Ensenada Puerto Frances is a bay on the west side of the Peninsula de Signuanea on the Isla de la Juventud. This stretch of coastline is sometimes called the ‘Pirate Coast’. Ensenada Puerto Frances lies inside the boundaries of a marine park that was established in recognition of the beautiful corals, shipwrecks and beaches , which are the nicest on Isla de la Juventud.
Ensenada Puerto Frances is a deep wide bay with an unobstructed entrance and therefore easy access. The complete opposite to the human’s usual choice for an anchorage, but one of the nicest they have visited in a while. After a long day of sailing west along Isla de la Juventud it was nice to put the anchor down in this lovely sandy bay. The area is meant to have some of Cuba’s best snorkelling and diving. Unfortunately we just can not take the chance of getting caught by the Guarda Frontera, as the humans have already checked out of Cuba.
But we did have the evening to have a run on the beach and explore the caves and sandy beachlets between the granite cliffs on the east side of the bay. We would never have spotted the beachlets if were not for the locals noisily enjoying a evening swim. The sun is setting now and we have another early start and long day tomorrow. If we were to come to Cuba again I would definitely make the time to see more of this anchorage and the Island itself. I hear there are some cave drawings here in the south of the island and the main city to the north has some lovely architecture. Too much to see and not enough time.
We are off to the Cayos de San Felipe tomorrow.
end:
Photos, charts and information once we got internet. See link below:
Review of Southern Cuba Part 2 -including the pictures you missed
