Even though it may be "legal" for some to travel to Cuba there is still
NO American Embassy there, nor does the Cuban government give you any rights there..
Meaning if you look at someone the wrong way and they decided to lose
you in a deep hole your on your own...
Plenty of better places to spend your money safely I would think.

I think as Bob stated, to go for the experience of a untouched world would be neat. For vacation maybe not yet. I would love to walk the ballrooms and look at the old decor, see the old city before it does change. I think this will be slow to grow and change. Cuba may go through a "it's a new thing" for Fl residence to visit but that excitement may die off shortly after it starts. Or the gov there will make so unpleasant with fees that the US won't want to travel there.

As for going as a boater or group, I would think it could be as a simple as starting a llc or some sort of company online that offers aid. I just wonder how customs will like the boaters hand delivering said aid, on both sides.

This is what most people do not fathom.

This is not a place to screw around.

If you act like a wild drunken Spring Breaker you will end up getting hauled away in a big big way. I witnessed it happening to some French guys that were getting out of control in the Square.

Made me think hot and heavy how alone and screwed you are over there if they pick you up/

And don't even began to think about any Drugs over there , they will throw away the key.

Marina Heming Way was packed with American boats only 10 years ago .

When Bush set his foot down and they started trying to prosecute sailors who raced in the Marina Heming way sponsored Key West to Havanna Race is when everything dried up there.


The Marina is a Wreck. Hell when my buddy arrived in the Marina he would pay the guys to cut the grass because he hated it looking so run down and he enjoyed sharing his wealth.

have you ever witnessed 25 acres mowed with a WeedWhacker?

Got to be every time he arrived there was a group of servants at his disposal.

I might finally be getting somewhere with this. I spoke with one Customs officer who could only direct me to a website that answered general questions which was not much help. I tried calling the Key West office on Simonton Street and for most of the day there was no answer which was no surprise as I know it is not always staffed. So this evening I got through and the officer that took my call gave me the name of the specific officer to speak with tomorrow and says he can help. So we will see what tomorrow brings. I will have a bit of time in the morning but travelling all afternoon. Will post what I find out.

Actually we found Marina Hemingway to be rather tidy as well as the whole city. ( see pics ) Maybe they knew we were coming ! LOL With the buildings in Havana deteriorating you would think that there would be rubble found on the streets and sidewalks but not so. We found it to very clean and remember commenting on that.

As Tommy mentioned if you go there as spring breakers and / or take drugs there you may have a heap of trouble. If you show respect to them you will get the same respect in return. There is no visible drug problem there and little crime. We saw none and felt very safe on the streets even at night. I walked several blocks downtown at night by myself and never once felt threatened. The people as I said before are curious, friendly and want to help. On our arrival they put a drug dog on the boat, searched every suitcase and compartment on the boat and of course there was no issue. The only other country in the Caribbean to do such a search on us was the Dominican Republic. The dockmaster said to me " next time you come back, contact me first and you will have none of these hassles. "

Bob

So today I finally got to speak with someone in the US Customs & Border Protection / Homeland Security office in Key West that was very helpful and took me through the process for anyone wanting to go to Cuba with their boat. It can be done but is not as simple as what the newspapers would have us believe and the process is somewhat onerous and will take time and planning.

Permission is required from the US Department of Commerce BIS ( Bureau of Industry & Security ) as well as permission from the US Coast Guard in Miami to enter the territorial waters of Cuba. With the Department of Commerce, he stated you need a temporary sojourn license which requires a very detailed application and approval process. He said the Coast Guard permission is pretty straight forward to get. Once those permissions are obtained you have to report to Homeland Security in Key West prior to departure and they will search your boat to make sure you are not taking any prohibited items to Cuba then on your return check in with them when they will go through your boat again and make sure you are not importing anything that is prohibited and that you do not exceed your $ 400.00 limit or exceed limits for alcohol or tobacco.

He also made it clear that tourism is not allowed under the new rules and that each person going on a boat must be on the application and a participant in the allowed category that you are going under and not just tagging along. He did say that once you were there, that they would not have any way of knowing whether you actually did some touristy things or not so thought that was generous of him. LOL.

So who is going first ? It sounds like too much hassle for me and much easier to go to the Bahamas so that is where I have my sights set on over the next few months. Eventually it should get easier but will take some time yet by the looks of it.

Bob

dont disagree with you bob but us US citizens cant go unless we meet one of those requirements


Julian

My wife Isn't much interested, but I'm all in for a lunch or weekend trip. Heck the ability to legally bring back $400 worth of unmolested Montecristo #4's does it for me. :cool-smiley-011:

Great info Bob. I'm doing some further reading on filling the BIS application.

Cool. Let us know how extensive the BIS app is. I don't plan on spending much more time on it for now. Watch what you bring back tho. It is $ 400 total of which amount would include up to $ 100 in alcohol AND tobacco products.

Bob