Sailing to Cuba
 

"Mys Terry" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 10 May 2006 09:30:51 -0700, "Capt. JG"
wrote:

US Citizens aren't aren't barred from going to Cuba, but they can't spend
any money there and the hassle is quite great.

That was true quite a while back. It is no longer true. The US can
sieze a boat permanently if they merely suspect it might be capable
and/or planning to go to Cuba. There is no "due process" involved.
They can just stop you and take your boat at their discretion from any
place in US waters. You don't even have to be anywhere near Cuba, or
pointed in that direction.

I'm beginning to think that maybe Castro asked W to ban Americans from
visiting Cuba in order to keep his island from turning into another USVI.

Max

Sailing to Cuba
 

wrote in message
oups.com...

I know that Morgan Stinemetz, a Florida sportswriter, sailed to Havana
last year. He had what is called a "general license" as a journalist.
His adventures, and much other info on Cuba sailing are on the web
site:

http://www.cubacruising.net/index.html

I am also shooting for a general license as a writer. This requires
that you can document that you were in Cuba for professional reasons,
but you don't have to apply in advance. Obviously a geat plus. A
Canadian couple I talked to happily cruised the North coast of Cuba for
three weeks. They sailed back not to Key West, but to the Dry Tortugas.
They hung out there for a week, and then sailed to Key West. Nobody
stopped them or asked any questions. I don't believe they volunteered
information themselves.

Perhaps that Canadian flag flying from the main roach had something to do
with that.

Technically the embargo is administered by a branch of the Treasury
called the Office of Foreign Assets Control, or OFAC. Being Dutch, I
somethimes have trouble with the correct pronunciation, but I thinks it
is "Oh f..k!"

LOL. I think you got it right.

Max

Sailing to Cuba
 

"Capt. JG" wrote in message
...
Cuba is supposed to be a great place. It's on my list of places to visit.

Send us your cell number at San Quentin and we'll send some chocolate chip
cookies. :-)

Max

Sailing to Cuba
 

This idiot, who is pretending to be someone else's wife, is wrong. It's best
to just ignore him. I posted the links from the gov't site. It is possible
for a US citizen to travel to Cuba legally.

--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com

"Maxprop" wrote in message
k.net...

"Mys Terry" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 10 May 2006 09:30:51 -0700, "Capt. JG"
wrote:

US Citizens aren't aren't barred from going to Cuba, but they can't spend
any money there and the hassle is quite great.

That was true quite a while back. It is no longer true. The US can
sieze a boat permanently if they merely suspect it might be capable
and/or planning to go to Cuba. There is no "due process" involved.
They can just stop you and take your boat at their discretion from any
place in US waters. You don't even have to be anywhere near Cuba, or
pointed in that direction.

I'm beginning to think that maybe Castro asked W to ban Americans from
visiting Cuba in order to keep his island from turning into another USVI.

Max

Sailing to Cuba
 

Why? It's not illegal for US citizens to travel to Cuba.

I would rather you bake me a cake with a file in it. I know a nice approach
from the bay. :-)

--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com

"Maxprop" wrote in message
nk.net...

"Capt. JG" wrote in message
...
Cuba is supposed to be a great place. It's on my list of places to visit.

Send us your cell number at San Quentin and we'll send some chocolate chip
cookies. :-)

Max

Sailing to Cuba
 

No good on you geert. I've ordered one of your novels BTW.

I'll keep you up to date, I plan on spending nothing in Cuba, no way
would I let that commie ******* Castro profit off my cruising ventures.
I taking a trunk load of blue jeans to barter for cigars and rum. Going
to load the boat with spam and squirty cheese.

Capt. Suzy
35s5
NY

Sailing to Cuba
 

Thanks, that's very useful. My Canadian friends were perfectly legal,
as you pointed out, and prepasred to answer any questions, but also
happy to avoid the hassle. I am Dutch, but a US resident. So I have to
deal with the embargo.

Did the Coast Guard cutter that was on your tail also question you
about the standard things like number of life jackets, holding tank,
flares, etc.?

Geert

http://www.geertvanderkolk.com

Sailing to Cuba
 

No. I'm sure the routine safety items, etc. would have been handled
quite thoroughly, had we been boarded, including what direction our
'Y' valves were pointed.

The 'proctology exam' we got over the VHF focused upon who all of us
were (Captain and crew), where we'd been, where we were going, and
upon ownership of the boat.

They also asked for my date of birth. I had been expecting a birthday
card from them, but they missed it last year. My chances of receiving
one this year seem to be a bit more remote.

Sailing to Cuba
 

"PrefersOffshore" wrote in message
oups.com...
No. I'm sure the routine safety items, etc. would have been handled
quite thoroughly, had we been boarded, including what direction our
'Y' valves were pointed.

The 'proctology exam' we got over the VHF focused upon who all of us
were (Captain and crew), where we'd been, where we were going, and
upon ownership of the boat.

They also asked for my date of birth. I had been expecting a birthday
card from them, but they missed it last year. My chances of receiving
one this year seem to be a bit more remote.

This sounds more like potential drug interdiction than the usual anti-Cuba
patrol. Ever since the USCG became the anti-trafficking cops, they've been
worthless for nearly everything else. You must have convinced them you
weren't a trafficker, or they'd have ushered you into port somewhere.

Max

Sailing to Cuba
 

Tough call as to why. I expect just curiousity on their part. Due to
conditions, over 25 kts sustained and gusts in lower to mid 30's, we
were the only recreational boat out there. They just wanted to know
what our business was, since most people wouldn't think that to be
much fun. At the Tortugas, many commercial fishermen stayed in a
few more days until the wind came down. Had the prettiest fresh
grouper for dinner the second night at Garden Key - generous pair
of fishermen, would take nothing for it, so we returned the favor the
next day with a complete roast port dinner.

Drugs - Immigration - Cuba - Terrorism. The USCC has their hands
full and is doing the best they can with what they've got. I applaud
them, and felt no 'infringement' of my rights by their inquiry, which
was 'all business', and no monkey business or power tripping
screwin' around.