Finally we have an internet connection. I can now send you charts and pictures of our travels along the south coast of Cuba.
First a little ‘Cuba in review’.
My humans were really looking forward to visiting Cuba, and their expectations were high. Some of these expectations were met, some exceeded while other times they were disappointed.
Our favorite cruising area was the Archipielago los Canarreos, the stretch of cays that separate the Golfo de Batabano from the Caribbean Sea. These cays, that include the touristy Cayo Largo and run east from Cienfuegos to the Isla de la Juventud. They had a nice combination of sandy beaches and coral reefs that suit our lifestyle. The fishing and lobstering here was superb. We really enjoyed anchoring up in the south facing lagoons created between the cays and the barrier reef.
My least favorite cruising area was the mangrove cays in the Golfo de Maria. The humans did not mind swimming and snorkeling off the boat, but us canines like a bit of a beach to have a run about on. These cays offer great protection in unsettled weather, which we had. If we had more settled weather I am sure the humans would have preferred visiting the outer cays, the Jardines de la Reina, instead.
Wish we had more time at the Isla Juventud. We had opted to check out at Cayo Largo, rather than having to round the western tip of Cuba and check out at Cabo San Antonio, which means we had to avoid getting caught by the Guarda Frontera. The waters were crystal clear on the south coast and we would loved to have done some diving here. We also heard that the main town of Nueva Gerona was very pretty. A local bus runs from the south to this town in the north.
If you have plans to visit the south coast of Cuba in the future, we added some pointers at the end of Part 2 of our Cuba Review.
Santiago de Cuba (Port of Entry)
We anchored off the Marina here. They called us up as we entered the harbor and directed us to anchor just east of their docks.
Chartplotter image of our anchoring point off the MarinaSpirit of Argo anchored up right off the docks at the MarinaView from Castillo de Morro (entrance fort) showing the large entry into the harbor and past the Cayo Granma
Things we liked about Santiago de Cuba
-In town you will find the cheapest fresh fruit and vegetables
-In town you will find a 3 peso/scoop ice cream park
-3 CUC Mojoitos on the top of the Hotel roof overlooking all of the town.
-Excellent traditional music venues in town.
-Very friendly and helpful Marina staff and locals. The marina offers free ferry trips to visit Cayo Granma as long as you do not mind jumping on with the other tourists.
-Poorly maintained, but clean Marina toilets and showers.
-The city is great for architecture, old cars and people watching, especially in the shaded parks.
Things we did not like
-When the wind shifted at night pollution stained the boats with small brown dots. You are better to anchor where we did rather than out in the channel where they really got stained up.
-You have to take a taxi into town. Car and driver for the day is 15CUC for up to 4 passengers. But it is nice to have someone drive you to all the sites and hold your gear and groceries in his trunk as you walk about.
-There is not much to entertain you in the immediate area of the Marina.
Taxis ride into townHotel top Mojitos with a viewTraditional music can be found all around the cityFriendly locals in the park invite you to join inOr perhaps you just want to join in with the rest of the crowd just watchingWho wants to stare in a mirror when you can watch the world passing by while you get a hair cut and a shaveThe main pedestrian street where you can find 5 peso pizza, 14 peso cigars and a few necessitiesThere are few cars, but the ones they do have are mostly classics
Motor bikes out number cars about 3-1You can also take the Marina’s ferry to the Cayo Granma at the harbor entrance.The Cayo Granma is a pretty traditional fishing villageYou can also visit the Castillo de Morro (fort) that guards the entrance to the harbor.No matter where you go in Cuba you are reminded that there is a divide between ‘those that have’ and ‘those that do not’. The government provides the basics including cheap public transport. As many things are ‘government subsidized’ tourist pay a higher price for the same service. The 1peso ferry is 1 CUC (24pesos) for tourists.
Maria del Portello (Main land Cuba with a Guarda Fronteria station)
Victor and his ever present cigarView from the anchored boat out over the tiny townView from the beach out to Spirit of Argo on anchorThe people here have very little, but are more than will to make a tradeVictor and Julio kept trying to give us more and more stuff despite having very little themselves. Cubans are generally very friendly and generous
Cayo Blanco in the Bahia de Pilon (Friendly wardens on island)
Who said Cuba does not have some nice sandy beaches?The cay is set up to entertain day trippers from the near by hotels, but we had it to ourselves plus two friendly wardens.There is some wonderful snorkeling hereA lovely spot to stop
Cabo Cruz (M
ain land Cuba but no Guarda Frontera station so no land entry allowed here)
The harbor here is well protected by a barrier reef, but shallow. We had to anchor well away from the lighthouse and town. Great snorkeling and lots of big conch.Cabo Cruz is a well protected rest stop off a fishing townThe fisherman find anchored cruisers entertaining
Las Coloradas in Esenada Guano (Main land Cuba but no Guarda Frontera station so no land entry allowed here)
Don’t tell!Just a ‘pit stop’. Our first Cuban holiday camp.
Niquero (Main land Cuba and Guardia Frontera station, but you are not supposed to make landfall here)
Careful coming into this anchorage as it is littered with submerged piles from docks damaged or lost.If you want to ‘push your luck’ and try and come ashore you must anchor within view of the Guardia Frontera tower.You will also get a cycle taxi escort to take you around town. Locals use the horse drawn carriages as a taxi. More and more of these cart owners are wiling to take tourists sometimes.
Cayo Jorobado of the Cayos de Manzanillo (Uninhabited)
A thick mangrove cay that is little more then a break stopThe cay offers good protection for a stop over nightFrom the anchorage you can watch big shrimping boats go byLocal fishing boat sailing by with their ‘patch work quilt’ sail.
Cayo Rabihorcado (Uninhabited)
Yes, back to white sandy beaches!We had light winds from the west so we were able to anchor for a few days off the long beach that dominates the east side of the cay.The waters close to shore are very shallow, so you have to anchor well off and watch out for coral heads. The best snorkeling was in the south end of the bay, where there were lots of large coral heads.I got my first taste of iguana chasing hereThey were not amused by the new gameRays also enjoyed the extensive shallows hereThey chased their prey all the way up and onto the beach. A risky in devour as they had to flop themselves back to the waters edge.We were regularly anchored up with fishing vessels. Some wanted to make a trade for fish and lobster.One fishing vessel came by asking for fresh water. We filled a large jug for them.
Cayo Media Luna (Uninhabited)
A mangrove cay. Boring for me.Snorkelling is OK, and we got some lobster, but really just an over night rest stop.
Cayo Granada (Uninhabited)
Another mangrove cay that is little more than a rest stop.
Careful getting in as there is an unmarked submerged reef either side of the entrance into the lagoon. Our sister boat almost hit it.
Our twin boat. Another Peterson 44. We met this boat in Antigua and again in Sint Martin.
Cayo Algodon Grande (Uninhabited)
A well protected lagoon when a front comes throughA little kayak through the mangroves and you come out on beach covered north east side of the cayI deserved a good swimming beach after two mangrove cays in a row.The beach where I tortured the humans by chasing packs of Jutia at them.Kayaking back to the boat safely anchored in the protected lagoon.Big groups of frigate birds filled the skies here.We were joined by two other boats as unsettled weather with stronger winds set in.
Cayo Cuervo (Uninhabitited)
This cay has an incredibly protected lagoon in it’s centre. Great, as we had strong winds. We were not alone in seeking shelter here. Say hello to Cienfuegos entire shrimping fleet.There supply ships are also hanging out here. They shock their heads when they saw us come in, but we were on a deadline and had to ‘make the miles’ each day despite the weather.There is a small beach in the north corner of the lagoon a short sandy walk through beaches on the other side.
Cayo Breton of the Jardines de la Reina (Uninhabitited)
Unsettled weather and time constraints meant that we did not see as much of these outer cays as we would have liked.A lone fishing boat was our only company for the night.
Does the weather get any better? Do the humans get into Cienfuegos before their VISAs run out?
For the rest of southern Cuba you will have to tune into Part 2!
