Ports of entry and checking in:

Marina Los Morros was not open as a port of entry due to hurricane damage. We checked in at Hemingway (Havana). The check in process was fine, officials were friendly and no issues with fresh food on board or any of our electronic devices. They were keen to ensure that the bikes we had on board were still on board when we checked out. The most welcome gift is US$ cash!

Our passports were not stamped. We did ask that they not be, but they said they never stamp passports unless asked to do so. We had not been able to get a Zarpe when we left Key West – the US customs refused to give us one. We were not asked for a Zarpe by the Cuban officials – they understand that we would not be able to get one from the US.

It is not possible for people arriving by sea to use the online (advance travel form) check in process as this requires a flight number. The officials dealt with everything on arrival, issuing us with visas and the entry documents for the boat. The costs were roughly US$78 per person for a 90 day visa, US$57 for a cruising permit and US$60 for a health report (we had a medic visit who decided we looked healthy and I never saw the report but still ended up being charged).

Berthing in the marina – Hemingway and Cayo Largo costs US$1 per foot per day for boats over 45 feet. US$0.7 per foot per day for boats under 45 feet. All costs for permits and berthing are payable by non-US credit card.

We checked out of Hemingway and were issued with a cruising permit and told that we could anchor anywhere between Hemingway and Cayo Largo. Going ashore in most places was not enticing due to the mangrove swamps. We draw 2.3m so were restricted in where we could anchor.

Fuel:

We bought this very cheaply in Hemingway but more expensive in Cayo Largo, I think because we used the marina in Cayo Largo to source fuel in cans for us and had to pay with a credit card. In Hemingway we paid with cash (pesos).

Land transport:

We used a collectivo taxi to travel from Hemingway to the Viñales district. This was a comfortable and inexpensive journey. There is no shuttle bus from the marina into Havana but there are local buses outside the marina.

Facilities at Hemingway marina:

Very limited food supplies. Bread was available within walking distance of the marina and local fruit and veg stalls. Produce on the stalls depended on the season and what had just been harvested. In Cayo Largo bread could be ordered from the marina store for collection the next day.

Many of the facilities which would have been thriving when the US border was open are now starting to crumble due to the lack of tourists and maintenance difficulties. Attempts were being made to do some maintenance at the Hotel Acuario at Marina Hemingway, but there were very few guests and no services available. The swimming pool had no water. In contrast Hemingway Yacht Club at the marina is a lovely facility and drinks and lunchtime meals were available from Monday through Friday.

Safety/crime:

We felt very safe in Cuba. We understand that the Government have told local people to be nice to tourists as tourism is very important for the economy.

Local help:

We did employ a local person at Hemingway to help us orientate ourselves and he was most helpful with organising the collectivos, accommodation in Viñales, where to buy local supplies, phone cards etc.  Note that many Cubans have mobile phones and WhatsApp is used extensively for communication.

We paid him by having him clean our topsides, for which we had to pay a fee to the marina (US$20 per day) so that he could work on our boat. He kept an eye on our boat while we were away for a few days and was concerned to ensure that we had secured our dinghy and removed winch handles etc. from the deck. We had access to electricity and potable water at the dock.

There were very few boats in the marina, but those that were unoccupied by owners usually had a local person working on them/keeping an eye on them. Local people in Havana are very keen to get work from visiting sailors as they miss very much the work they had when the US border was open and the marina was full.

US Dollars/Credit Cards:

In hindsight, we probably should have taken more US$ cash with us. Around Havana and travelling inland, either US$ cash or pesos cash was the only way to pay for things. We would have done more travelling by land had we had more US$ cash with us. (I think Euros are also accepted in many places around Havana).

Credit cards were only accepted and in fact the only way to pay, when paying for marina berths and customs and immigration charges at Hemingway marina. Cayo Largo was the exception, where cash was not accepted at all and we could only pay with a credit card including in the local restaurant – a non-US card of course. I guess that this situation may change frequently, but this was our experience.

Sally and Simon Currin
SV Shimshal

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About the Authors

Sally and Simon Currin left Scotland in 2015 on board Shimshal to begin a slow circumnavigation taking in various high latitude destinations. After three seasons in Greenland they sailed south to Lewisporte in northern Newfoundland.

In 2019 they cruised the Canadian Maritimes and overwintered in Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia which became a three year overwinter due to Covid. In 2022 they cruised New England and the east coast of the US down to Key West, crossing to Cuba on 1st January 2023 and onwards to the Cayman Islands and Providencia on their way to Boca del Toro in Panama.  They plan to transit the canal in 2024.

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The opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not reflect the view of Noonsite.com or World Cruising Club.

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