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01-01-2015, 07:53 PM
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#1
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Veteran Member
City: Charleston to Bahamas
Vessel Name: Adirondack
Vessel Model: Monk 36
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 39
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Trawlers to Cuba, 2016
Cuba has loosened up a bit, but US citizens still can't legally go to and from Cuba and insurance is either impossible or impossibly expensive. There are some good cruising books, but not many Active Captain entries. I'm hoping to go there next year with a few other boats. It would be nice to have someone that speaks Spanish in the bunch. There has to be a lot more collective knowledge about the place. Write your legislators and insurance company. It could really be quite the destination before MacDonalds, Marriott, and all the other chains get there.
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01-01-2015, 09:13 PM
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#2
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Scraping Paint
City: Full-time onboard
Vessel Model: Trawler
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 929
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ActiveCaptain has 16 marina listings for Cuba which, as far as I know, is all of the public facilities available. I haven't come across one yet that isn't in the database already. Almost all have reviews with up to 10 of them already. I totally agree that it isn't much but it's a good start.
There are probably a dozen anchorages documented which isn't much. But anchoring is pretty much not allowed in Cuba - you need special approval today - so there isn't a lot of anchoring done.
I've noticed some hazards already in the database too along with some other local knowledge markers.
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01-02-2015, 08:15 AM
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#3
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TF Site Team
City: Jacksonville
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 11,682
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Here's a link for a "free", on-line, 534 page cruising guide for Cuba.
Cuba Cruising Guide
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01-02-2015, 09:26 AM
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#4
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Guru
City: Tampa, FL
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 672
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Can't hurt to write your legislators, but I will be absolutely shocked if any meaningful changes happen before the 2016 elections.
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01-21-2015, 06:08 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
City: Cape Cod, MA or Fort Myers, FL
Vessel Name: Osprey
Vessel Model: Her Shine. Newburyport
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 389
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Just watched the NBC network news.. Sounded like things are moving quickly. I would like to see Cuba before McDonalds and Walmart.
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01-22-2015, 07:53 AM
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#6
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Guru
City: Little River SC
Vessel Name: JAZ
Vessel Model: Ta Chaio/CT35
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 716
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Capecodder
Just watched the NBC network news.. Sounded like things are moving quickly. I would like to see Cuba before McDonalds and Walmart.
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Amen brother!
__________________
Tracy & Susie Hellman 1985 Ta Chiao CT 35
Twin Lehman Super 90's Cummins Onan 5kw
Lightkeepers Marina -Little River, SC
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01-22-2015, 08:16 AM
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#7
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Veteran Member
City: Key West
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 86
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Cuba Travel
I was fortunate to visit Cuba last month (December, 2014). Havana is a majestic city despite decay and neglect. The people are the real treasures - friendly, resilient and hopeful, despite their hardscrabble existence. I also fear the changes that may come with the lifting of travel restrictions. FYI - I was there on a people-to-people cultural exchange.
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01-22-2015, 09:25 AM
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#8
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Guru
City: Fort Pierce
Vessel Name: Florita Ann
Vessel Model: 1982 Present
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 1,935
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Capecodder
Just watched the NBC network news.. Sounded like things are moving quickly. I would like to see Cuba before McDonalds and Walmart.
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Yep.....when the first WalMart opens the whole place will go to hell.
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01-23-2015, 09:41 AM
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#9
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Guru
City: Hill Country TX/S.Portland Maine
Vessel Name: bout’ time
Vessel Model: Grady White 282 Sailfish
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 642
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Uncleg44
I was fortunate to visit Cuba last month (December, 2014). Havana is a majestic city despite decay and neglect. The people are the real treasures - friendly, resilient and hopeful, despite their hardscrabble existence. I also fear the changes that may come with the lifting of travel restrictions. FYI - I was there on a people-to-people cultural exchange.
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I was there last year on the same type of trip, I loved the place
__________________
..."some gave all, KIA"...
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01-23-2015, 12:00 PM
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#10
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Guru
City: Stuart FL
Vessel Name: Lucky Lucky
Vessel Model: Pacific Mariner 65
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 2,760
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When the first Walmart and McDonald's open, perhaps the people will have jobs.
__________________
Howard
Lucky Lucky
Stuart, FL
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01-23-2015, 12:30 PM
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#11
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Guru
City: Fort Lauderdale. Florida, USA
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 21,449
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Quote:
Originally Posted by hmason
When the first Walmart and McDonald's open, perhaps the people will have jobs.
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And actually be able to buy the things they need.
If you think of Cuba as a tropical tourist paradise you may overlook the reality of conditions there and the needs of the people.
Now, that said, we're nowhere close to US investments in Cuban businesses.
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01-23-2015, 03:43 PM
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#12
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Master and Commander
City: Vallejo CA
Vessel Name: Carquinez Coot
Vessel Model: penultimate Seahorse Marine Coot hull #6
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 12,559
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mule
Yep.....when the first WalMart opens the whole place will go to hell.
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Walmart would be a godsend for the Cuban political elites and some tourists. A frequent question of off-loading passengers is "where's the nearest Walmart?"
Regardless, I was downhearted on my last visit to Puerto Vallarta because a Walmart adjacent to the harbor had been constructed since the last visit several years earlier. There had been lots of new commercial construction: changed the entire character of the harbor area. Hardly recognized the place.
The Walmart is to the left of this photo:
http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/W...allarta_Mexico
__________________
Kar-KEEN-ez Koot
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01-23-2015, 03:54 PM
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#13
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Moderator Emeritus
City: St. Marks, Florida
Vessel Name: Morgan
Vessel Model: Gulfstar 36
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 3,673
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Uncleg44
I was fortunate to visit Cuba last month (December, 2014). The people are the real treasures - friendly, resilient and hopeful, despite their hardscrabble existence. I also fear the changes that may come with the lifting of travel restrictions.
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I totally agree with you. I really, really hate to see it become a tourist destination, while of course at the same time having to (reluctantly) admit that the cash coming in from the gawkers is needed. I am glad that I was able to visit it a couple of times on the sailboat (1996 and 1997).
__________________
John
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01-23-2015, 04:03 PM
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#14
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Master and Commander
City: Vallejo CA
Vessel Name: Carquinez Coot
Vessel Model: penultimate Seahorse Marine Coot hull #6
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 12,559
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jwnall
I totally agree with you. I really, really hate to see it become a tourist destination, while of course at the same time having to (reluctantly) admit that the cash coming in from the gawkers is needed. I am glad that I was able to visit it a couple of times on the sailboat (1996 and 1997).
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Did you travel there on business or for pleasure (tourism)? ...
Cuba is already a tourist destination. Per Wikipedia "Cuba recorded 2,688,000 international tourists in 2011, the third-highest figure in the Caribbean (behind the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico." Most tourists are from Canada and Western Europe.
__________________
Kar-KEEN-ez Koot
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01-23-2015, 04:28 PM
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#15
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Guru
City: Fort Lauderdale. Florida, USA
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 21,449
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jwnall
I totally agree with you. I really, really hate to see it become a tourist destination, while of course at the same time having to (reluctantly) admit that the cash coming in from the gawkers is needed. I am glad that I was able to visit it a couple of times on the sailboat (1996 and 1997).
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I find it somewhat ironic that so many don't want it "to become" a tourist destination when that's exacly what it was previously.
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01-23-2015, 05:15 PM
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#16
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Guru
City: Hotel, CA
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 8,323
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BandB
I find it somewhat ironic that so many don't want it "to become" a tourist destination when that's exacly what it was previously.
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And to a large extent never stopped being in the "big city". The only thing that changed was US tourists slowed to a trickle.
Walmart would be heaven sent to the average Cuban citizen as it would be a reliable source for a change. Fresh groceries, gas and almost every consumer product you can list is purchased from the black market as it's far better stocked, especially in the impoverished rural areas that have no idea what a tourist looks like. Not all areas of Cuba look like the post cards.
I do agree with a previous poster regarding the people, not much to dislike about real salt of the earth folks. If the politics of that nation ever change I believe those people could teach all of us a thing or two about entrepreneurship and a can do attitude.
__________________
Craig
It's easier to fool people than to convince them that they've been fooled - Mark Twain
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01-23-2015, 08:40 PM
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#17
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Guru
City: Sarasota/Ft. Lauderdale
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 5,438
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CPseudonym
If the politics of that nation ever change I believe those people could teach all of us a thing or two about entrepreneurship and a can do attitude.
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They already have, it's called Miami.
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01-23-2015, 09:12 PM
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#18
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Master and Commander
City: Vallejo CA
Vessel Name: Carquinez Coot
Vessel Model: penultimate Seahorse Marine Coot hull #6
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 12,559
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Yeah. The Cuban entrepreneurs had their assets confiscated and thus escaped to the US. Most all working Cubans have, since the communist takeover, been government workers compensated for a few dollars a month. Does the country brag about income equality, like $400 a month for the typical worker and $700 a month for a medical doctor?
Most all foreigners, both here and in their countries, whom I've met are regular/nice people. Humanity has much in common.
__________________
Kar-KEEN-ez Koot
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01-24-2015, 04:46 PM
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#19
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Veteran Member
City: Charleston to Bahamas
Vessel Name: Adirondack
Vessel Model: Monk 36
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 39
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I just started a Facebook group called "Cruising Cuba." Join to get or contribute. Write your legislators.
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