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The marina monitors the VHP on Channel 16, or more usually 19, which is their working channel. They will send a boat to escort you through if you are not familiar with the reef, and if coming from abroad they will arrange for the officials to be ready when you dock.

The first person you are likely to meet is the official marina representative. At time of writing, this is the youthful looking and very efficient Sr. J.M. Cid, better known as simply Pire. Consider him your go-to guy and you can't be far wrong. Over the several years of our acquaintance, I have seen him go far out of his way to make the cruiser's stay as pleasant as possible; even for those who need such miracles, to the extent of wangling departing crewmembers onto a difficult (and ostensibly overbooked) flight out of the country. He, or his successor will sort out extensions on your visa, documentation for further travel inside Cuba, or any marina services you require.

Customs and immigration are represented here, and the authorities are thoroughly familiar with all aspects of international documentation, making it a convenient spot to clear in or out of the country.

So efficient are they here that we once (albeit a long time ago) managed to clear into Cayo Largo and out of Cuba, both at the same time, and in less than 10 minutes! In fact you will find that all the officials at this marina have a positive attitude to the cruiser which can only bode well for the future.

I should mention that there is an increased use of sniffer dogs at this port (and indeed throughout Cuba), so don't be surprised when a Cocker Spaniel is brought aboard. Coincidentally, (and I swear this is true) on both of the occasions when I have been favored by this animal's presence, it has fallen overboard!

Dock charges are .45 cents/foot per night, and electricity/water hookups are supplied with the usual proviso that you will have to improvise your connections. If you have to anchor out within the dock area, then you will be charged some .15 cents/foot, but as you're likely to be moored less than a hundred feet from the dock it's not far to go in your dinghy. Conveniently, your boat may be left here it" you need to leave the island for any reason, and in this case you might probably be able to bargain a better deal.

Fuel is available dockside at .55 cents/ litre for diesel (.80 cents for gasoline) and there is a ship's store across the road (behind the excellent local bar) where, within reason, you can get any provisions you desire. In addition, there is also a smaller, fancier, and more expensive shop operated by the K. P. Winters boat-charter operation just off the eastern end of the docks.

Due to the lack of any established city or village life (all local workers have to be flown in for their stints) there are no Paladars on the island. To eat ashore you have to patronize the official restaurants, so be prepared for the prices to be higher than you may be accustomed to on the mainland. As well as the cafe-bar on the dock there is a surprisingly good restaurant just to the left, and if you wish to be serenaded all night over an excellent meal, by all means patronize it. The prices in the hotels are not cheap either, so once will probably be enough, and most cruisers seem to end up eating and drinking on each others boats.

In the immediate surrounds of the dock there are a number of buildings which serve in various capacities. On the right, past the usual tee-shirt/art shops, you may visit a turtle-farm, and just north of that there is a medical post and pharmacy which we have had occasion to use in the past (thank you, socialized medicine).

If you wait for the hourly ferry to return to the dock, free buses collect tourists from the dock and take them to any of the hotels five miles along the southern beaches.

The wilder of these tourists are entertained by twice-weekly discos at the marina, so along with a certain amount of friendly debauchery, be prepared for some loud music if you're close to the bar.

The bus runs east alongside the airport (which comes complete with its own disco too) and if you wish to stop anywhere along the route just shout up to the driver. Likewise, when he delays too long after stopping.

At the hotels there are hard-currency shops where prices are surprisingly competitive and we have been able to purchase some beautiful books here. Just remember that the products on sale cater more to the land-based tourist than the sailor.

Tours to other parts of the country are advertised in the hotel lobbies, and if you fancy aride in one of the huge radial-engine Russian biplanes which drone overhead then this is the place to get it. There is no reason to come all this way and not see as much of Cuba as possible, so for what in the greater scheme of things is really little additional cost (e.g. $25 to Havana), you might wish to fly on to parts of the mainland you would otherwise miss. You may rent bicycles outside the hotels, and even horsemen may encounter their favorite transport for hire. Just be on the lookout if riding your horse along the water's edge, as just past the main hotels (outside the last cabaiias at the Villa Cappricio) there is a nude beach, and you don't want to startle the bcasl. Home to the best water in Cuba, all varieties of watersports are available in Cayo Largo; and at the dock you' re ideally placed to take advantage of scuba diving, jet-ski rentals, and boat-tours to various beaches for barbecues and booze.

Bonefish (macabf) and tarpon (sabalo) can be fished amongst the cays to the west, and if you want to use your dinghy then inform the resident Guarda Frontera at the dock. For the fly-fishermen among us, professional fishing guides can be arranged if you'd prefer to scare even more fish than you'd find on your own.

Close by your dock, around the corner and to the north, there is the aptly named Cayo Iguana, easily accessible by dinghy. Don't be afraid of the hundreds of friendly, prehistoric-looking creatures which make this cay their home, as they are really quite harmless. They, for their part, are totally unafraid of you.

You may also reach Cayo Rico, five miles away to the west, which is where those Polynesian trimarans head for in the morning with their cargo of sunburned Italians. Going by yacht, be prepared to anchor well off the beach as it gets a bit too shallow close in, so if your tender has sufficient engine then it may be better to do the trip in that.

Clearing out should best be arranged in advance as the officials may have to come from the nearby airstrip, and there is the question of paying your bill.

If you are heading on for somewhere like Casilda to the east you will still need to clear with customs and immigration, and inexplicably you may once again be searched by a drug dog. I don't know who's bright idea it is that we all come to some remote part of Cuba to buy drugs, but nothing amazes me anymore.

Travelling east to Casilda or Cienfuegos (both next chapter), is a long trip, so there are two options. If you wish to make it in one stop, then the best time to leave will be probably be around evening, allowing for a convenient daylight entry next morning. However, if you prefer, you may make the entire journey in daylight, stopping off at a handy group of smaller cays halfway along your route, along a course of more or less 85°M. Far away from any source of pollution, these cays comehighly recommended. The first of these, Cayo Ingles is some 20 miles to the east of Cayo Largo at 2 T37.2N /08ri5.8W. It is only a couple of hundred yards long and is almost devoid of vegetation apart from a few bushes. There is a reef to the east and northeast with depths of some six feet but that's the side of the prevailing winds so shelter is best found close to the southwest end, where in any case there is an easy passage through from the outside.

The second cays worthy of note are the Cayos de Dios, a string of long, narrow islands, beginnii]gat21°37.6N/08I°10.9W and stretching ENE for some four miles to 21°39.2N / 081°07.2W. Reefs extend from the most extreme ends of the group and roughly in line with the direction of the cays, so entry from outside can best be effected about 1.5 miles before the most westerly island or one mile past the most easterly. There is a small beach on the north coast of the most westerly and if the wind is from the east then there is also a shallow bay there which can offer some protection.

Following these cays, and some three miles to the southeast is Cayo Trabuco which is set sideways on to (he prevailing winds and therefore more capable ofgiving shelter. At 21°37.9N/OSI°04.9W, it isn't very large but offers good snorkeling and is another convenient stop off along (he way. It has a small reefy section to the southeast, so is best approached from the west where it is free of obstruction all the way.

Lastly we come to Cayo Guano del Este, which is really a group of four small cays clustered very closely to each other. Flat and rocky, it is home to a lighthouse, and also marks the extent of the Zona Prohibida. This is a large area to the north which is off limits to all foreign craft. For information on that, please see the beginning of the next chapter where it is covered; but suffice to say that you cannot legally travel north of the cay which is situated at 2T39.8N / 08T02.4W. There is, in any case, a reef extending out from the northeast of the cay; so to stop here you must approach from either the west, where there is good clear water all the way, or from the southeast.

SOUTH CUBAN BONUS: A SIDE TRIP TO THE CAYMAN ISLANDS!

Okay, okay, so you didn't know about this when you bought this book, but by now you're as close as you'll ever be to these islands. This could be the one and only opportunity you'll get as they're not on the way to, or from, anywhere else.

Clear immigration out from Cayo Largo, spend a week in the three small British-administered territories to the south, and return to Cuba (at Casilda or Cienfuegos) without having travelled much out of your way. Sounds good, eh? 

CAYO LARGO TO CABO CRUZ ROUTES

At the western extreme of this section there is a large area surrounding the Bay of Pigs in the east of the Gulf of Cazones. For various reasons, strategic, political, and historic, this area is a prohibited zone and is marked as such on all Cuban charts. If using any of the foreign chart issues, then it will probably not be shown. If so, draw it in.

As you can see, there's still room to go round if you're transiting the coast and wish to enter the Ensenada de Cazones (Chart No. ICH 1160), just on the northwestern edge of the territory, bui do not pretend innocence if you're found inside the Zona Prohibida. The history of this area is too symbolic to the military for them to resist giving the unwary a rough ride.

Between Cienfuegos and Casilda there isn't much in the line of strategy to consider, but going eastwards over the next 150 -200 miles you may choose to take either the inside passage, along a low lying coast, or an outer route through the cays which angle progressively further offshore.

Beginning at the port of Casilda, the inner route is plied by commercial vessels delivering cargo up and down the coast, and is thus extensively marked. You can do the entire route miles away from the outer reef, along major channels signposted by a familiar mixture of large concrete box-structures, floating buoys, and rust-streaked pylon affairs — all camouflaged by a fertile mixture of bird feathers, droppings, and dried fish heads.

This route will take you 180 miles east from Casilda, through the gulfs of Ana Maria and Guacanayabo (another name which requires practice) where the only townships deal more or less exclusively in the export of sugar. At the other end it runs up against the jutting peninsula of Granma province where the city of Manzaniilo offers a belter chance of resuppiy. From here it jinks down south past Niquero, to the tip of the mainland at Cabo Cruz.

The outer roule will take you, as before, from Cienfuegos to Casilda and the inland city of Trinidad, but here it diverges south along the line of the cays, following them through the Gardens of the Queen and the Twelve League Labyrinth. At any stage of this route you may dodge north to link up again with the inner route.

Subject to my earlier remarks, the pre- vailing easterlies are much modified by the considerable land mass of the island, and there is also a convenient southeast coun-tercurrent which can assist a cruise outside of the cays and along the wall. So it's more likely that you will have favorable winds for easting along this stretch than (he more exposed Bahamas-side of Cuba.

The very nature of this almost totally deserted and untraveied multitude of islands, makes it almost impossible to give an extensive cay-by-cay guide except for a few selected anchorages along our route. Certainly you will discover others off to the side, and even find that some reported here are supplanted or made redundant by your own discoveries. That's only how it should be, and out of all the cruising areas in Cuba this one offers the most opportunities for further experimentation. After all, the area enclosed by the cays here is approximately 5,000 nautical square miles!

In addition, there are no inhabitants here, and while you may sometimes run across tourists in the various halts prior to the southern cays you most assuredly will not come across many here. Apart from the occasional fishing boat you will be as isolated from your fellow man as you've ever been.

Regarding passage planning, along the outer cays your courses should be set only after consulting adequate charts, and you should be prepared to abandon fixed courses when necessary. Along here there are numerous passes, occasionally calling for six or seven course changes in a relatively short distance and precisely detailed descriptions can be mind-numbingly complex.

You may prefer therefore, to lay out your own courses through the cays following only a general description of the route. For this you should be prepared to use both the experience you've already gained in reef-navigation, and proper charts.

If, on the other hand you're taking the inner route, then the main ship channels between the major ports along the coast are well-marked along their length and need little description.

Something to look out for along here is a peculiar weather pattern which sets in during the early months of the year and lasts until perhaps May. For months on end, you will find that the wind remains high during the morning hours, only dropping in the afternoon. These incessant gales can raise large waves all the way inside the gulf and will certainly affect your travel, so be aware of how you schedule your departures.

There are a variety of charts on the market dealing with this section of Cuba. When we first travelled here we had a disparate mixture, including a few older photocopies obtained from different sources, and it was only much later that we obtained a complete matched set of original Cuban charts.

While we still maintain that the best are the ICH series (black and white or colored), if they are difficult to come by then by all means use from among the others. Just be prepared to feel your way through the smaller passes, after all, everyone else does.

Note: The magnetic deviation which has been sneakily increasing as you've progressed from Cabo San Antonio in the west is now going to grow from two degrees at Cienfuegos to three or four degrees at the Cabo Cruz end, so don't forget to factor this into your courses.

You may be planning to arrive in Trinidad from Cayo Largo, taking the direct route across the Gulf of Cazones. If so, consider carefully the shallow Jagua bank along your path. This isolated area of reef leaps vertically up from the depths to within a few feet of the surface and contains several wrecks perched atop a 36-square mile submarine pedestal some 5,000 feet high. It would be best to avoid an area three-to-five miles in all directions from position 21°37.ON / 080°39,OW, unless passing by during the day and considering a dive aiong its undoubtedly promising walls. There are three others, similar but not so shallow, some way further over to the east and closer to the cays.

Perhaps due to these obstructions and the currents swirling through, the waters in the gulf can also be far, far rougher than expected. So have the boat well prepared for what is in any case an open offshore run.

We have moreover come across heavy squalls, making for such uncomfortable passages that the crew has had to be brought below for safety in the confused seas.

If encountering this phenomenon white coming north from the Cayman Islands to Casilda it is sometimes best to seek shelter in the lee of the cays over to the east, rather than slogging along the direct route.

CIENFUEGOS CHART NOS. ICH 1142,1158, OR 1840 (CUBAN)

The city of Cienfuegos, one of the oldest in Cuba, is somewhat marred visually by large cement works, and work on the abandoned but imposing nuclear generating station (two or three miles west as you approach the entrance) is rumored to be recommencing soon. Nevertheless, for the cruiser there are splendid views along the entry routes past the castle guarding the splendid harbor. And, whatever else you can say about the place, it does seem to be a city with a culture and a soul.

It is also one of the largest ports in Cuba and any marine repair work one might desire can be carried out within the usual confines of parts availability. A yacht ma- rina is situated at the southern end (the Punta Gorda peninsula), and international arrivals are catered for. If this is your first port in Cuba, then you can get all your onward documentation arranged here too.

The narrow entrance to this enormous bay is deep (up to 180 feet), free of any outstanding dangers, and may be made visually from anywhere around the outer buoys at 22°03.0N/080°27.4W., with range marks inside if you need them. There is a Guarda Frontera post one mile in and some 600 yards before the old fortress high on the western shores of the entrance channel, so you must stop here for clearance before continuing onwards. Sometimes they flash a searchlight to indicate that you should approach, but in any case you'll recognize it from the large sign painted across its walls , "Welcome to Socialist Cuba".

From close alongside, shout across to indicate that you're going to the "Santiago Marina", and you may be signalled to continue on for later clearance at the docks, but don't always count on it.

Whatever, if a pilot is offered, resist this by saying you already know the way, and avoid paying a totally unnecessary $30 fee. As well as being perfectly obvious, it really is a rather beautiful passage through the canal here, so enjoy the view on either side all the way over to the marina.

Pass west of the small cay at the inner entrance to the bay (where the old wooden buildings resemble the Bates Motel in Psycho) and from the No. 15 buoy aim across the bay just right of the chimneys, heading 024"M to pass west of the peninsula at Punta Gorda. The yellow and grey docks of the marina (22°07.5/080°27.2) will be on your starboard, north of the hotel Jagua, south of a fantastic old building which used to be the yacht club itself, and close to the public beach. My logbook notes that you'll find yourself surrounded by weird and wonderful structures here, like something out of Disneyland.

The moorings more or less radiate outwards from a central dock parallel to the shore, and it will be wisest to berth at one of the northernmost docks so as to be as far as possible from the beach. We know of at least one foreign yacht which lost its dinghy here, so secure yours properly. Admittedly this happened in the exodus of 1993, and no such thing has ever happened to us, but it is also as well to relate another tale here.

In 1996 while clearing in with a customs gentleman at the dock I brought up the subject of swim-aboards. "Never has such a thing happened here," he expansively assured me — which I knew for a fact to be untrue at the time, but diplomatically let pass except to look pleased for him. Not three minutes later, and now on docksicie, we were approached by the sleepy French captain of a home built cruising catamaran. He'd just woken up to find that the escape hatch (underneath, on a cat) had been left open and now, just inside the opening, all his shaving stuff was gone To put this into perspective, both ourselves and that same crew shortly thereafter became accustomed to leaving our boats unlocked at the dock without undue preoccupation, or ill result. In fact, we later cruised more or less in company for another 500 miles along the coasts without any problems, leaving our boats unaccompanied on countless occasions.

International arrivals: For those arriving from abroad, one thing you must be prepared for is the somewhat overpowering official reaction to your arrival. I once noted that a 32-foot Danish yacht with only two crewmembers was visited by a total of 12 customs/immigration inspectors and a dog. Later that afternoon, two more "state inspectors" showed up for their piece of the action. It's not that there's a problem, it's just that everyone wants to get in on the act.

There were several yachts damaged here during the storms of early 1993 and those that fared best were on the northern docks facing into the swells. This of course, will depend on conditions at the time, but remember that the bay is large, and winds can be strong when the fronts sweep down in winter; so moor with your vessel held slightly off the concrete edges. Put anti-chafe guards of some sort on the lines, and extend them across to the adjoining dock if possible.

Be careful of rusty reinforcing steel rods which protrude from within the concrete along the dock walls. They are perfectly positioned to puncture both hull and fenders of the unwary.

Regarding prices, at time of publication, the marina charged 25 cents per foot.

Electricity (110/220v) and water is supplied, but as usual in Cuba, the marina's man will have to finesse the connections, while diesel fuel is also available at .75cents per litre.

Interestingly, as Cienfuegos becomes better known, cruisers are beginning to leave their boats here on a long term basis.

25° M From No. 15 Buoy /(Cayos Arenas)

Once ashore, the city is a mile to the left, while the hotel Jagua is over towards the right at the tip of the peninsula. Being so close, the hotel can be utilized for phone calls, tour inquiries, car rental, taxis, casual supplies and soon, while there is a source of wholesale provisions (beer and booze) for the boat at the storeroom just inside the marina gates.

Ships Chandler: There is too, a "Proveedor de Buques" or a proper ship chandlers, west along on the main waterfront road in town. Called Sumarpo (as they all are now) and situated on Avenida 46, at the corner of Calle 33. This convenient and sometimes priceless service, features stacks of onions and other vegetables piled on the floor of a dim warehouse. It is reached by heading into town along the main road then turning left at 46, along the Malecon waterfront road. You can also contact them by VHP Channel 16 or by telephone (dial 3845).

When in search of the social scene, go north aiong the main road into town until past Av. 46 where the road changes into the Paseo del Prado. There are lots of picturesque horse-drawn buggies which cruise Ihe route, so for a peso you can just Hag them down and hop on. Don't be timid about this, as it's normal transport outside of Havana, and a great way to touch the soul of Cuba.

At night, when you're out cruising the streets yourself and looking for a private paladar-restaurant, just "ask any of those same buggies parked on any street corner. They'll not only tell you where to go, but they'll take you there.

If you're looking for the older parts of town, then you're in luck. Pueblo Nuevo just west of the Paseo is where the most interesting places such as the Jose Marti Square, museums, and historic buildings are located.

For an idle day in the streets, turn left at Ave. 54, opposite the Cine Prado and just before the Post Office. Several places are worthy of your visit, but my personal favorites are the Teatro Tomas Terry, the Palacio Valle, and the original City cemetery.

Situated in Jose" Marti square, (he Tomas Terry is an original 19th century theatre which you can tour for two dollars. In addition to those at floor level, banks of dark wooden seats line the galleries; while creaking stairs, velvet curtains, and rooftop views across the square, are among the other attractions. The ceiling above the dimly lit auditorium is exquisitely painted, with various ladies floating among the clouds and pointing at a clockface. The hands show the exact lime the painting was completed, and to complete the display, an ornate marble statue of the founder graces the lobby,

This wonderful building is still in use, hosting everything from music-hall comedy to ballet and opera. If you prefer, then just show up for any of the evening performances (pay in pesos at the box office), and imagine yourself some sort of Edwardian taking his leisure.

The Valle Palace is not more than 500 yards to the right of the marina on the main road and next door to the Hotel Jagua. A blend of Moorish and Spanish architectural features, blended with a pinch of fantasy, this extraordinary building was built as a wedding present around the turn of the century. Having survived Batista's casino designs, the building is now a working restaurant which can be toured with an elderly guide giving you running commentaries on each and every room. The roof is now an open-air bar, and a delightful place to spend half an hour with a frosted cocktail of some sort

As for the Cementario Municipal de La Rema (the old graveyard from 1836), this is where the original inhabitants of the city lie in a tumult of marble graves and sepui-chers. Here, a fantastic jumble of pious virgins and angels stand guard among crumbling monuments, twisted wrought iron railings, vines, and nooks in the cemetery walls. You may park your bike with the curator, who will also be only too delighted to point out the finer examples of immortality, but be certain to ask after the Sleeping Beauty, a lovely marble statue. If my memory serves me right, the curator told me that she too would one day be buried in her family's old plot.

To get to this one, you have to skirt the port area, passing the old railway sidings and go round to the western shores of the city, only 15 minutes by bike.

By the way, there are small ferries which connect the city with the entry channel. If you wish to tour the Castillo de Jagua (the ancient fort you passed on the way in), then take the midday ferry which leaves from the northern end of Calle 29. The journey across the bay only costs a couple of centavos, and takes about an hour.

While it's not everyone's cup of tea, I guess you can tell I like Cienfuegos. And as a matter of fact, in some weird way, it always strikes me as being a city that really should know better, but still...

CASILDA CHART NOS. ICH 1141,1432 OR 1431 (CUBAN)

Despite the limited appeal and downright ugliness of this particular poi t, il does serve the city of Trinidad some six or seven miles inland (See Pg. 208). There is absolutely no excuse for visiting Cuba and neglecting that jewel of a city, even if you have to do it by land from somewhere else. So beautiful is it that UNESCO has placed it on the World Heritage list.

Casilda is the gateway to the southeastern cays and the Escambray mountains.

In many ways this is the most convenient entry point if you are coming up from the Cayman Islands and intending to cruise the southern cays. Complete entry formalities (international and local travel) are available here, and you may also arrange all further documentation.

There is usually a motley collection of small fishing boats out at the reef, so go slowly past them as they don't have a lot of freeboard. Usually powered by simple sails made of crudely-stitched canvas and sackcloth, these tiny affairs are solely balanced by the crewmembers' precarious seatingposition with little in the way of ballast to help. 11" they don't wave back it's probably because they're scared to let go.

Once at the tip of the peninsula, the main channel will open up along a properly marked and maintained passage west-northwest into the inner bay harbor and whether you're coming in from Cayo Largo, Cienfuegos, or the Cayman Islands you will still have to put up with approximately the same formalities when docking.

The port officials here, unusually enough, will sometimes answer repeated VHP calls to "Seguridad Maritima" on 16 and will offer instructions if you are unsure, but in any case you should proceed in as described below.

Whether approaching from the outer gulf of Cazones or from Cienfuegos, the way into the sheltered gulf of Ana Maria at Casilda is through the Pasa de las Mulatas, actually a few miles south of Casilda.

This pass through the reef is used by major vessels and is consequently marked byalightatposition2r41.7N/079°58.6W., although you couid safely enter anywhere up to a mile north of this. Go through along a course of 65°M and turn north at the following green marker 2/3 of a mile in. This will take you over waters of about seven or eight feet to the channel light at the eastern end of the Ancon peninsula some two miles away, fine on the port bow. There are shallows either side of your course as you get within half a mile of the light so don't stray off-line. Luckily, the sandbank on your starboard is marked by a stake so you will be able to see whether you're on line. Once past the peninsula, follow the main channel through to the northwest.

If you prefer, there is a deeper route (20-30 feet all the way across) just a bit further to the east. To use this one, do not turn north at the green inner mark after entering through the reef, but rather continue east for another half-mile before making the turn north. This way you'll pass to the right of that same shallow sand bank off the eastern tip of the peninsula, passing through some very obvious markers there before making your turn northwest and picking up the same main channel into the harbor (see sketch previous page).

The large, well constructed wharf northwest across the basin to the right, inviting though it may be, is not your destination. Instead, you proceed towards a closer sag-ging wooden affair crowded by fishing vessels of all descriptions, and containing a small sentry-post/shack halfway along its length. There are some dangerous pilings barely protruding from the surface directly off the end, so come in from a bit over to the right where there is eight-to-nine feet depth and find a gap into which you can maneuver. Be flexible in your altitude towards fenders here as the top of the wharf is irregular to say the least, and it may be better to have crewmembers permanently assigned to fending-off once secured at the dock.

For those who prefer, you may anchor just off the dock and they'll come over to you in a small boat.

Over the years, we have had contrasting fortunes with our reception here. Usually there are endless delays when checking in (officials have to come from the ship's terminal across the basin), and upon arrival they used to be somewhat picky. Now, they're absolutely relaxed about the whole thing, and it has recently been a real pleasure dealing with the crew on duty.

At one stage too, this was one of the only places on the coast of Cuba where you would be sniffed over by a dog (this is increasingly common now), so lock up the ship's cat if you see one approaching.

Things can be slower on a Sunday so avoid this day like the plague, and you won't have to pay extra dues for the privileged. Mind you, you can pass the time watching the small fishing dinghies being cleared too when they come in.

Having cleared customs and immigration (both of these august bodies will require their pound of flesh), it will be suggested that you proceed to the Base Nautica across the bay south where you can see the top of the hotel over the mangroves. Translated literally into "Nautical Base", this is an airless, ugly, mooring between mosquito infested cays behind the Hotel Ancon complex. The various boats serving the tourist industry anchor there at night but the entrance is shallow and not shown on all charts, so I would advise care and a sharp eye on the depth-sounder. The bottom is soft mud, so no harm can come to you, but in any case the base is a charmless place to spend any time and it may be better to anchor off to the side of the main Casilda entrance channel.

You will, even moored inside the base, have to use your dinghy to come ashore so the additional inconvenience will be minimal.

The one advantage offered by the Base Nautica is that it does have a dirty concrete wharf alongside which you can draw if purchasing fuel, and there is a stand-pipe for water too.

Fuel is available, and we have also obtained ice here by requesting it well beforehand and including it in a deal for provisions.

To get to the Base Nautica, go west from the dock to pass north of the green mark close by. From this, head across the bay in seven-to-eight feet of water, in a curve as shown in the sketch. There is a red mark over there which should be passed to starboard, and you can now proceed directly towards the green mark right inside the mouth of the inlet. It is shallower at the mouth and you may prefer to wait for high tide before making the trip, but in any case the mud here is extremely soft so you can't really come to grief.

Your dinghy may be moored at the low concrete dock inside the Base Nautica, a short red-dust walk from the hotel fronting the beach on the other side of the peninsula. There are two other hotels a couple of miles along the beach, but too far off to be much use to a cruiser.

The Ancon seems marooned in the 1950' s and 60's and although this ghastly object is crumbling at a goodly pace, unfortunately, it hasn't collapsed yet. Nevertheless, with Suck, it may no longer blight the beachfront when you arrive. The dimly-lit lobby is crowded with package-tourists looking emptily at the dust covered walls and wondering what there is to do except hang out on the beach, or take even more package-tours to other parts of Cuba. They wear colored wristbands to denote their group (and rate), eating at prescribed times in prescribed refectories. Horseman, pass by.

Better spend your time in Trinidad, or if you wish to experience a more typically Cuban day out then spend Sunday afternoon on the sand at La Boca just down the coast road on the way to Trinidad. This beach, at the mouth of a narrow river is where the inhabitants of the area meet to relax in a lively congregation of music, flirting, and fist fights. They're far more interesting than the dowdy crowd of pale visitors from the north along the Ancon Peninsula, and you'll be made more welcome too.

As you're moored close at hand, the unfortunate hotel Ancon will have to be your base of operations for renting cars (in spite of the advertisements, there may not be any available just when you want) or obtaining taxis into the city. A trip into the spectacular Escambray Mountains will be a welcome divers ion after having been aboard for some days, so explore this possibility with regards to the rental car question, combining ii with your visit to Trinidad. If driving, beware of the hordes of local cyclists wobbling two-up along the beach roads, and the additional hazard of incongruously helmeted foreigners on cycling tours!

If you have to take a taxi, there are few opportunities for getting a cheaper rate at the hotel as only official ones are allowed in the compound. For a privately operated taxi (taxi particular) you have to wait until you're in Trinidad where you can easily find one by asking around.

There are a couple of hard-currency shops on the premises too, and although the range of goods sold is limited you may be able to re-provision somewhat if you've used up your roasted peanuts and bottled olives. The liquor racks are always full though, and you may find cosmetics and skin-diving equipment at competitive prices.

As in other hotels in Cuba, there is always a cigar-maker rolling his products by hand in the lobby.

Medical Service: In a contrast to my usually jaundiced view of the Ancon, one of our crewmembers got ill on a passage once (I blame the demon drink) and received excellent attention at the well signposted medical post under the hotel, so don't forget this service.

TRINIDAD THE BEAUTIFUL

One of the original seven colonial villas (garrisons) in the era of the Conquistadores, this city once thrived on sugar. Thousands of slaves were imported to till the fields of the rich families who built their majestic dwellings around the cathedral of Santisima Trinidad off the main square. Interestingly, some of the streets have old cannons buried muzzle-down to protect the corner-houses from being damaged by wide-turning horse-drawn vehicles and the like.

The old mansions in the cobbled streets have largely been preserved and tourists are encouraged to visit these. For a dollar or two you can stroll about opulent rooms filled with their original furniture, all the time followed by an informative middle-aged matron who precisely describes (or makes a wild guess at) any of the objects you might wish to pause over. One of the museums here, devoted to the years of CIA destabilization campaigns, even has ahands-on exhibit of acaptured "pirate" vessel used to prey on official or unofficial Cuban boats and to land agents in the area. A fast cabin-cruiser, painted strangely matt-black and converted to fire heavy machine-guns from fixed mounts. Many's the time I've wished for one of my own.

Behind the Cathedral on the hill, there are a couple of cave systems which are worth a visit. One of these, was even the haunt of Carlos Ayala, an ancient brigand who would bring his victims here to meet their fate.

The city seems to have rediscovered itself over the last few years, and there is now a glut of private restaurants (paladars) available to the cruiser. You are quite likely to be intercepted by runners acting for these, who will advise on which door to knock on. For the first-time visitor to Cuba this may be a strange experience, but you soon get used to the way things are done.

The same person who advises you about local eateries will also know a friend with a car. This, to be truthful, is a far better deal than official taxis — or even renting your own. For example, at about half the price of a small rental auto, you can obtain the services of a car, driver with local knowledge, guide, and friend. This in turn (everything in Cuba leads in logical steps from one to another), will lead to an acquaintance of the driver knowing where you can obtain locally grown provisions outside of the market system.

Make sure your driver knows that you want to visit the mountains outside the city. It's a steep drive and you should allow a half-day or more, but you can soon find yourself in an environment which seems more like Switzerland than the Caribbean. The second highest peak in Cuba (el Tope de Collante) is in the Escambray mountains here, with a nearby waterfall which you can reach only by foot after an exquisite hike.

You might think that with the increase in tourism there would be a certain "West Indian" tension in the streets, but thankfully I have never noticed anything of the like. We have wandered ail over the lesser travelled lanes on the edge of town, but have encountered only wonderful people who absolutely adore talking about life, their country, and their futures.

If planning to go far afield from Casilda you will have to return to the Guarda Frontera post on the dock and await clearances and your despacho. They' 11 even give you a Guia de Recala (list of stops) extending all the way to Santiago or Havana, so avail yourself of this facility, emphasizing that you're going by way of the cays and will be anchored out most of the way.

If you're only going out for a day or two among the cays here then the local Guarda Frontera officer at the Base Nautica itself will probably be able to issue you with the despacho.

THE INNER PASSAGE ALONG THE MAINLAND: CHART NOS. ICH1141,1139,1138,1137, &1431 (A REALLY GOOD ONE FOR THE FIRST TRICKY BIT),

There will be several points along the way where both the inner and outer routes converge, so in the interest of simplicity I shall first describe the inside route as far as the mid-gulf cays of Cuervos, Manuel Gomez, and Algodon Grande. Here the two passages come close together, and thereafter, you may swap between them as you see fit.

To be truthful, once past the first fifteen miles, if you don't have any detailed charts, all you have to do to get to the end of the island is to follow the coastline. Whenever you come to a line of cays extending out (sometimes up to ten miles) from the shoreline, then look for the markers showing the canals through.

There are a couple of notable passes to be negotiated, namely: The Canal deBalandras off Jucaro (this one can be avoided entirely by turning due south to the mid-gulf cays), the long Canal de! Pingue, the passes north of the Canal de Cuatro Reales, and the pass through the banks at Chinchorro. 

CAYO BLANCO DE ZAZA

Just before the town of Tunas de Zaza, and not to be confused with Cayo Blanco or Zaza de Fuera (both on the outer reef), this is the first of the natural stopping points along the inner route. About 11 miles east of the Pasa de Los Machos, this pretty island offers better shelter than the bay just east of Tunas, and has some lovely sandy beaches on the west side. Over there on the mainland, the aforementioned bay is shallow, muddy and offers extremely poor holding, so don't even bother to look.

There is a light on the cay, and if you moor south-southwest of that (around 21°35.9/079°35.9) you'll be in 10-11 feet and sheltered from the northeast winds.

The last time we were here we were visited by a single Guarda Frontera later that night, but a quick flash of the paperwork seemed to work wonders.

Be careful of the corals extending from the northern and southern tips of the island and give them wide berths when leaving.

From here you can easily navigate eastward along the coast by remaining some two or three miles offshore until you come to a chain of cays just past the mainland town of Jucaro, itself about 45 miles east of Cayo Blanco de Zaza.

JUCARO AND ONWARDS

Situated in a large shallow bay, Jucaro is guarded to the east by a more or less continuous string of cays which stretch out nearly 15 miles south of the mainland. The town itself is quite small, and bases its economy on fishing and pilotage. There is a long wharf here which caters to the shipment of sugar in barges, and another one just east of that which is where the fishing boats moor.

Ice and fuel can be obtained here, and it is notable that the tenders which supply a new floating hotel down in the cays to the south (see Piedra Grande on, Pg. 225) use this port as a base to collect both supplies and their European clientele arriving by road and rail from Havana.

Past Jucaro, the marked course goes through a short canal between the cays. This can be entered from the west at 21°26.2/ 078°47.4, but in any case the route swings south immediately after leaving, so rather than passing through these islands, it is best to turn due southeast before you reach them. Head 160°M from approximately 21°30.0/078°00.0.

This wili take you towards Cayos Cuervos, Manuel Gomez, and Algodon Grande. These cays, which lie some 27 miles away, are only a couple of miles off the main commercial channel and offer excellent cruising and anchorage. They are also halfway between the outer reef and the mainland, so are equally accessible to both routes. We will deal with them in a short while (see Pgs. 221 and 222). 

THE OUTER ROUTE ALONG THE CAYS: CAYO BLANCO CHART NOS.1141 & 1431

Along the outer cays near Casilda, this island is deserving of a visit even if you're going to take the inner route (see charts). You can snorkel for lobster close off the eastern tip in the elkhorn coral forests, and follow that up with a midnight barbecue on the beach. There is a light beacon situated on the eastern end.

To get to the cay, retrace your entry route, but instead of actually exiting the pass out through the reef at the Pasa de las Mulatas merely proceed from the inside marker along a course of 132° M to the remains of a wreck on the coast of Cayo Blanco some 5.5 miles away. You might alternately parallel the reef along the outside on a simitar course.

Becareful when mooring near the wreck, as there is an underwater bank east and south of this point. This can cause problems if the Kabatic effect causes a wind shift (as it surely will around here) in the night.

We've found it best to remain a hundred yards north of the wreck and to make sure the anchor is well dug in especially in the spring as the early morning winds can be strong here. The aforesaid wind shifts once caused us to seek out shelter across the bay in the Fondeadero (anchorage) Jobabo close in to the mangroves. That's about three miles away on 30°M. Be careful of the holding at Jobabo and if you can't get a grip then you can follow the marked channel round to the west and north where there are a couple of enclosed anchorages (sketches on Pgs. 205 and 210) which are better. We have also had to use these once, during a midnight storm while bypassing Casilda on our way east from Cienfuegos. In a southerly gale, it was just too rough to travel anywhere near the reef so we had to enter from outside, coming through just to the east of the light. We made our way over to the shelter of the mainland, but under those conditions the holding off Jobabo wasn't good enough so we had to search out better grip in the bays further in.

Cayo Blanco is the very occasional destination for boat tours from the hotel Ancon, and they like to moor to what's left of the wreck itself.

The tourists aboard stare at you in frank envy but don't stay long. You on the other hand can spend an entire day lobstcring from the dinghy, or wandering along the beach and through the middle of the cay to the other shore.

On that southern side there is evidence of a long ago cataclysmic storm which has heaped up enormous mounds of dead coral, ripped from the depths to bleach in the sun.

CAYOZAZADEFUERA (SEE SKETCHES ON PGS. 212 & 218) CHART NO. ICH 1431 (CUBAN)

Travelling southeast along the outer cays we need places to rest up overnight and the first of these could well be Zaza de Fuera at 21"27.5N / 079°34.3W, easily attainable from either the inner or the outside routes. Fishermen use this and other cays along here as an overnight shelter too, so be prepared to bargain for all kinds of seafood and lobster.

If coming from Casilda along the inner route: Proceeding from the last pass at Los Machos, take up a course of 113°M some 10 miles towards the light'on Cayo Blanco de Zaza with its odd structures nearby; then a further a mile along 168°M (or visual if you can see that far) to the tip of the island.

If coming here from an earlier halt at Cayo Blanco: The easiest route is outside the reef via the passes at either end of that cay, then back in past the lighted buoy at the Canal de Tunas (21°31.0/079°41.4) about 13 miles southeast of Cayo Blanco. From there it's visual (117°M), approximately seven miles to the anchorage.

At first we anchored here on the west side of the island among the shallows in five-to-seven feet, but later found a secluded inner lagoon with an entrance close to the northwest end of the island (21⁰27.9/079°34.4), some way north of a wreck and a large stake.

From the west, the approach depths will not drop below nine feet and you can maneuver into this fascinating bayou to find yourself totally surrounded on all sides by a protecting wall of tall mangroves with deeper water inside.

Taking the dinghy south, you can break into other, larger lagoons within the island, with fish leaping, birds nesting, and passing through to the other northeast side of the island you can trail a hook or take your spear for even better luck over the coral there. And speaking of which, the bottom on the east side is a lot shallower and sharper, so when the time comes, leave the cay on the side you came in.

From Cayo Zaza de Fuera heading further along the inner routes, give the northwest tip of the cay a wide berth and proceed north to Tunas, or 98°M to pick up the channel markers north of Manati Bank some 14 miles away.

On the other hand you may be continuing along the outer passages to the beautiful archipelago of cays and reefs called "The Gardens of (he Queen" and the "Twelve-League Labyrinth". 

ROUTE TO THE GARDENS OF THE QUEEN CHART NOS. ICH 1141 & 1430 (CUBAN)

Apart from the obvious one of going outside the reef, there are two routes between Zaza and Cayo Breton. The direct line from the southwest tip is closely proscribed by the presence of a long bank on the starboard side of the boat, so you should aim to pass of either side of this bank.

The deeper route means taking your vessel round the shallows and northeast of Zaza. This enables a course of 170°M over the 27 miles to the lights at (he inside of the Breton reef entrance, at a position of 21°11.4N / 079°28.9W. Here you can visually steer in a gentle parabola into the lee of Cayo Breton.

A shallower, but more convenient, 25 mile passage is made by leaving your overnight anchorage and heading more or less west-southwest towards the reef. As you approach, the bottom will become discolored by a broad band of coral (but still deeper than 12 feet), then quite unbelievably, a broad white sandy path will suddenly show, leading towards the southeast. Sticking to this very obvious path down the length of the reef will take you south-southeast all the way to Cayo Breton. It's jusl like following the Yellow Brick Road.

Along the entire length of the coral bank through which you are gently led, the depths will not drop below seven feet as long as you stick to the road; and if at any stage you get too nervous, then favor the western side of the path.

There are marks on the southeastern end of the reefy road, with the main channel markerfurtheroutat21°08.5N/079°30.5W showing commercial vessels the way in through the Canal De Breton. Five miles across that canal lies the fittingly named Gardens of the Queen (Los Jardines de la Reina). Generally characterized by inner lagoons, this string of cays stretches for the next 70 miles.

CAYO BRETON

The most westerly cay in the Gardens of the Queen, Cayo Breton is a heavily dissected island with a rewarding series of wide passages leading into an large shallow body of water up to a mile wide. The easiest way into that is to aim about 53°M just behind the tall light on the western tip. The depth upon approach will shelve to about seven feet, but immediately after it will drop once again to 20 feet. The passage has branches off to the east, with acres of totally enclosed waterways up to 200 yards wide, leading to the very shallow lagoon. If you are going to anchor overnight here, then I would advise that the current reverses and reaches speeds of 1.5 knots, so set yourself with this in mind. You may if you're just going for a walk, actually run your boat up onto the banks at the base of the light, strapping it loosely to the undergrowth for stability.

At the southwest tip of the cay, out towards the fringing reef, there are more of the Acopios or fishing-service docks as described in chapter five (see Cayos de la Lena). Here you can obtain ice or any other services you wish to beg, borrow, or buy; and this is a good place to put up for the night.

This is the most productive lobster fishing area in Cuba, and the largest of the acopios here handles over 400 tons per year. When there is room you will be made most welcome alongside in 11 feet, but be careful of the way you moor as the sharp edges on the dock can easily cut your lines. It is also a good idea to be ready for squalls and 180° wind shifts if you are there in the winter.

It's quite interesting to notice that the hold which "Telenovelas" (Soap Operas) have on the Cuban population extends as far as the outer cays. The last time we were here, there were thirty gnarled fishermen sitting in the main room at the end of the dock lit only by the flickering blue tinge of a snowy television screen. Within, there was hushed, tense silence, interspersed only by whispers and the sound of a quarreling Raquel (bad) and Ruiz (good) as they played out their nightly drama. At ten o'clock, immediately following the novella, the entire group decamped to their fishing boats in a noisy rehash of the night's proceedings; and inside two minutes, every single boat had departed into the blackness, leaving only the three permanent inhabitants on the dock to look for company on board Hobbes.

Departing: In the morning, there are three options depending on the wind: A) You may go round to the northern side of the cay. B) Follow the reef on the outside. C) Proceed east along a channel between the reef and the cay — this last option will probably mean that you intend to pass over to the northern side at the end of Cayo Breton as it gets a bit shallow near the canal at that end.

Northern side: If you have a shallow draft, going round to the north is probably easiest done by going through the channel just behind the light and following the deeper water east. On this side there is a reef which parallels the coast, but it is generally too deep to cause trouble at this end. Look out however, for an uncharted rock at 21°Q7.6/ 079°23.3 just after passing across from Breton to Cayo Cinco Balas and near the shallow entrance to the lagoon at that end of the cay.

All the entrances on this side of that cay are shallow, but if you are willing to pick your way you may find (as we have) passages into the heart of the cay, rather like on Cayo Breton. For example, if you take the left fork after the shallow (five feet) entrance at 079°20.7W it will take you into the centra! lagoon there, but the depths inside the lagoon are equally shallow. The right fork will take you through, back again to the south side, but here you can follow an inside route all the way east, just behind the outer cay there, until you come out the other side atEstero Ingles behind AlcatrazGrande. Depths varying between five-to-20-foot along this route will necessitate a sharp eye on the depthsounder, but it certainly is a fascinating route. If you've got the time, it's what you came for. At this point you are at the Canal Boca Grande, a deep and wide channel between major groups of cays.

Trailing southwest after theBoca Grande canal as far as Caballones, there is a long mostly-submerged inner reef separated from the cays by a half a mile and in a northeasterly blow this might appear to offer some shelter from broadside waves if traveling on the northern side of the cays. Don't be tempted, as we've found that the reef is usually too deep to abate much of the seas. It also shallows between the reef and the cay, and you need to be constantly on the lookout for coral heads. Just travel instead on the southern side of the cays.

Southern side, outside reef: From Cayo Breton, traveling on the outside of the reef south of the cay means going back out the way you came in, west of the cay, or looking for the deeper passes just east of the sandbank south of the acopio itself. Here you will find anything like 10-15 feet at a longitude of 79°26.6W. and you can proceed more or less as you please. Apart from the major entrances such as Boca Grande (Big-Mouth canal, at 079°15.6W) there are many lesser breaks in the reef (see text for suggestions).

You can come in through Boca Grande, or parallel the north shore off any breakers along the cays (Cayos Las Doce Leguas), but do not try to continue east between the reef and Las Doce Leguas. As mentioned above, it gets shallow in the sound there and although we have spent hours looking, we eventually found it best to go outside the reef.

It is of note that the outer route, all the way along these cays, is blessed with waters of a startling blue. You will be able to see 60-100 feet down at any point, so reading the bottom is not only easy, but a pleasure.

Southern side, between cay and reef: Leaving the Cayo Breton dock, pass north of the smaller of the two acopios and head east in about 12 feet Apart from the reef over to the south, there are some drying banks to either side so pass between these, passing the whithies here to port. At the end of the island, there is another stake in the water which marks your turn north between the cays. The water will shallow to about seven-foot now, but immediately inside the passage between the cays it once again drops to 20 feet and you wiil have no trouble passing out to the northern side.

We have in the past picked our way in between the reef and Cayo Cinco Balas (Five Bullets Cay), endeavoring to find a way into the lagoon between Cinco Balas and Alcatraz Grande. But this is a tricky prospect, and although we got there we couldn't actually enter the lagoon in the end. We did find an entry through a gap in the reef 2407160°M at position 21° 02.4N / 079°19.7W, which you might use if you wish to anchor overnight in this area as we have done peacefully at Alcatracito. Gosh, I just love the names of these cays.

All of the above routes offer a convenient route depending on your preference as to the wind, with the outer passage offering more beaches and the inner route more tempting if it's rough outside.

Do not imagine that the inner passage will always be cairn, as within this large gulf stormy northeast winds will have quite enough time to reach a goodly velocity. We have experienced endless days of high winds during the winter and spring which have blessed us with waves of up to 10 feet well inside the gulf where we might have expected much less. There have been times when il was so rough inside the gulf here that we were not even able to maintain the fog. Please note that at this time of the year, this is a daily feature of the weather, and not a passing phase.

Luckily, it quiets down in the afternoons, but you may be assured that it will pipe up at night and early in the morning once again.

Note: To continue along the chain of outer cays, please sec P. 224, where the text deals with the Twelve League Labyrinth.

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