According to the USCG Website, permit is required only for vessels traveling
from US territorial waters to Cuban territorial water. Site
(http://www.uscg.mil/USCG.shtm) says :"The Coast Guard has new restrictions for
U.S. vessels and vessels without nationality less than 100 meters long traveling
to Cuba. These vessels must have a Coast Guard-issued permit in order to travel
from U.S. territorial waters to Cuban territorial waters. The regulation,
published today, replaces a previous three-mile security zone around the Florida
Peninsula."
"Skip Gundlach" wrote:

Reading the commentary to date suggests that one not actually leaving the US
(that is, intentionally departing to foreign shores) and not entering
(intentionally or not) Cuban waters is exempt from this stuff?

Conversely, anyone intentionally departing (such as for Mexico, Bahamas or
Bermuda, common destinations from US ports, or, very commonly, USVI to BVI)
has to declare such departure, somehow?

Not of immediate interest, but certainly of proximate interest, as we'll
have to leave FL once we splash, and we'll most likely go either to Mexico
or Bahamas to be able to document such departure to the FL DOR within the 30
days allowed...

L8R

Skip and Lydia