"Cuba Anyone" ??

Here is a interesting blog. I follow a lot of the Ranger tug blogs as a trailerable trawler intrigues me.

http://odendahls.com/roam/Cuba.pdf
I met this couple back in 2012 when they were in Houghton, MI. The had just bought that Lifesling and were trying to figure out how to use it. He was figuring out where was the best place to attach to the boat and then show her how to use it.

I hollered over to them, how you going to know if it works if you don't try to lift someone. I could see there was no way he was going to teach her and be in the water at the same time, so I volunteered to be their test dummy. That Lifesling wasn't much. He could barely pull me up, she didn't even try. He was a bit disappointed in it but showing some optimism he said 'well, it's better than nothing'.
 
We visited Cuba a couple of years ago. Thankfully not with the boat. We loved Havana. Hemingway Marina I believe is the only place to dock. Our guide took us there to check it out. The thought was to maybe return by boat one day. The marina is about a 20 minute car ride from Havana. Nothing really near the marina. Not something I would do after seeing the facilities.... or lack there of.
Havana could be an amazing destination if they built a marina in the Harbor that is right there. Presently, it is boatless and very industrial looking. So much potential.....
 
Many are fooled into thinking it’s a tropical paradise. Most Americans have no concept of what life under a communist dictatorship is like.

As far as I’m concerned the only reason I would boat down would be to bring political refugees back.

You need a boat that can handle long range cruise, twins, and take pounding of 6fters minimum.

I prefer the Keys.
 
Many are fooled into thinking it’s a tropical paradise. Most Americans have no concept of what life under a communist dictatorship is like.

As far as I’m concerned the only reason I would boat down would be to bring political refugees back.

You need a boat that can handle long range cruise, twins, and take pounding of 6fters minimum.

I prefer the Keys.

The all-inclusive resorts in Cuba give foreigners a false view of how bad the rest of Cuba is. I have no idea why anyone would want to go there unless going to a resort. My in-laws went every winter for a few years. They brought down two extra suitcases of toilet paper and baby diapers to give to the resort cleaning staff because it was bringing luxury gifts to them. Not on my list as a bucket list boating destination.
 
We were lucky enough to be there on a cruise ship in 2018.
In lieu of the cruiseline's excursion, I contacted a local touring company and requested we that visit local favorites (not the tourist traps). It was the best way to get to Cuba, and interact with the locals.
Our guide found an out of the way cantina and we drank with the locals late on a warm evening.
Our guide put us contact with a driver. The old car ('58 chevy converted to diesel) was owned by the driver and the pride of keeping that old beauty running was obvious. I speak enough spanish to ask him about the modifications and he lit up talking about it.
We toured a cigar factory. Our guide had connections with the floor manager and after the standard front of house tour, we walked the factory floor and I chatted with the workers (this was clearly not a normal occurrence). I don't smoke but it was fascinating to learn about the process. So exacting process and those folks worked hard.

It was an unforgettable trip. While we are not enamored with the government of Cuba, we have no issue with her people. The people were great and we hoped to make an impact and leave a positive experience of our country with those we met. We tipped the folks we met with quite well, knowing that a small tip from us represents months of work for their family. If things change politically, I would encourage you all to visit.
 
We were lucky enough to be there on a cruise ship in 2018.
In lieu of the cruiseline's excursion, I contacted a local touring company and requested we that visit local favorites (not the tourist traps). It was the best way to get to Cuba, and interact with the locals.
Our guide found an out of the way cantina and we drank with the locals late on a warm evening.
Our guide put us contact with a driver. The old car ('58 chevy converted to diesel) was owned by the driver and the pride of keeping that old beauty running was obvious. I speak enough spanish to ask him about the modifications and he lit up talking about it.
We toured a cigar factory. Our guide had connections with the floor manager and after the standard front of house tour, we walked the factory floor and I chatted with the workers (this was clearly not a normal occurrence). I don't smoke but it was fascinating to learn about the process. So exacting process and those folks worked hard.

It was an unforgettable trip. While we are not enamored with the government of Cuba, we have no issue with her people. The people were great and we hoped to make an impact and leave a positive experience of our country with those we met. We tipped the folks we met with quite well, knowing that a small tip from us represents months of work for their family. If things change politically, I would encourage you all to visit.

That is what my in-laws said too. They loved the people and developed great relationships with some of the staff over the years. They were invited to meet family and visit their homes and said they were wonderful, proud, hard working people. Which is why they returned with gifts and asked what would help them the most (they suggested nice TP and diapers).

Just not a boating destination just yet.
 
To go to the Bahamas!


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We like the Keys too, but a few days of KW is about all this lightweight can take.
We spent 2 months in the Bahamas and that wasn't enough. I can see why some of our members in Florida go over all the time.

Looks like you spent some time in Hope Town - great place. My sister in-law has property on Man-o-War and we have been able to go there a couple times. It's really beautiful. I can't imagine being able to spend 2 months there. Unfortunately, I understand that Elbow Cay was wiped out in the hurricane.
 
Looks like you spent some time in Hope Town - great place. My sister in-law has property on Man-o-War and we have been able to go there a couple times. It's really beautiful. I can't imagine being able to spend 2 months there. Unfortunately, I understand that Elbow Cay was wiped out in the hurricane.

Yes, Hopetown was very nice. Spent 3 days there. The mooring field in the harbor is so tight though that it's like anchoring in the back of the boat in front of you. Don't always totally trust the mooring anchors either, there's some horror stories. The marinas are always full and we move around a lot so we just anchored out under the lighthouse.
All beautiful, liked Treasure Key and Green Turtle the best in the Abacos. Exumas and Eleuthera best over all
 
Those same “..nice warm wonderful people” you refer to stood and cheered their murderous dictator Fidel Castro.

Many of these “nice warm people “ rat on their neighbors to the police for criticizing the government.

Like I said, Americans have no idea...and are easily fooled.

The “people” got what they wanted. A revolution. They turned on each other. Civilians were executed by firing squad. Hundreds of anti Castro counter revolutionaries were arrested and beaten, pulled out of their homes in the dark of night and clubbed in the street in front of their families. Homes and other properties were confiscated.

I could go on but it’s of no use. Ignorants and the gullible will continue to be fooled my niceties and pack toilet paper and diapers in their suitcases on their visits.

Enjoy your Cuban cigars.
 
Those same “..nice warm wonderful people” you refer to stood and cheered their murderous dictator Fidel Castro.

Many of these “nice warm people “ rat on their neighbors to the police for criticizing the government.

Like I said, Americans have no idea...and are easily fooled.

The “people” got what they wanted. A revolution. They turned on each other. Civilians were executed by firing squad. Hundreds of anti Castro counter revolutionaries were arrested and beaten, pulled out of their homes in the dark of night and clubbed in the street in front of their families. Homes and other properties were confiscated.

I could go on but it’s of no use. Ignorants and the gullible will continue to be fooled my niceties and pack toilet paper and diapers in their suitcases on their visits.

Enjoy your Cuban cigars.

Yup, not a boating destination. But are you saying that you believe the entire Cuban population are horrible, potentially murderous, people? What about the ones that were and are criticizing the government? What about the ones that want an end to the oppressive communist dictatorship and long for the freedom and opportunity of democracy the US (or anywhere) and are willing to die in the sea to try to get it?
 
Yup, not a boating destination. But are you saying that you believe the entire Cuban population are horrible, potentially murderous, people? What about the ones that were and are criticizing the government? What about the ones that want an end to the oppressive communist dictatorship and long for the freedom and opportunity of democracy the US (or anywhere) and are willing to die in the sea to try to get it?

Show me those you’re referring to please. No. Not everyone is capable of committing the act of murder, but all those commie mf’er are complicit.

I am sure as w everything there are some exceptions but it’s not the norm.

Like I said, if you haven’t personally experienced it you just won’t understand.
 
I see that the USA just extended their existing Cuban embargo.

  • 'In the national interest': Trump extends Cuba embargo for 1 year. In the decades that followed, Washington imposed a wide range of sanctions on the island state, banning Americans from traveling to the island nation just 90 miles south of Florida. Under former President Barack Obama, relations between the US and Cuba began to thaw.
Reference: https://www.rt.com/usa/402549-trump-extends-cuba-embargo/
https://www.rt.com/usa/402549-trump-extends-cuba-embargo/
 
I see that the USA just extended their existing Cuban embargo.

  • 'In the national interest': Trump extends Cuba embargo for 1 year. In the decades that followed, Washington imposed a wide range of sanctions on the island state, banning Americans from traveling to the island nation just 90 miles south of Florida. Under former President Barack Obama, relations between the US and Cuba began to thaw.
Reference: https://www.rt.com/usa/402549-trump-extends-cuba-embargo/
Wasn't that in 2017?
 
Obama similarly stated the embargo was in “the national interest of the United States.”
 
I can only speak from my experience. I found all the Cuban people I met to be genuine proud good people. I think Cuba is continuously changing. We had a personal driver and a separate guide each day. Our driver didn’t speak English but was sincerely concerned to make sure we were happy with his service. Young guy who on the last day taking us to the airport brought his 2 year old son with him so we could meet him. He didn’t own the car (1955 Mercury Monterey) but cared for it like it was his own.
Our guide told us he got his college education only to end up in a government job sitting in a 8’x8’ office without any windows. He decided to become a tour guide. He explained how the government suppressed their people. If you own a restaurant that’s fine but you can only own one....no more.
I was surprised to see the amount of tourism in Cuba. Our guide told us tourism dramatically increased after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 when they lost their financial support.
Btw.. I personally believe Castro’s initial intentions were good. The Capitalism he saw was tremendous greed by its president Batista who was selling all the Sugar Land to the US. The rich were getting richer and the poor were getting poorer. In addition Cuba became a playground for the rich with booze, drugs and prostitutes.... He wanted to help all the Cuban people. If you read his 10-15 desires that are displayed in the museum there..... they all made sense. Anyway that’s my 2 cents. I would love to see it become a boating destination one day. Havana is a very interesting place. A lot of history.......
 

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