Cuba : Profile

Facts

In recent years more yachts have begun to visit Cuba as the authorities have started to encourage tourism, although experiences seem to vary greatly, some yachts managing to cruise along the coast with little restriction, while others have had to visit the country by land, their yachts being confined to their port of entry. Unfortunately the situation has not improved greatly and in fact is in some ways now stricter.
With the increasing number of yachts visiting Cuba, the entry procedures have been modified. Yachts may now only clear in at a port of entry that also has a marina facility.
New marinas built for sports fishermen have made life easier, and at present any sailor following the correct procedures should expect few problems.
US yachts are not forbidden from cruising in Cuba, but if they do not obtain a licence from the US Treasury Department and permission from the US Coast Guard, they may experience difficulties when returning to the USA (see under United States entry). This situation may change if relations between the two countries are normalised.
Once the country re-opens to cruising, it will quickly become a popular destination. Because the island runs in a general SE-NW direction and the prevailing winds are easterly, ideally one should sail along Cuba's coasts in a counterclockwise direction.
Yachting is still in its infancy and as there are very few locally owned sailing boats, repair facilities are limited.
The US still maintains a military base at Guantanamo Bay on the SE extremity of the island. This port should only be entered in an absolute emergency.
Although not officially permitted, gifts of clothes, shoes, eye glasses or household items are very welcome by the Cuban people.

The climate is subtropical with November to April, the cooler dry season, being the most pleasant. The rest of the year is often humid, rainy and very hot and the hurricane season is from June to November.