Miami to Cuba?
 

Always thought this was off limits.. sitting at the bar yesterday, A couple was talking about a trip they just took to Cuba in there 30' scarab.. i would have usually write this off to BS but it was a group of four with pictures to prove it.. guy stated to me he left Miami to Bimini and then jumped over to Cuba, told me all you do is radio in and let them know ur entering waters toward Hemingway marine.. you clear customs pay fees and your good to go.. told me there's always tons of american boats and yachts parked there.. told me you get no dirty looks just nice people and told me to tip well and you will have no issues? has anyone ever done this? can this be confirmed? would be a nice little trip if possible im thinking..

Bob should chime in and give you a link to his many treads about many different trips similar to this, and even more!!!!

Bobs a Canadian, little different.

Do they stamp your passport when you enter?

I have done the Bimini Hop with a 27 center console with twin outboards before. You should really be sure of the weather and you will be fine. Did not go to Cuba, but many people I know have with good results, just don't utter anything political and spend lots of money.

Do not chance the weather, if your not good for days don't do it.

As a Canadian, I'd love to do the trip. Let me know when you want to go. Maybe Bob the Builder will come too.

I've done the hop to Bimini .. I know weathers a huge factor .. But Cubas my next vac.. Lol excess ill let you keno when were making the jump..

Smoke a stogie for me! It's time to ease restrictions on travel to Cuba for Americans.

I did it in 1980 with a friend in Miami. He went to pick up family at Mariel. He had a 45 Hatteras and thought he was only picking up 4 members of his family...Cuban thugs made us bring back 12 additional scumbags that 2: ended up getting killed before we got back to Florida. Bad memories....I would love to do that trip under better circumstances.

The name of the Hatteras wasn't "The 5 B's" was it?

What's the deal with the weather? Like it can pop up and you are dead?

Sorry, I'm from Kansas.

I heard it was difficult to insure your boat. So if anything happened you would be SOL

Well I am sure you have heard stories about the Bermuda Triangle before right?

When a big weather high is sitting on top of you and the ocean lays down it can be as smooth as a babies butt. You can make the Bimini hop in less than an hour on a small fishing boat.

In less than perfect weather, you can get suckered into a nice ride and things turn to crap in an instant. I've been in 12 foot seas in a 53' Hatteras and it took what seemed forever to get home and was scared to death.

Many a boat has just gone missing in this area. The weather is no joke.

I assume the weather service information tells you it could be bad an people still get sucked in.

I wish it was simple as that. Stuff just pops up out of nowhere many times, it's not like you can see it coming or plan every time. An hour later, all is good again.

Pilots have to deal with this too. Electronics crap out, I have heard stories of a compass spinning spookie stories some true some legend.

I talked to a guy that went there for a fishing turnny..... Seemed like it was no big deal to him... He loved it there. He had tons of pics ... And cool stuff he bought.

From what I understand, Cuba is now fair game for Americans as long as you are in in another country first.

If this is the case I want to start planning a trip.

I hate that here in Tampa we have just about daily flights to Cuba and we can not get on any of them at all.

OSO goes to Cuba!!!

im up for this cuba trip!! heard most of it is like 1950s us. would be cool to see!!

There is something about Cuba that always interests me.....on the bucket list!

Just like others have said, Cuba is now fair game, it just must be entered through a different country. Many people fly into Toronto then on to Cuba, They generally just stamp a piece of paper in your passport, then you remove it when you leave.

I cross from West Palm to Freeport a few times a year and you have to pick your day relative to weather. If you watch the fronts as they approach the Florida Peninsula and the Bahamas you can forecast it yourself.

If the area is under high pressure for severaldays you are generally good to go...if there is an approaching front...stay home.

cant wait.. something about Cuba that interests me, wanna do a little more research before i commit myself.. but everything ive read tells me its pretty straight forward.. its ganna be interesting.

I just saw your thread now. Maybe go thru my thread and will learn a lot. Cuban authorities will not stamp your passport if you ask them not to. They understand why. If you do go by boat, be sure to call the dockmaster at Marina Hemingway in advance and you will not have the problems with entry like we did. It's a long way around via Bahamas. Good luck, Bob

http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/g...vana-cuba.html

I agree with Bob and Perlmudder on the no stamp required.

I go to Jamaica fairly often, and have been offered a Cuba day trip from Mo Bay a couple times. So I checked into that stamp question with a local charter who said not an issue entering Cuba as an American from there. They are not interested in your passport, only that you brought some U.S dollars to spend.

Posts on popular sailing forums tend to agree, but also several have posted about being questioned by USCG on the way back to FL. Main tip I've read is don't use your CC while there cause that will most likely get ya nasty letter when ya get home... Besides that, everyone I've spoken with who's done it says it's a great place to chill for cheap. So I'll ride with ya, any route ya wanta go...

Because the weather forecasts are never wrong. :party-smiley-004:

There are a couple factors with the weather down there. One of the wave controlling factors is the direction of the wind, on shore or off shore and just 180º can make it like a calm lake to a raging ocean. Another factor, sometimes the storms just stay over land not moving and other times the storms stay over the water not moving, either way airmass thunderstorms tend not to move much if at all. Then lastly is the squalls, usually a little easier to predict due to a pushing force usually in the form of a cold front and they usually pack the meanest punch. Then one last factor are the tides and currents as if you don't have enough to worry about.

A lot more to consider weather wise than what is served up at LOTO. :lolhit:

It's not what country you go to before Cuba it's the one you leave from after.

how far is it across there? Was wondering what kind of fuel capacity a twin engine bout would need to make the trip?

90 miles from Key West but that is the short leg. Coming home through the Bahamas is the long leg

Ok Im ready but I will have an AK on board just incase there are pirates! lol For real it would be great if we could get at least 5 boats so we could run together incase something happened to a boat we would not be stranded!!!!!!!

Just fly there through Mexico or the Bahamas. you wouldn't want to miss the experience of riding on Cuba's 1st rate old Russian airliners anyways.

Besides once you get there it's not like you are going to bomb around all over the water down and around the coast.

Once you arrive you are there, and the boat stays put until you are ready to leave, unless you want to go through the whole checkout and check in process for a day ride

With the new normalized relations with Cuba, this could be a common run from the keys to Cuba.

No raft up on the key west off day next year?? Havana run!!!

Hell ya, that would make a great poker run event. The Cohiba Classic !!

First one back to the Miami dock with a sealed box wins the pot....

Big Sugar will never let it happen.

I am sure they don't like the idea. Funny some people don't know that south Florida grows cane! Found that out the other day after I got back from a U.S. Sugar plant and the person I was talking to had no idea.

There is billions of Acres of Cane fields in Cuba that are not be used because of the Embargo.

This is the number 1 export to the US from Cuba.

It is an absolute Crime that the U.S. allows this continual burning of the Cane fields in Central Florida. I was working on a big sailboat restoration out in the Glades and the endless fiberglass and paint dust was nothing compared to choking on the smoke from the Cane fields .

Not to mention the wispy Soot everywhere that you have to deal with.

This is looking like a very nice run!!!!, we gotta find out what the new requirements are? And when they take effect ..

I to have been curious if the new rules will allow for a havanna trip.

Anything ever come of this Cuba trip? I was just talking about this with another boater that does it regularly. I too am curious about fuel, speed of the pack, trouble on the water, in port, leaving, entering back. This is a trip I have always wanted to do. Seems the more boats the better.