Night Diving in Jardines de la Reina, Cuba

[Dan]

Night diving in Jardines de la Reina, Cuba in June 2022.

 

[Scuba-74]

Night diving in Jardines de la Reina, Cuba in June 2022.

What have you been using as the official reason to travel to Cuba? From what I gather you can't just go as a tourist...

 

[Anbaric Cog]

Very nice thanks for sharing

Loved the moray getting vertical

The grouper (?) was very curious and chill

How many video lights did you use?

 

[Sure Squintsalot]

That yellowline arrow crab catching a meal at 1:12! Who knew those tiny claws could catch something so big.

 

[rmorgan]

What have you been using as the official reason to travel to Cuba? From what I gather you can't just go as a tourist...

Everyone can, except Americans. For us, there’s a category, “for the benefit of the Cuban people,” I’m pretty sure it is, which is what was used for us to dive there. We headed home as the Havana Jazz Festival was starting, and there were tons of Americans there. So it’s almost just as a tourist, just not quite.

 

[Dan]

What have you been using as the official reason to travel to Cuba? From what I gather you can't just go as a tourist...

Educational. I was in fish counting project.

 

[Scuba-74]

Educational. I was in fish counting project.

I honestly can't tell if this is a joke, but thanks!

 

[Scuba-74]

Everyone can, except Americans. For us, there’s a category, “for the benefit of the Cuban people,” I’m pretty sure it is, which is what was used for us to dive there. We headed home as the Havana Jazz Festival was starting, and there were tons of Americans there. So it’s almost just as a tourist, just not quite.

Thanks! Did anybody ever ask you to elaborate on or prove this category? Like the border control agents?

 

[js1221]

I can say that I'm headed there is February and I just got my documents certifying that I am to be on a humanitarian project. I have a daily itinerary documenting what we are supposed to be doing, and fish counting is part of it.

 

[rmorgan]

Thanks! Did anybody ever ask you to elaborate on or prove this category? Like the border control agents?

Nothing. We were members of a group, but I think it was the liveaboard company (Avalon) that handled all of the arrangements such as they were. The issue is not getting in to Cuba as much as it is getting back into the US. But, frankly, it was dead simple both ways. (There are many flights from Miami to Havana every day--it's 45 minutes or so--and ti seemed to be completely routine. I think the policy is really a fig leaf more than a real desire to stop travelers, at least for now.