Is Cuba worth it

[Dan]

I need to finish editing all of my video clips of the diving in Jardines de la Reina. Here’s 10% of the video clips that I gave put together, so far.

 

[Dan]

Wow, what a thread. I would like to go to Cuba, Gardens of the Queen. High on my list for future trips. I had a great trip to Tiger Beach and Bimini

Trip Report - Tiger Beach and Bimini on the Dolphin Dream, March 11-19, 2022

Tiger Beach and Bimini on the Dolphin Dream, March 11-19, 2022 My friend and dive buddy, @Dan and I recently had the pleasure of going to Tiger Beach and Bimini to dive with Tiger Sharks, Lemon Sharks, Reef Sharks, a Great Hammerhead, a few Bull Sharks and many Nurse Sharks. Reservations: I...

scubaboard.com

I made 2 trips to Bahamas. Here are some of the trip videos to Tiger Beach Beach & Bimini.

 

[Dan]

Tons of sharks, from everything I've seen, although I understand that they bait them in.

When I was there, the DM taught the Sharks to eat Lion fish. Those sharks learned it quickly, but not the groupers. One of the Nassau grouper took a handed Lionfish from DM spear, but had trouble swallowing and spitted out. One of the Silky Sharks swam over and swallowed the dead Lion fish.

Something different than the other Caribbean dive sites, is the presence of Sharks & Groupers in most of the dives.

 

[Germie]

Haven't been to Cuba, but from Europe they say the Bay of pigs must be beautiful and this year in october, the CMAS worldchampionships underwater photo and video are held in Cuba on Cayo Largo del Sur. So I don't think that is a bad place to dive then.

But from what I see about diving in Cuba is that grabbing and feeding fish, lobsters, etc is quite normal. But the sharks in the videos are really nice.
Feeding sharks with lionfish is also done on Bonaire.

 

[hilljo88]

I dove the Jardines on a liveaboard pre-COVID. Highly recommend it. Pristine reefs, groupers and reef sharks most dives. We spent 2 nights in Havana, which was the right amount of time. Interesting to see a city basically frozen in time: early 1960s. Whatever your thoughts on the political regime, the average person you meet is extremely friendly (and wants to live with their relatives in FL or NJ!). There is zero street crime, aside from someone wanting to trade you local pesos which are worth only 10% of the second kind of exchangeable pesos.

 

[mcohen1021]

Newsflash - despite my family and political opinions, it is still illegal for Americans to travel to Cuba. I hope everyone breaking this law gets busted.

 

[ChrisDee]

Yes

 

[ChrisDee]

Newsflash - despite my family and political opinions, it is still illegal for Americans to travel to Cuba. I hope everyone breaking this law gets busted.

Wrong, sorry.

A number of , well a rather large number of Americian Dive Shops are currently running and just returning from Cuba. And they all report they had a wonderfull time. I'll leave it to you to do the searching.

AS FOR individuals making trips, a number of the "Exclusions," have recently changed. AS individuals be aware of the EXCLUSIONS. But you can still travel to Cuba, just follow the rules. And bring bug spray.

 

[mcohen1021]

Wrong, sorry.

A number of , well a rather large number of Americian Dive Shops are currently running and just returning from Cuba. And they all report they had a wonderfull time. I'll leave it to you to do the searching.

AS FOR individuals making trips, a number of the "Exclusions," have recently changed. AS individuals be aware of the EXCLUSIONS. But you can still travel to Cuba, just follow the rules.

Scuba travel and vacation travel does not qualify as one of the permitted ways to travel there. You folks traveling to cuba for vacation are circumventing the US laws on travel there.

 

[scubadada]

The Aggressor OFAC license

https://www.aggressor.com/pages/Cuba-OFAC-License