and on a few occasions have detected no current in the Gulf Stream! The crossing from Marathon to Varadero is also easy when taken under the same favourable conditions.
Few navigational aids have been established among Cuba’s reefs. Therefore, navigation in the coral waters is almost entirely dependent upon visual sightings through the water and the sea conditions for which reefs can easily be seen.
North Coast
The rule of thumb—do not to cross the Gulf Stream during a cold front—in other words when the wind is northerly. North winds create a terrible wind-over-tide effect in the Gulf Stream resulting in a motion that could be described as “putting your boat in a washing machine”. In addition, seas pile up on the Cuban coast making for extremely rough conditions at the entrances to ports and harbour. The entrances are often closed in a strong front. After a cold front has past the seas settle quickly and prevailing easterlies return. The best weather window for crossing the Gulf Stream to Cuba is to have easterly winds of 15 to 18 knots or less.