Cheval

25 April 2016 | Buena Vista Cay, Ragged Islands
16 April 2016 | Puerto Vita, CUBA
15 April 2016 | Banes (Cuba)
14 April 2016 | Cuba (ORIENTE )
13 April 2016 | Holguin (Cuba)
12 April 2016 | Holguin (Cuba)
11 April 2016 | Guardalavaca (Cuba)
10 April 2016 | Puerto de Vita, Cuba
09 April 2016 | Puerto de Vita, Cuba
08 April 2016 | Puerto Vita, CUBA
25 March 2016 | Georgetown, Great Exuma
23 March 2016 | Georgetown, Great Exuma
22 March 2016 | Georgetown, Great Exuma
21 March 2016 | Georgetown, Great Exuma
20 March 2016 | Georgetown, Great Exuma
19 March 2016 | Calabash Bay (Long Island)
18 March 2016 | Calabash Bay (Long Island)
13 March 2016

Puerto de Vita, Cuba “need to know” FACTS

09 April 2016 | Puerto de Vita, Cuba
David
Call “Marina Vita” on VHF 16. Chanel is well marked with unlit buoys. You will be directed to an anchor spot to await the officials. Anchor with as little scope as possible due to the sticky black mud that will have thoroughly coated the anchor and chain when you retrieve it. One official (the doctor) will arrive aboard to take your temperature and fill out standard health questions. After that you will be directed to the dock where you will med-moor tying off to the buoys. I recommend using only one buoy, if you use two it’s likely that someone may loosen your line to unsubmerge the buoy in order to attach their line leaving your boat loose to slide back under the dock. If you use just one buoy directly in front of your boat no one will have a reason to mess with your lines. Use water bottles that will spin freely to prevent rats. At this point the other officials will come aboard including the dog. After that you will be directed to the office and Yanni will fill you in on what’s next. When checking out you must leave that day so no checking out the day before to get an early start. However an appointment can be made for as early as 6:30am if asked in the right way. You will be asked if you have any cuc’s left. It is not allowed to take any cuc’s out of the country. They don’t seem to care about how much rum you leave with but we were asked how many cigars we had.
Marina manager: Yanni
Entry Fees: $75 per person immigration (Visa fee), then $55 per boat includes permit, check-in and out and departure fees. The immigration fee changed from 15 CUC to 75 CUC/person in February 2016.
Marina Fees: 75 cents per ft/day including water and electric (50 amp/220V and 30amp/120V, careful, only a few 50 Amp/220V were working).
Money: Change money at resort (the Pescaro is the closest one), 10 CUC each way in Taxi. The official rate is 0.87 Cents per $1.00 US (0.94 cents minus 10%), there is no difference between changing at the resort or the bank in the village of Santa Lucia, or any cambio office like in Holguin). Better rate on black market. 25 pesos National for 1 CUC, not available at resort, only avail at banks (santa lucia is the closest) and cadecas.
Car Rental 70-100 CUC per day (includes insurance) plus you have to pay for the first gas tank. You can bring back the car with a tank as empty as you want or dare! Do not lose your rental paperwork; it cost 50 CUC if you do!
Taxi rates 1 CUC per kilometer, buses range from pennies to dollars depending on level of luxury.
Good rum 7-12 CUC per bottle, just as cheap at the marina as anywhere else so a good thing to use up your remaining cuc’s on.
Beer 1 CUC /can, local beer available at the Saturday morning market in Santa Lucia for super cheap, bring your own bottle. Most people were using empty plastic water bottles.
Cigars $150-$250 CUC per box in stores, $25 to $50 other places
Vegetables: mostly tomatoes, papayas, garlic, onions, pineapples, (tomatoes were 7 pesos nacional per pound) at numerous stands on the way to Holguin or at the Saturday market. Expect to be asked for more than the locals at some places, at the market many stands had the prices written.
Bread: 4 pesos nacional per loaf at the bakery not far from the marina (about $0.25 us)
Comments
Vessel Name: Cheval
Vessel Make/Model: Outremer 50
Hailing Port: Tavernier, Florida, USA
Crew: David, Nathalie, Alec and Emilie
About: The old crew of O'Vive reunited on Cheval for new adventures.

Cheval

Who: David, Nathalie, Alec and Emilie
Port: Tavernier, Florida, USA