10th February 2013 – Santiago de Cuba, Cuba

After 6 hours of clearing customs we were finally allowed onto the hurricane ravished cement dock and had cleared a private vessel into Cuba. To me this was quite a fulfilling feeling as I can’t imagine many people my age sail their own private vessel into Cuba.

Customs in Cuba was thorough, we had a mosquito inspector, a doctor, a chicken inspector, a boat inspector, an immigrations officer, a drug inspector, an electronics inspector, and a customs official come on the boat. It was a constant flow of people and boy where they thorough, the drug inspector took apart the entire boat, went through all the medical supplies and then asked if he could have a mobile phone. The electronics inspector wanted all our radio equipment and GPS equipment sealed. This would have been somewhat challenging as we have over 12 GPS and numerous radios, in the end he said I trust you but if you get caught using it you will have to leave Cuba.

We berthed next to a big sailing vessel from the Netherlands running a high school at sea (what an experience for the students), the year 10’s had gym classes everyday and asked if we would like to join them, to which Nick C with cigarette in mouth and beer in hand said for sure and then pretended he was the gym instructor barking orders. The teacher quickly put a stop to this less than admirable instructor.

The town was filled with lots of pretty girls who for some reason treated us like rock stars; we didn’t argue and made lots of new friends.

After one week in Cuba it was time to head to the pirates lair of Kingston Jamaica for some supplies.

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