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.
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.
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.
