October 1994 vr -vs
The Potential Impact on Florida-Based Ilarina and Boating Industries of a Post-Embargo Cuba: An Analysis of Geographic, Physical, Policy and Industry Trends
JAMES C. CATO EDiTOR
FLORIDA SEA GRANT COLLEGEPROGRAM
COLL' PROGRAM ISBN 0-912747-10-2
FloridaSea Grant College is supportedby awardof theOffice of SeaGrant, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Departmentof Commerce,grant nmnber NA 36RG-0070,under provisions of the National Sea GrantCollege and Programs Act of 1966,This paper is funded by a grantfrom The NationalOceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The views expressedherein are thoseof the author s! and do not necessarilyreflect the views of NOAA or any of its sub-agencies,This information is publishedby the SeaGrant ExtensionProgram which functions as a componentof the Florida CooperanveExtension Service, John T. Woeste,Dean, in conductingCooperative Extension work in Agriculture, Home Economics,and Marine Sciences,State of Florida, U.S. Departmentof Agriculture, U,S, Departmentof Commerce,and Boardsof County Commissioners,cooperating. Printed and distributedin furtheranceof the Acts of Congressof May 8 and June 14, 1914. The Florida SeaGrant College is an Equal Opportunity-Affirmative Action employer authorizedto provide research,educational information and other servicesonly to individuals and institutionsthat function without regard to race, color, sex, age, handicapor national origin. The information in this publication is availablein alternateforinats. Information about alternateformats is availablefrom EducationalMedia and Services, University of Florida, PO Box 110810, Gainesville, FL 32611-0810. Printed 10/94,
Cover photo: JamesCato The Potential Impact on Florida-BasedMarina and Boating Industries of a Post-EmbargoCuba: An Analysisof Geographic,Physical, Policy and Industry Trends
Contributors
Gustavo A. Antonini James C. Cato editor! Terry L. McCoy D. Max Sheppard
University of Florida
Florida Sea Grant College Program Technical Paper - 76 October 1994
$~4.OO includes sales tax!
For information on how to order this publication write or call: Florida Sea Grant College Program University of Florida P.O. Box 110409- Building 803 Gainesville, FL 32611-0409 904-392-2801
TechnicalPapers are duplicated in limitedquantities for specializedaudiences requiring rapid access to infortnation,They are published with limited editing and without formal review by theFlorida Sea Grant CollegeProgram. Content is solelythe responsibilityof the author. TABLE OF CONTENTS
List of Figures lv List of Photographs v11
List of Tables , v111
List of Appendices,
Preface
The Boating Geography of Cuba and its Recreational Potentials
Gustavo A, Antonini
Abstract ..
Introduction
Boating Before the Revolution . Boating Environment
Boating Regions ., 4 Region 1 Cabo Cruz to Punta Maisi! .. 4 Region 2 Punta Maisi to Punto Maternillo!,...,.... Region 3 Punto Maternillo to Varadero! . ,, 5 Region 4 Varadero to Bahia Honda! .. 5 Region 5 Bahia Honda to Cabo San Antonio! .. 5 Region 6 Cabo San Antonio to Cabo Frances! ,. 6 Region 7 Cabo France's to Ensenada de Cazones! .. 6 Region 8 Ensenadade Cazonesto PuntaMaria Aguilar!, .. 6 Region 9 Punta Maria Aguilar to Cabo Cruz! .. 6
Trends in the Developmentof Boating Facilities in Cuba and the Caribbean .. 7 Pre-1960 Boating Facilities ,. 8 1993 Boating Facilities .. 8 Development Trends 9 Dilemmasand Opportunities
Literature Cited
Boating and Politics: Why Your Can't Go to Cuba, Yet
Terry L. McCoy
U.S. Policy... 61 The Political Context 61 RegulationsAffecting RecreationalBoating to Cuba 63 Enforcement ...... 65
Cuban Policy .. 66 The Economic and Political Context 66 Developmentof theTourism Sector 67 69 Marine Touristn..... 70 Boatingin Cuba 72 Conclusion Appendix:Chronology ofKey Events inU,S.-Cuban Relations, 1959-1994 73 76 Literature Consulted .
The Impact on Florida's Marinas and Recreational Boating Based Industries of a Post-embargo Cuba: The Need to Plan Now
James C. Cato
81 Introduction 82 Limits to Growth 84 Current Statusof Boats in Florida PreparingNow for anUncertain Future 87 88 Summary
Literature Cited
The Influence of Meteorlogical and Oceanographic Conditions on Recreational Boat Routes Between The United States and Cuba
D. Max Sheppard
103 Introduction 103 Met/Ocean Parameters 103 Wind 104 Waves . 105 Surface Currents 106 Hurricanes BoatingRoutes Between the US andCuba 107 109 References 110 Acknowledgements LIST OF FIGURES
The Boating Ceography of Cuba and Its Recreational Potentials
Gustavo A .Anronim
No. Page
1. Cuba's Location in Relation to South Florida Yachting, 1957!..... 27 2. Bathymetry. 28 3. Coastal Waters. 29 4. Currents. 30 5, Coastal Topography. 31 6. Shoreline...,...,, 32 7. Wet-Dry Seasons. 33 8, Regional Winds, 34 9. Local Winds. 35 10, Passes. 36 11. Anchorages. 37 12, Boating Facilities. 38 13. Boating Regions. 39 14. Pre-1960 Boating Facilities in South Florida and the Caribbean.... 40 15. 1993 Boating Facilities in South Florida and the Caribbean. 41 16. Charter Boats in the Caribbean and South Florida, 1993. 42 17, Caribbeanand South Florida Boating Facilities: Pre-1960and 1993. 43 18. RelativeChange in FacilitiesBetween 1960 and 1993 ProportionalChange of TotalStock!, 44 19. Protected Areas,, 45
The Impact on Florida's Marinas and Recreational Boating Based Industries of a Post-Embargo Cuba: The Need to Plan Now
James C, Caro
No. Page
Number of PleasureBoats Registered in Florida in 1982 and 1993 and the PredictedNumber for 2000 by Two Size Classes,, 91 2. Number of Boats Registered in Florida, 1975 to 1993. 92 3. RegisteredBoats in Floridain 1993by Propulsionfor the Four LargestSize Classes...,...... 93 4. Number of PleasureBoats Registeredin Florida, 1984 to 1993... 94 5. Total PleasureBoats and Nutnber in the SmallestSize Class Registered in Florida, 1985-1993,and the Annual PercentageChange in Registrationsfor TheseClasses, 1985-86 to 1992-93. 95 6. Numberof PleasureBoats Registered in Floridain the Four LargestSize Classes, 1985-1993. 96 7. AnnualPercentage Change in theNumber of PleasureBoats Registered in Florida in theFour Largest Size Classes, 1985-86 to 1992-93. 97 8. FloridaCounties With at Least15,000 Registered Pleasure Craft in 1993 98 9. FloridaCounties With At Least6,000 Registered Pleasure Craft 16' to Under26' in 1993. 99 10, Florida CountiesWith At Least 500 RegisteredPleasure Craft 26' to Under 40' in 1993, 100 11. Florida CountiesWith At Least 90 RegisteredPleasure Craft 40' to Under 65' in 1993, 101 12. FloridaCounties With At Least5 RegisteredPleasure Craft 65' andOver in 1993. 102 The Influence of Meteorlogical and Oceanographic Conditions on Recreational Boat Routes Between The United States and Cuba
D. Mar Sheppard
Page No. Definitionchart of the Gulf of Mexicoand surrounding waters. The numbers along the coastare mean astronomicaltideranges in feet.The station numbers enclosed in square boxes are the location of the windand wave roses shown in Figures2 and3. 111 2. Windand wave roses for Stations40 and 46 seeFigure 1!, Huberand Brooks, 1989! ...,...... , 112 3. Windand wave roses for Stations48 and51 seeFigure 1!. Huberand Brooks, 1989!,...... ,... 113 4. Windstick diagram for Key West, Florida winds for the year 1985, measured and plotted in 15minute intervals.The sticks point in thedirection to whichthe wind is blowing. 114 Waveenergy density spectrum for a locationoff WestPalm Beach, Florida in waterdepths of 12ft. on January15, 1994.... 115 Plotof waveheight divided by deepwater wave height! versus current speed divided by deepwater wavespeed!. Positive U/c, means that the waves are propagating in the direction the current is flowing. NegativeU/c. means the waves are propagating in the direction opposite the current. 115 Surfacecurrents in the southwesternNorth Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexicoin January Ichiye et al. 1973!. 116 Surfacecurrents in the southwesternNorth AtlanticOcean, Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexicoin July Ichiye et al. 1973!. 117 An AVHRRsea surface temperature image of theGulf of Mexicoacquired on March 8, 1994, Warmestwaters are shades of red andclosest waters are shades of blue,This imagewas acquired and processedby theEarth Scan Laboratory at theCostal Studies Institute from Dr. LawrenceJ. Rouse 994! .. outsideback cover 10. Typicalstrearniines of the surface in theGulf of Mexicoand surrounding waters for the month of February Ichiyem, 1973!. 118 Typicalsteamlines of the surface currents in the Gulf of Mexicoand surrounding waters for the month of June Ichiye, 1973!... 119 12. Typicalstreamlines of the surface currents in theGulf of Mexicoand surrounding waters for themonth of August Ichiye, 1973!. 120 13. Typicalstreamlines of the surface currents in theGulf of Mexicoand surrounding waters for themonth of October Ichiye, 1973!. 121 Typicalstreamlines of the surface currents in theGulf of Mexicoand surrounding waters for themonth of November Ichiye, 1973! 122 15. Radarimage of HurricaneAndrew as it madelandfall near Miami, Florida on August24, 1992.Image suppliedby Mr. PeterDodge of theHurricane Research Division of NPAA Houstonand Dodge, 1994!.. outsideback cover 16. Stormsurge hydrograph for HurricaneBetsy September 10, 1965!at Biloxi,Mississippi Jelesnianski, 1992!.. 123 17, Intra-seasonalvariations in the 100-yearfrequency of tropicalstorm occurence. Lower bar is for hurricanesonly and upper bar is for hurricanesand tropical storms combined. Data from 1886-1986 Neumann et al, 1987!.... 124 18. Tropicalstorms and hurricane paths for themonth of May,for the100-year period 1886-1986 4 storms! Neumann et al. 1987!. 125 19. Tropicalstorms and hurricane paths for themonth of June,for the100-year period 1886-1986 5 storms! Neumann et al. 1987!. 126 20. Tropicalstorms and hurricane paths for themonth of July,for the100-year period 1886-1986 3 storms! Neumann et al. 1987!. 127 21. Tropical stormsand hurricanepaths for themonth of August, for the 100-yearperiod 1886-1986 99 storms! Neumann et al. 1987!, 128 22. Tropical storms and hurricanepaths for themonth of September,for the 100-yearperiod 1886-1986 87 storms! Neumann et al. 1987!. 129 23, Tropical storms and hurricanepaths for themonth of October, for the 100-yearperiod 1886-1986 78 storms! Neumann et al. 1987!, 130 24. Tropical storms and hurricanepaths for the month of November, for the 100-year period 1886-1986 0 storms! Neumann et al. 1987!. 131 25. Tropical storms and hurricanepaths for the month of December, for the 100-year period 1886-1986 storms! Neumarm et al. 1987!. 132 LIST OF PHOTOTGRAPHS
The Boating Geography of Cuba and Its Recreactional Potentials
Gustavo A, Antonini
Page No.
46 1. Club NauticoInternacional, located in HavanaHarbor Aguilera,1956!. 46 2. Cruisers race to Cuba Yachting, 1950!. 3, SantiagodeCuba, Bay, location ofone of theisland's most active 955! yacht clubs, the Club Amateur de Pesca Aguilera, 1956!. 46 47 4. CienfuegosYacht Club Stevenson,1953a!, 47 5. Varaderounder construction Aguilera, 1956!. 47 6. Haul-outby a 6ox-power railway at Niquero Stevenson, 1953a!. 48 7, Town dockwith fishingsloops at Tunasde Zaza Stevenson,1953a!. 48 8. Acua Marina, Varadero, Cuba Photo by the Author!. 48 9 TararaMarina near Cojimar, Cuba Photoby the Author!..... 49 10, ChapelinMarina, repair facility, Hicacos Point, Cuba Photo by theAuthor!. 49 11. ChapelinMarina, marine-ways Photo by the Author!. 50 12. AdmiraltyBay, Bequia,Grenadines, 1948 Mitchell, 1948!. 13. AdmiraltyBay, Bequia,Grenadines, 1990 Doyle, 1990!. 50 51 14. EnglishHarbour, Antigua, 1953 Hiscock,1957!. 15. EnglishHarbour, Antigua, 1989 Photoby the Author!. 51 16. Pointe-a-Pitre,Guadeloupe, 1948 Mitchell, 1948!. 52 17, Pointe-a-Pitre,Guadeloupe, 1989 Photo by the Author!.. 52 18. Yacht Haven, St. Thomas, U,S. Virgin Islands, 1959, Eggleston, 1959!. 53 19. Yacht Haven, St. Thotnas, U.S. Virgin Islands, 1989 Photo by the Author!. 53
Boating and Politics: Why Your Can't Go to Cuba, Yet
Terry L. McCoy
No. Page MarinaHenungway in westHavana was origninally designed as a residentialhousing project, The long-tenn developtnentplan includes 2,070 rooms, restaurants, golf courses, boat repair facilities, support for sailing schoolsand other activities at a plannedcoat os $219 million US dollars. It's clearlyaimed at theU.S, boater. 80 Marinastourism officials hope to oneday see Marinas Acua and Veradero filled with visiting boaters. This marinais theclosest one in Cubato KeyWest, Florida,... 80 This charterfleet of ten 43-footsailboats awaits customers near Veradero, It is a jointventure between the Cubanenterprise Puerto Sol and German investors...,,,...... ,,,...... ,,, 80 LIST OF TABLES
The Boating Geography of Cuba and Its Recreational Potentials
Gustavo A. Antonini
No. Page
1. Legend for Wet-Dry SeasonsMap. 14 2. Existing Marinas in Cuba. 15 3. Boating Regions Location and Area.. 16 4. Near and Offshore Waters, ~ ...... ,..., 17 5, Shore Features. 18 6. Climate and Prevailing Winds. 19 7. Potential Boating Activities and Hazards. 20 RelativeDistribution of Pre-1960Boating Facilities, Within EachFacility Category, in SouthFlorida and the Caribbean Column %!,,...... ,...,...... ,,,,...... 21 Relative Distribution of Pre-1960Boating Facilitiesby Each Location, in South Florida and the Caribbean Row %!, 22 10, RelativeDistribution of 1993Boating Facilities, Within EachFacility Category, in South Floridaand the Caribbean Column %!...... ,...,...... ,,...,... 23 RelativeDistribution of 1993Boating Facilities by EachLocation, in SouthFlorida and the Caribbean Row %!. 24 12. Relative Distribution of Charter Boatsin 1993, by Locationin South Florida and the Caribbean, 25 13, Relative Changein CaribbeanBoating Facilities: 1960-1993, 26
Boating and Politics: Why Your Can't Co to Cuba, Yet
Terry L, McCoy
No. Page
US Regulationsand Procedures Affecting US PleasureCraft Cruisingin CubanWaters .. 64 CubanRegulations and Procedures Affecting US PleasureCraft Cruisingin CubanWaters 71
The Impact on Florida's lwarinas and Recreational Boating Based Industries of a Post-Embargo Cuba: The Need to Plan Now
James C. Cato No. Page
1. Actual and ProjectedNumber of PleasureBoats in Florida, 1982 to 2000. 83 2 Sites,Slips, Moorings and Dry Storageat Saltwaterand Freshwater.Marinas in Florida, 1987 and 1992. 84 3. VesselsRegistered in Florida for FiscalYear 1993. 85 4. RegisteredBoats in Florida in 1993 By Use for the Four LargestSize Classes. 85 Trends in Registrationof PleasureBoats in Florida by Boat Size ClassificationPrior to 1989 and 1989-93. 86
The Influence of Meteorlogical and Oceanographic Conditions on Recreational Boat Routes Between The United States and Cuba
D. Max Sheppard
Page
The Propagationof a 12 secondPeriod Wave from Deep to Shallow Water 105 Landfall Prediction Errors as a Function of Time Prior to Landfall 107 LIST OF APPENDICES
The Boating Geography of Cuba and Its Recreational Potentials
Gusravo A. Anronini
Page
Pre-1960Boating Facilities A. Caribbean and Central America 54 B. South Florida . 55 1993 Boating Facilities A, Caribbean and Central America .. 56 B. South Florida 59 1993 Caribbean and South Florida Charter Boats 60 PREFACE
In June,Florida Sea Grant and the Universityof Florida'sCenter for Latin AmericanStudies jointly sponsoreda workshop called, "Past, Present and Future Recreational Boating and Marine Relations with Cuba; The Florida Perspective," Theworkshop confirmed what many Floridians already suspected namely, that our state and the island nationof Cubahave many traditional links thatbring us togetherdespite political and ideological differences. Of course, oneof the mostimportant of theselinkages is the seathat both unites and divides us from eachother. Throughoutthe workshop, experts spoke of howthis stretch of bluewater tnay some day be a pathway oncemore by whichCubans and Americans can easily enjoy the best of whateach of ourcountries has to offer.Recent headlinesindicate that concernsabout future travel betweenthe US and Cuba are a timely topic for discussion,' From theperspective of the Florida-based marina and recreational boating industry representatives, ourworkshop showed that theseconcerns can be viewed either as problemsor opportunities. One month after our workshop, Terry McCoy, GustavoAntonini, Max Sheppardand I traveled to Cuba to visitwith many scientists in theCuban Academia de Ciencias, Instituto de Hydrografia, Instituto de Oceanologia, five tnarinas,and a numberof otherlocations of marineand coastal interest. Throughout our visit we engagedin frank, full anduseful exchanges with Cubanscientists and those in charge.We madescientific presentations and, in return, receivedvaluable information about Cuban scienceprograms and perspectiveson recreationalboating and the importance it holds for their economic future, The information in this TechnicalPaper addresses the future of the US-Cubanmarina and recreational boatingindustries from the geographic,physical, policy making and economic perspectives for a post-embargoCuba. Each individual paper builds on the presentationsmade at the workshop, the information obtainedin the subsequenttrip to Cuba and presentsin detailedform information which we hope is useful to all readers.
JAMES C, CATO
" FOr more information about the workshop presentations, write to Florida SeaGrant, University of Florida, PO Box 110409, Gainesville, FL 32611-0409, or call 904! 392-2801, and ask for a copy of the Summer 1994 issue of FATHOM Magazine. This special issue is devoted exclusively to Cuban-US boating and marina issues and is filled with articles recapping the speakers presentations. X3.3. The Boating Ceography of Cuba and Its Recreational Potentials
Gustavo A. Antonini '
Abstract
This paperdescribes the boatinggeography of Cuba, The evolutionof recreationalboating in pre- Revolutionary Cuba is traced. Physical and infrastructural conditions that determine the island's marine recreationalgeography are discussed. Nine boating regions are identified and described,in terms of area, coastaltopography, shoreline, water depth, currents, entrance channels, anchorages, shore facilities, boating activities, and hazardsto navigation. Boating facilities in Cuba are comparedwith other Caribbeancountries andsouth Florida, in termsof growthover the past40 years. Developmenttrends in marinasand yacht clubs,boat yards, and other boating facilities, as charter boating, are analyzed. Finally, the dilemmasand opportunitiesfacing boaters in searchof discoveringCuba are highlighted.
introduction
Cubahas a specialallure it is a subtropicalisland, unspoiled and largely undeveloped. This is appealingto a growingnumber of recreationalboaters, disenchanted with increasedregulation of U,S, coastal watersand the crowdedcondition of Caribbeancruising locales. To manyFlorida boaters, Cuba's geographicallocation, one-day's sail from our shores, gives the island a specialappeal it is a tropical destinationjust over the horizon Figure I!, This paperdescribes the boatinggeography of Cuba. The evolutionof recreationalboating in pre- Revolutionary Cuba is traced. Physical and infrastructuralconditions that determinethe island's marine recreationalgeography are discussed. Nine boating regions are identified and described, in termsof area, coastaltopography, shoreline, water depth, currents, entrance channels, anchorages, shore facilities, boating activities,and hazards to navigation.Boating facilities in Cubaare compared with otherCaribbean countries andsouth Florida, in termsof growthover the past 40 years, Development trends in marinasand yacht clubs,boat yards, and other boating facilities, as charter boating, are analyzed. Finally, the dilemmas and opportunitiesfacing boaters in searchof discoveringCuba are highlighted.
Boating Before the Revolution Yachtracing on the island can be traced to 1930when "Gidge" Gandy of St. Petersburgand Rafael Possoof Havanaorganized a racethat becamethe classicSt, Petersburgto HavanaRace, the forerunnerof theSouthern Ocean Racing Circuit SORC!,and an annual ocean sailing event for over30 years Hewitt,
' Professorof Geographyand Latin American Studies, Sea Grant Extension Specialist, Department of Geography,3141 Turlington, University of Florida,Gainesviile, FL 32611, 904! 392-6233.
A number of individuals provided assistancewhich made this study possible. Kiko villal6n Marine Concepts,Ft, Myers!examined the environmentalsite analysisbased on his extensivesailing experiences in cuba, and georgeFoyo Instftuto de Dceanologfa,Havana! reviewed current shore facilities. HectorRenh Ledesma and Pauleox, Geographygraduate students, prepared the camera- ready maps and tables.
Arturo Sordo,Mario Bustarnante,Sergio Callo and Kikovillal6n gaveoral accountsof sailingand recreational boating history during this period. 1985!.4Cuban boaters, as GomezMena, Heron Dorena,Vidana, Rasco, Inclan, Gallo, Sordo,and the Bustamantebrothers, promoted offshore yacht racing with their boats,Gaiocamm, Polux, Bicho Malo, Bellatrix, andthe famedCriollo and Ciclon.' The Club NauticoInternacional de la Habana Photo 1! served asthe catalyzinginstitution, which sponsored boating and sailing events. In time, powerboat cruises and racesbetween Miami andHavana were organized Photo 2!, asboating became more popular on the island, and betweenFlorida and Cuba, Boating in Cubaduring the pre-1950period was, to a large degree,a pastimeof upper-middleclass and well-to-do individuals, Beginningin the early 1950s,however, boating became more popular as organizations, like the Federaci6nNautica Cubana and Amigos del Mar, wereformed by Cubansseeking to learnmore about the lore of the sea, Recreationalboating facilities began to be establishedin Havanaand elsewhere, such as the Club Amateurde Pescain Santiago Photo 3! andthe CienfuegosYacht Club Photo4!. Recreationalboating facilities,by the late 1950s,were being built at SantaFh andJaimanitas west of Havana!and at Varaderoto the easton the north coast Photo5!, By andlarge, however, boating in pre-RevolutionaryCuba offered primitivemaintenance facilities Photo 6!. Shoreaccess outside Havana was restricted to towndocks Photo 7!. This was the statusof Cuba's recreationalboating when the Revolution occurred and the island was sealedfrom outsidecontacts. At the close of the 1950s,recreational boating and fishing were beginning to appealto an increasingnumber of middle-incomeCubans. Local boating clubs had been organized. Some specializedmarina facilities had been built to meetlocal andU.S. demands,However, the popularity of offshorecruising, as it is knowntoday, had not yet emerged.An islandcruise, in thosedays, was an exceptionalevent.' Typical boating activities were day sailing, design class racing, and deep sea fishing, The St. Petersburgto HavanaRace was the annualevent that cappedthe boatingseason, The Revolution froze constructionof boating facilities. The dredgedresidential canal-front developmentat Barlovento,predecessor of MarinaHemingway, and the AcuaMarina at Varadero,had just beencompleted. The Club Nauticosituated in Havanaharbor eventually was converted to an OfficersClub. Cubanboating was poised for the 1960s"take-off" in popularityand growth, However,the islandnever experiencedthe demandfor tropicalcruising vacation-lands as did otherCaribbean islands. Theseconditions maywell changein the nearfuture.'
'Motor Boating, The Rudder and Yachting magazines,during the post-war to early 1960s,published race results, Examples include Bertram 951 and 1952!, coulson 956!, Loomis 954 and 1957!, MCMas'ters 951!.
Both criollo and ocldn, a 47' sparkman-stevensdesigned yawl, were built at the Hermanos Blanco boat yard on the Almendares River in Havana. Local high quality boat-building and superior seamanship provided the Cubanswith winning results. Vidana'sCriollo took overall ClassA honors in tHe st. petersburg-Havana Race and won the southern ocean Racing circuit in 1957, successfully competing against such heavyweights as Carleton Mitchell's Flnlsterre. Local construction elsewhere produced quality commercial vessels.Two-masted 60 ft fishing schooners were built at Bataban6 and a full displacement launch built at Cienfuegos lancha Cienfuegina!were noted products.
Jansen 950! cruised from cabo Ivlals to cayo verde, on eilly ll, a 58 ft Elco in 1949, en route from san Juan to Miami. The stevensons 955a,b,c! spent 10 months in 1952 cruising cuba aboard Sea Eagle,a 46 ft cruiser, and reported conditions west of Havanaand for the south coast from Cabo SanAntonio to Nlquero. Aguilera 956! circumnavigated the island during NOvember-December 1955,logging 2178 miles aboard Indra, a 47 ft Chris Craft, Conover 958!, aboard the sloop Revonoc, sailed the Isle of Youth-Cabo San Antonio-Havana coast,
'There is substantial evidence that Cuba is being redlscovered by recreational boaters, judging from recently published art cles, as Allen 991a,b!, cushlng 994a,b,c!, Flannery 992!, and Fleming 992!. Small-craft charts :50,000 scale! are being published by the Cuban lnstituto de Boating Environment Cuba'scoastal geography presents a varietyof boatingconditions. An understandingof the pattern anddistribution of theseconditions offshore, nearshore,onshore is basicto appreciatingCuba's boating potentials. This sectionexamines key physical resourcedeterminants'. Cubahas a 1900mile coastline longer than Florida! which trends southeast - northwest.' Largeopen embaymentsfringed by coralreefs are found along the southcoast; smaller, island-studded bays characterize the northcentral and westernshores, Coastalshelf areas,which comprise60% of the inshore zone, have water depthsless than 100 f Figure 2!, Elsewheredeep water o100 f! lies within 2 miles of the coast. Seventypercent of Cuba's coastalshelf waters Figure 3! are navigable ~ 1 f! for small-craft. The setand
Hldrografia to meet boater demand; charts for the north coast, from Marina Hemingway to Cdrdenas,and the south coast Canarreosislands! are currently available to the public through El Navegante, Mercaderes 15, Havana, The Instftuto ls preparing a yachting guide Carcfa Aivarez, 1994!. other cruising guides are ln press, as described in caribbean Journal 994! and by Moquin 994!, 'Mariners'measurement conventions have been adopted: mile is nautical 080 ft!; water depth is fathom f = 1 ft!; elevation is meter m = 3.28 ft!.
Resource mapping was conducted at a 1:1,200.000 scale using NOAA Chart 11013, Straits of Florida and Approaches, as the compilation base. U.S.Navy, Hydrographic Office, 1:150,000 series charts were used to determine shoal/deep water conditions. The 21 charts covering the Cuban coast were obtained from the University of Florida Map Library and the I.fbrary of congress, washington. Additional hydrographIc and shore facilities information was obtained from the Cuban Coast pilot ICH, 1988! and the Seven Seas Cruising Association, Comrnodores' Bulletin reports SSCA,1993a,b, 1994!. Source data were digitized into a geographic information system using ARC/INFOand final copy was produced using Mlcrografx Designer. Accessto and availability of anchoragesas well as shoresidefacilities fuel, water, repairs, etc.! are otherimportant characteristics of the island'sboating resources. Seventy percent of the principalentrance channels passes! are deep water Figure 10!, Thesepasses provide access to anchorages Figure 11! and shorefacilities Figure 12!. Current 994! recreationalboating facilities are listed in Table2 andillustrated in Photos 8-11," Most protected all-weather! anchorages 0% of the total! arelocated in pocketbays situated in the eastern and northwestern sectors. The island's shore facilities are more or less evenly divided between marinascatering to recreationalboats, and small-scalecommercial operations, principally fishing ports, offering minimal services.
Boating Regions
Environmentaland site featuresconfront the boater as areally associatedsite conditions. The boating geographyof a localeis definedby the interplayof suchsite conditions.An associationof localeswhich shares similar conditions defines a boating region. Nine regions with unique boating conditions have been identifiedand mapped Figure 13!, Their locationand size, near and offshore waters, cliinate and prevailing winds, shore features,potential boating activities, and hazardsto navigation, are describedbelow.
Region 1 Cabo Cruz to Punta Maisi1.
This South,Region is 225 miles long and covers 12% of Cuba's coastline,It is an area of mountainousterrain Turquino Peak, 2020 m! and deep inshorewaters Bartlett Trench, 3700 fi. There are two wet seasons,October and May-June. Mountain-valleygravity winds predominatethough weakened Trade Winds are found in more shelteredlocations. Coastalcurrents along this south coast are weak and set westward. Off Punta Maisi, Cuba's easternextremity, currents set east and north, are weak in winter and moderatein summer, Protectedanchorages are situatedat Baitiquiri, Puerto Escondido,Guantanamo, and Santiago.Deep water passes are at Escondido,Guantanamo and Santiago; shallow water channels are at Baitiqueriand Puerto de Pilon, Commercialshore facilities are at Santiagoand Caimanera Guantanamo!, Punta Gorda marina is locatedat Santiago. Boating hazardsinclude strong down-draft mountain winds, currents and seasoff Punta Maisi, and strong ebb currentsin the narrow entrancechannels leading to protected anchorages.
Region 2 Punta Maisi to Punto Maternillo!.
This SoutheastRegion is 225 miles long and covers 12% of the coastline, Hills and mountainsin the east gradewestward to coastalplains. Deep water lies close inshore. There two wet seasons,October- Januaryand May-June. ReinforcedTrade Winds alternatewith a nocturnalland breeze,Coastal currents off Puerto Padre are moderate and set southeastward; those off Punto Maternillo are northwest setting and weak in winter, and southeastsetting and moderatein summer, Most anchoragesare protectedpocket bays with deepwater accesschannels. Commercialfacilities are at Baracoa,Nipe, Gibara, and Nuevitas. Marina facilities are at Samaand SantaLucia Nuevitas!, Boating dangersinclude reinforced Trade Winds on this
"Facilities data are from Hernandez-Sotolongo 994!, Hernandez Sotolongo et al 994!, and Diaz Escrlch 994!. Acua Marina, at the west end of Varadero, near the Paradiso Hotel, has a deep water entrance channel and U,S,-type berths, Chapeiin Marina, on a natural, deep water protected channel in the lee of Hicacos Point east end of varadero!, has a large by Caribbean standards! boat repair facility and slipway for deep ft! draft vessels. Tarar5 Marina, near col mar, east of Havana, is a small shallow water facility with Mediterranean-type mooring that caters to sportsfishing clientele, windward coast and strong ebb currents in the narrow channelsleading to protectedanchorages and shore facilities.
Region 5 Punto Maternillo to Varadero!.
This NortheastRegion is 280 miles long and covers 15% of the coastline.The Sabanaand CamagCiey barrier island chains createa seriesof bays, such as la Gloria, Jigiiey, Buenavista,Santa Clara, and Cardenas. Half the bays are very shallow f !. A fringing coral reef extendsalong the seawardedge of the island chains. Mangrove and coastalswamp account for 70% of the shoreline and cover numerouscays; the remaining shorelineconsists of marine beachesand river floodplains. Caibarienmarks the transition from two wet seasons October-November and May-June!which extendeastward, to one wet season May-June! which extends westward. Reinforced Trade Winds alternate with a nocturnal land breeze, Currents in the Old BahamaChannel off the Camagueybarrier islandsfluctuate seasonally;they are northwest setting and weak in winter, and southeastsetting and moderatein summer, Currents in the Nicolas Channeloff the Sabana barrier chain are weak and west setting year-round.All anchoragesare unprotectedand there are only two deepwater entrancechannels, at La Isabelaand Cardenas, Commercialshore facilities are located at Caibarien, La Isabela and Cardenas, and recreational boat services are available at Cayo Guillermo. This sectionof the Cubancoast presents several notable dangers to recreationalboating: for an offshore passage, the Old BahamaChannel, a narrow deeptongue of oceanbetween the BahamaBank and Camagiieybarrier chain, combinedwith reinforced Trade Winds along the windward fringing reef coast, and few shallow water passes;for day sailing and inshorefishing, shoal bay waters f! and numerouscoral heads.
Region 4 varadero to eahfa Honda!.
This North Region is 135 miles long, covers 7% of the coastlineand includesHavana. The 100 f deepwater contour lies 1 mile offshore. There are no barrier islands. A coastal plain fronts this stretch of the shore, Raised marine terraces make up 50% of the shoreline; the remainder consists of beaches and floodplains, There is one wet seasonfrom Juneto September. ReinforcedTrade Winds during the day alternate with a nocturnal land breeze, Coastal and offshore currents vary: near Matanzas eastern sector!, a weak nearshore current sets westward, and a strong offshore current sets eastward; off Bahia Honda western sector!, the west setting coastalcurrent is weak in winter and moderatein summer,while the offshore current is strong and setseastward, Most of Cuba's commercialand recreationalboating facilities are situatedin this region; commercialsites are at Matanzas,Havana Almendares!,Mariel, Cabanasand Bahia Honda; recreationalsites are at Varadero Gaviota, Acua and Chapelin!, Tarara and Jaimanitas Hemingway!. All anchoragesare protectedpocket bays and are accessedby deepwater channels. Though nearshorewaters are clear of hazards, this is an exposed windward coast.
Region 5 Bahia Honda to Cabo San Antonio!.
This Northwest Region is 135 miles long and covers 7% of the coastline. The Colorados barrier island chain parallels the mainland coastalplain and enclosesa shallowwater shelf with numerouscays and shoals, especiallynorth of Los Arroyos; about 50% of this areahas water depths 3 f. Deeperwater and fewer obstructions are found south in the Gulf of Guanahacabibes. There is one wet season, from June to September. The Los OrganosMountains have a weakeningeffect on winds over 60% of the region's central sector; there are minor variations in the Trade Winds over the western third. Coastal currents are weak and set northeastward. Offshore currents set southwestward, are weak in winter and moderate in summer. Currents off Cabo San Antonio, Cuba's western extremity, are moderate in strength and set variously north or south, There are four unprotected anchorages, one commercial facility at La Esperanza, and one recreational facility at Palma Ruhia. All entrancechannels are shallow. Principal hazardsare shifting currents off Cabo San Antonio, shoals and coral heads in the bays, and few shallow water passes. Region 6 Cabo San Antonio to Cabo Frances!.
This West Region is 80 miles long and covers 4% of the coastline. Deep water ! 100 f! is 1 mile offshore, This is a sparselysettled coastal plain consistingof elevatedmarine terracesand headland shorelines. The Trade Winds blow with minor variations. There is one wet season,from May to September. Currents are weak; nearshore currents set southwestward and offshore currents set eastward. There is a recreationalboating facility at La Gorda, The coastis open and the one anchorageat CorrientesBay is exposed.
Region 7 Cabo France's to Ensenada de Cazones!.
This Southwest Region is 400 miles long, covers 20% of the coastline, includes the shallow Gulf of Batabano,and the Isle of Youth. A coastalplain fronts the shore which is mangroveor river floodplains, or has few marine beaches. Water depth on the Bataban6shelf generally is less than 4 f, but shoalsless than 1 f lie to the east. The Canarreos barrier island chain extends north and east from the Isle of Youth. There is one wet season,from May to June. The northern two-thirds of the Gulf experiencesweakened Trade Winds, while Trade Winds with minor variations cover the south sector including the Isle of Youth. Gulf currents are very weak and set westward; embayededdies in La Broa set clockwise and in Siguaneaset counterclock- wise. Commercialfacilities are at La Coloma and Batabano;recreational boating facilities are at the Isle of Youth Colony Hotel! and at Cayo Largo. All anchoragesare unprotected. The entranceto Siguaneais deep while Rosario Channelinto Cayo Largo is shallow. The main hazardsto navigation are the few passes, shifting shoals and shallow bay waters.
Region 8 Knsenada de Cazones to Punta Maria Aguiiar!. This SouthcentralRegion is 145 miles long and covers 8% of the coastline. Generally, deepwater > 100 fj lies less than 1 mile offshore; there are someoffshore islands and shoalswith f, as off Cayo Miguel and Cayo Piedras. This is a coastalplains landscapethough sometopography, in the vicinity of the easternmostTrinidad Mountains, is upland 4%!. River floodplains and marine beachescomprise 86% of the shoreline. There is one wet season, from May to June. This lee shore weakens the Trade Winds, and mountain-valley gravity winds are experienced near the Trinidad Mountains, Nearshore currents are affected by the land-seabreezefront, blowing onshoreduring the day and offshore at night, Commercial and recreationalboating facilities and a protectedanchorage in CienfuegosBay arereached by a deepwater access channel. No major navigationalhazards are found in this boating region.
Region 9 Punta Maria Aguiiar to Cabo Cruz!. This CentraleastRegion is 280 miles long and covers 15% of the coastline, This is an extensive embayed,shallow water 6 f,! region, and includesLa Vela Sound,the Gulf of Ana Maria and the Gulf of Guacanayabo.Numerous shoals and islandsfill thesewaters. A barrier island chain, Jardinesde la Reina, is situatedwell offshore and demarcatesthe edge of the coastalshelf. A coastal plain, consisting of mangrove and somebeach and river floodplain shorelines,extends along the perimeter of the mainland. There is one wet season,from May to June, WeakenedTrade Winds are experiencedin this region but so are strong atmosphericconvection and turbulencein the form of intensethunderstorm activity, especiallyover the Gulf of Guacanayabo.Currents on the shelfare very weakand set north-northwestward. All anchoragesare unprotected. There are recreationalboating facilities at Cayo Blanco Trinidad! and Jucaro, Five deepwater passesprovide accessto this region. Principal dangersare the intensethunderstorms during the wet season and mountain offshore winds near Trinidad. Tables3-7 summarizeenvironmental and site characteristicsand provide a meansfor identifying commonconditions amongboating regions. For example,Table 4 showsthat most deep water passesand protectedanchorages are situatedin Regions1 and2: this coincideswith deep inshore water and a predominanceof upland coastal topography Table 5!. Precipitationregimes fluctuate throughout coastal Cuba,but the following conditions are shared; a May-Junewet season in Regions1,2,3; and a November- Aprildry season in Regions4,5,6,7,8,9 Table 6!. Reeffishing, flats fishing and diving opportunities prevail in Regions3,5,7,9, while offshore sailing is foundin Regions1,2,4,6,8 Table 7!. Table7 alsoshows that the mostcommonly shared boating hazard is currents,followed by onshorewinds and few passes. Cubapresents a rich, extensive but untapped cruising ground with a rangeof boatingconditions. The mapsand tables presented above offer a blueprintto understand better the potentialities and drawbacks to recreationalboating in Cuba.How Cuba's boating facilities compare with those elsewhere in theCaribbean and south Florida is discussed below.
Trends in the Development of Boating Facilities in Cuba and the Caribbean
WhenCarleton Mitchell anchoredCaribe in AdmiraltyBay, Bequia,the mostnortherly of the Grenadines,in 1948,he founda pristinedeserted roadstead Photo 12!, the quaintvillage of Elizabethtown, andfriendly people, who offered "...green coconuts filled with water,tops neatly lopped off with a machete, .,and, on making an offering tto pay],were told 'we nevercharges strangers'" Mitchell, 1948!, Streetvisited that anchorage in the late 1970s and reported up to 30moored vessels Street, 1974!. Today, duringthe Easter Regatta, one can find 150recreational boats at anchor Photo 13!, ModernPort Elizabeth is a townwith 2,000individuals and over fifty, local yacht-supportedbusinesses: chandleries, docks, fuel/waterbarges, communications, mechanics, sail and canvas repair, water taxis, bars, restau.ants, boutiques,supermarkets, etc. Doyle, 1994!. Hiscock 957! on WandererIII visitedEnglish Harbour, Antigua, site of Nelson'sDockyard, in 1952,and described a gatheringof eightyachts, tied to abandonedstone quays and historic, decaying buildings Photo 14!. Robinson 966! cruisedthere on Mollihawk and Viking II in thelate 1960s and describedthe beginnings of a charteryacht base, Today this location is notonly Antigua's yachting capital buta majorCaribbean marine recreation center, servicing hundreds of cruising vessels. Antigua Week, the Caribbean'spremier regatta, is basedat EnglishHarbour, and attracts over 100 racing yachts from many countries.Doubtless the Hiscockswould havedifficulty recognizingthe Harbourtoday Photo15!. Thesechanges in theboating landscape are repeated elsewhere throughout the Caribbean; the GuadeloupeYacht Club at Point-i-Pitre in 1948,with its dockson a shelteredcove Photo 16! and the marina today Photo 17!; Yacht Haven, St. Thomas, when Eggleston 959! visitedaboard Renegade, in 1957, "a verydeluxe marina" serving 50 yachts Photo 18!, and presently, a 200 slip destination marina resort Photo 19!. Even"belly-button" islands have been affected by this growth in demandfor boatingfacilities: Marina Cay,in theBritish Virgin Islands, White's 953! famouspre-war homestead hasa marinawhich provides fuel,ice, water, hot showers, laundry, restaurant, dive shop and boutique services. Bahamas boating locations,described by Rigg 949! andcompared with Fields 993! areworlds apart. Secludedboating locales have been the grist of boaters'dreams of cruisingto distantplaces, and the Caribbeanhas been a partof thosedreams. The underlying psyche, that "...one of thegreat charms of cruising... is thatyou go when and where you please -- youoperate completely by whim,"offers telling commentof theimportance that "get-away" seclusion appeal has in a boaters'mind Eggleston,1959!. An understandingof the changes that have occurred in thegrowth of recreationalboating within the Caribbean canoffer insights concerning the potential impact of Cuba'sopening to marinerecreational activities. Is it possibleto quantifyhow much change, what type of change,and where such change has occurred? Pre-1960 Boating Facilities. Onehundred and seventy-four facilities, consisting of marina/yachtclubs 4!, boatyards 3! and town docks 7! werefound at southFlorida, Caribbean and Central American/Mexican locations during the closingyears of the 1950s,Figure 14maps their locations Appendix 1 providesspecific location data!. Table8 summarizesrelative distributions of facilitieswithin eachfacility category column %! andcompares southFlorida with the Caribbean.Table 9 examinesthe relativedistribution of differenttypes of facilitiesby eachlocation row %!. South Florida accountedfor 61% of all facilities, 70% of the marina/yachtclubs, and 84% of the boat yards;100% of the town dockswere in the Caribbean.Within the Caribbean,most 2%! marina/yacht clubs were in the Bahamas; Cuba and the Leeward/Windward Islands each accounted for 16%. One-third of all boatyards were in Cuba;Bahamas and the Virgin Islandseach accounted for 25%. Forty-fivepercent of all town docks usedby recreationalboats were in the Bahamas,35% were in Cuba and 16% in the Leeward/Windward Islands, The relative distributions of boating facilities by location Table 9! were; south Florida had 42% in marina/yachtclubs and 58% in boat yards there were no town docks!; the Caribbeanhad 28% in marina/yachtclubs, 18% in boat yards, and 54% in town docks. Within the Caribbean,the Bahamas,Cuba and the Leeward/Windward Islands had two-thirds of its facilities in town docks, Generalconditions at the closeof the 1950swere: a largeconcentration of specializedboating facilities in south Florida; reliance on town docks in the Caribbean which serviced occasional recreational needs.There were in southFlorida more boat yards 1! thanmarina/yacht clubs 5!; the Caribbeanratio was 12:19 therewere no yardsin PuertoRico or the Leeward/WindwardIslands!. Cubaranked second after the Bahamasin total numbersof boatingfacilities marina/yachtclubs !, boatyards !, town docks 3! - far exceedingany of the other island locations Appendixesla and b!,
1993 Boating Facilities. Therewere 589 facilitiesin the region:marina/yacht clubs 00!; boatyards 58!; andtown docks 1!. The mapin Figure 15 showstheir distributionand Appendixes Za and b givesspecific location data. Tables 10 and 11 presentrelative summariesof facilities. Thereis an almosteven distribution of marina/yachtclubs and boat yards between south Florida and the Caribbean.Concentrations of marina/yachtclubs in the Caribbeanwere in the Bahamas 7%!, Leeward/WindwardIslands 2%!, northernSouth America and the Virgin Islands 4% each!. Boatyard concentrationswere in the Leeward/WindwardIslands 5%!, Cuba 9%!, the Bahamas 7%!, andnorthern South America 3%!. Over half of all town dock facilities were in Cuba, Were there adequate yard facilities in the Caribbean? Data show a 2:1 ratio in south Florida of marina/yachtclubs to boatyards. Cuba, Hispaniola and Central America/Mexico met this measur; other locationsfell short; the greatestdiscrepancies were the Bahamasand Puerto Rico.
"South Floridadata are basedon the Inlandwaterway Guide 955!. Boatingfacilities in the caribbean are based on observations by Davidson 956!, Eggleston 959!, El amand Mudie 956!, Hiscock 957!, Mitchell 948!, pye 961!, and Rigg 949!. ' south Floridadata are basedon the WaterwayGuide 993!, coat ng facilities in the Caribbeanare based on observations by Doyle 989 and 1990!,Fields 993!, Scott 990!, Stone and Hays 993!, and Van Sant 989!. Cuba data are field observed. An analysiswas made of charterboats in the Caribbeanand south Florida." Figure 16maps their distribution and Appendix 3 presentsspecific location data. The easternCaribbean accounted for 94% of all charter boats which totalled over 1000 vessels. Conditions prevailing in 1993 included specializedboating facilities in the Bahamas 9!, Leeward/WindwardIslands 3!, northern South America 9!, and Virgin Islands 6! Appendix 2!. Marina facilities in Cuba 6! rankedwell below the leading boating centersin the region but above Jamaica !, Central America/Mexico ! and Hispaniola !. The high proportion of boat yards to marina/yachtclubs in Cuba is explainedby the large number of small yards servicing fishing fleets that can provide minimal service to recreational vessels.
Development Trends. The Caribbean's share of recreational boating facilities before 1960 was 39%, as compared to south Florida. Today the Caribbeanhas 52% of the marina/yachtclubs, boat yards and town docks Figure 17!. Relativechanges in the number of facilities at specific locations, as a proportion of the total facility stock in the Caribbean,is shown in Figure 18. Though the Bahamasstock of facilities has increasedfrom pre-1960 8! to 1993 9!, its shareof the total has decreasedfrom 42% to 23%. Major net expansionsoccurred in northern South America, the Leeward/Windward Islands, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. Table 13 shows specific relative changes,expressed as percentdecline or percent growth of the total, in marina/yachtclubs and boat yards, The largestproportional increasein boat yards has been in the Leeward/WindwardIslands. Northern South America experiencedsubstantial relative growth both in marina/yachtclubs +14%! and boat yards +13%!; Puerto Rico sustainedsmaller increases,+3% and +6%, as did Hispaniola, +1% and +3%. Combinedrelative growth-declinetrends were sustainedby the Virgin Islands with marina/yachtclubs +9%! and boat yards -15%!, and Jamaica,-8% and +1%. Major relative declinesin both boating facility stocks marina/yacht rlubs, and boat yards were experiencedin the Bahamas,with -15% and -8%, and Cuba, with -8% and -15%.
DilemrTlas and Opportunities
Cuba is the remaining, undeveloped,premier cruising area in the Caribbean,Its varied geography, size and location make the island a magnetfor coastaldevelopment, Dissatisfaction with crowding, crime and pollution at traditional Caribbeancruising locationsis prompting recreationalboaters to examineCuba more closely as a boatingdestination, and to encourageinvestments in Cuba's boating infrastructure. Resultsof this boating geographystudy underscorethe island's exceptionalmarine recreationalresources. Boating has had a mixed impact elsewherein the Caribbean, Positive effects can be found in the types of local investmentsthis form of tourism promotes,ones that support locally owned and operatedsmall enterprises.Estimates from the easternCaribbean of boaterexpenditures/annum are $1US million/1000 cruisers and $40US million/500 bareboatand skipperedcharters Doyle, 1994!. Theseexpenditures in waterfront communitiesare "stay-around"funds that becomethe mainstayof local economies. There are, however, environmental and social costs embedded in promoting recreational boating. An increasedboating population often brings changesin habitat and the loss of wildernessexperiences. Mitchell's pristine Admiralty Bay of 1948 lost its wildernessquality in later yearswhen 30-100 boats anchoredthere, Such impact can be slowed or even reversedby limiting the number and location of moored
"Data on numbers and locations of charter boats were taken from the Chartering Directory Cruising World, 1993! for south Florida and the Caribbean; Cuba tallies are based on field observations and interviews. 10 vessels.The Virgin islands 990! hasadopted legislation to dealwith unseaworthyand derelict vessels moored in St. Thomas harbor. Recreationalboaters may alsodamage living coralby anchoring,or throughinexperienced reef diving andspear fishing. Many Caribbeanislands, recognizing the importanceof their reef ecosystems,have establishedmarine and coastal protected areas, There are over 100in the region OAS, 1988!and Cuba accountsfor a largepercentage Figure 19!. Parksoffer a wayto manageuse in an ecologicallysustainable mannerand generateincome, Bonaire UnderwaterPark, NetherlandsAntilles, is a major reef resort which attracts8000 divers annually 983!; it servesrecreational users diving, fishing!, researchers,nursery stock producers,and generates an annualincome of $5 million OAS, 1988!. Many marineparks in the region werelegislated after degradation had occurred, Cuba has many pristine marine areas where its parkssystem canfocus on maintainingquality coastal resources prized by recreationalboaters. There are areas, however, undergoing rapid development Oro, 1992!, Boatersmay also impact the environmentby dischargingeffluent toilet andgrey water!,disposing of garbage,producing noise, or destroyinghabitat by prop-dredging.Opinion research from Florida indicates, however,that boatersvalue highly scenicbeauty and clean marine!waters as part of their boating experience,and are less likely to polluteor disturbthe environment if provided with adequatedisposal facilitiesor visitor guidance Antonini et al, 1990and 1994!. Recreationalboaters may have a socialimpact on localpeople, The disparityin disposableincome betweentourist boater and local person, and the ensuinglove-hate relationship is well documented.Attitudes andvalues change: what was once given is now marketed.Mitchell was freely offereda greencoconut on arrival at AdmiraltyBay in 1948. Boaterstoday are beset by hawkersin skiffs competingto sell coconutsfor the highest price, Thereis little doubtthat increased recreational boating between the U,S. and Cuba could have major economic,social and environmental consequences for Cuba,south Florida and the Caribbean.Balancing thesepotential conflicts will requireenlightened attitudes and policies. Caribbeanand south Florida experiences,both goodand bad, offer valuablelessons to guideopening Cuban waters to the public and future developmentof its boating resources, I.iterature Cited
Aguilera,Ernesto, 1956, "Cruising Around Cuba," Yachting, December, 47-50, 94,96, Allen,Doug, 1991a, "Ninety Miles From Florida, Cuba Today," Part I, SouthernBoating, February, 74-78, 126-127. , 1991b,"Cuba, Yachtsman's Visit," PartII, SouthernBoating, 46-51. Antonini, GustavoA. et al, 1994,Feasibility of a Non-RegulatoryApproach to Bay Water AnchorageManagement for SustainableRecreational Use, Florida Sea Grant Technical Paper 74, Gainesville, Florida. , 1990,Boat Live-Aboards in the FloridaKeys: A New Factorin WaterfrontDevelopment, Florida Sea Grant ResearchReport 98, Gainesville, Florida. Bertram,Kate, 1952,"St, Petersburg-HavanaRace," The Rudder,May, 14-15. , 1951, "St. Petersburg-HavanaRace," The Rudder,May, 27-28. Blazquez,L., L., 1989a,"Circulaci6n General en el Golfode Batabano," 1:2,000,000 scale, Nuevo Atlas Nacionalde Cuba NANC!, InstitutoCubano de Geodesiay Cartografia,Editors, Instituto Geografico Nacionalde Espana Publishers!, Madrid, Spain,VIII Mar!, 1.4, 12. , L., 1989b,"Direccion de la Circulaci6nGeneral en los Golfosde Ana Maria y Guacanayabo," 1:3,000,000scale, in NANC, VIII Mar!, 1.4,13. BoytelJambu, F., 1989,"Vientos Locales," 1:5,000,000 scale, in NANC,VI Clima!,2,3, 12. CaribbeanJournal, 1994, "Cuba is for SeriousCruising," Cruising Guide's Quarterly, Spring, 3,7. Conover,Harvey, 1958,"Island Circuit: To Miami FromJamaica Via Cuba'sWestern Tip," Part II, Yachting, January, 108-110,306-308. Coulson,Robert, 1956, "The Raceto Havana,"Yachting, May, 76-77,124. CruisingWorld, 1993,"Chartering Directory," August, 52-58, Cushing,Doran, 1994a, "Exploring Cuba's North Coast - A Cruiser'sWonderland," Part I, Southwinds, March, 8-10, 31. , 1994b,"Cuba's Northwest Coast - Day SailingFrom Havanato the WestEnd," Partll, Southwinds, April, 20-21. , 1994c,"Meandering Through an UndisturbedArchipelago - Cuba'sNorthwest Barrier Reef," Part III, Southwinds,May, 20-21. Davidson,Ann, 1956,My Shipis So Small,William SloaneAssociates, Inc., NY. Diaz Diaz, J.L., 1989,"Morfoestructura," 1:2,000,000 scale, in NANC, IV Relieve!,3. DiazEscrich, Jose Miguel, 1994, Executive Director, Club Nautico Internacional Hemingway, personal communication. Doyle, Chris, 1994,Discussant at Florida-CubaRecreational Boating Symposium, University of Florida, Gainesville, June, , 1990,Sailors Guide to theWindward Islands, 5th Edition, CruisingGuide Publications,Inc., Clearwater, Florida, 12
, 1989,Cruising Guide to the LeewardIslands, 1990-1991 Edition, Cruising Guide Publications, Inc,, Clearwater, Florida. Eggleston,George T., 1959, Virgin Islands, D. Van Nostrand Co,, NY, Ellam, Patrickand Colin Mudie, 1958,Sopranino, Vol. 39, The MarinersLibrary, RupertHart-Davis, London. Fields,Meredith H., Editor, 1993,Yachtsman's Guide to the Bahamas,Tropic Isle Publishers,Inc., Atlantic Highlands, NJ. Fleming, Kellogg, 1992, "Welcometo Cuba", Cruising World, March, 58-63. Flannery,Jim, 1992,"Boating to Cuba:A SneakPreview," Soundings, October, A22-23. GarciaAlvarez, Angel, 1994,Vice Presidentede Hidrografiay Oceanografia,Instituto Hidrografico de Cuba, July, personal communication, GarciaDiaz, C., 1989a,"Circulacion I Promediode Enero,Febrero, Marzo!," 1:15,000,000scale, in NANC, VIII Mar!, 1.4,9. , L., 1989b,"Circulaci6n II Promediode Julio, Agosto,Septiembre!," 1:15,000,000 scale, in NANC, VIII Mar!, 1.4,10. HernandezSotolongo, Eduardo, Angel Mena Terry andJuan Ricardo Martinez Bazil, 1994,"Cadena de MarinasPuerto Sol, Facilidades Actuales de las Marinas y AmarraderosenServicio Para el Yatismoy la Recreacion Nautica," Instituto Hidrografico, Havana, Cuba. HernandezSotolongo, Eduardo, 1994, "Marlin Marinasy Nauticas,"Instituto Hidrografico, Havana, Cuba. Hewitt, FranklinD,, 1985,The HabanaRace, unpublished report. Hiscock,Eric C,, 1957,Around the World in WandererIII, OxfordUniversity Press, NY. Inland Waterway Guide, 1955, SouthernEdition, Ft. Lauderdale,FL. InstitutoCubano de Hidrografia ICH!, 1988,Derrotero de las Costas de Cuba, Tomo I: Regi6nMaritima del Norte, 373, TomoII, Regi6nMaritima del Sur, 253, EditorialCientifico-Tbcnica, Havana, Cuba. Jansen,T. Carl, 1950,"Caribbean Cruise," Motor Boating,September, 22-24, 86-90. Loomis,Alfred F., 1957,"Criollo Topsthe Honorsat Havana,"Yachting, May, 58-60, 106. , 1954, "Hoot Mon Wins HavanaRace," Yachting, May, 84-85,110-111. McMasters,L,L., 1951,"Lady Patty First in St. Pete-HabanaRace," Motor Boating, May 1951,28-29, 116, 118. Mitchell, Carleton,1948, Islands to Windward:Cruising the Caribbees,D, Van NostrandCo,, NY, Moquin, Clemand Susan, 1994, writers, Beaufort,North Carolina,personal communication, Organizationof AmericanStates OAS!, 1988,Inventory of CaribbeanMarine and Coastal Protected Areas, Departmentof Regional Development,Washington. Oro, JoseR., 1992,The Poisoningof Paradise:Environmental Pollution in the Republicof Cuba, Endowment for Cuban Studies, Miami, FL. Pye,Peter, 1961, Red Mains'1, Vol. 44, The MarinersLibrary, RupertHart-Davis, London. RamirezCruz, E. andM, SosaFernandez, 1989, "Costas," 1:2,000,000 scale, in NANC, IV Relieve!, 3.4, 13. Rigg, J. Linton, 1949, BahamaIslands, D. Van Nostrand Co., NY. 13
Robinson, Bill, 1966, Over the Horizon; The Best in Cruising, D, Van Nostrand Co,, NJ, Scott, Nancy and Simon, Editors, 1990, The Cruising Guide to the Virgin Islands, Fifth Edition 991-1992!, Cruising Guide Publications,Inc,, Clearwater,FL, Seven Seas Cruising Association SSCA!, 1994, "Commodores' Bulletin," January, 556-567. , 1993a, "Commodores' Bulletin," December, 516-517. , 1993b, "Commodores' Bulletin," August, 304-310. Stevenson,Edward and Mary, 1953a, "Island of Enchantment:Sea Eagle, a 46-Foot Cruiser, ContinuesHer Exploration of Cuba's South Coast," Part III, Yachting, June, 66-68, 110-111. , 1953b, "Island of Enchantment: Sea Eagle Cruises Westward Along the Coast of Cuba En Route to the Isle of Pines," Part II, Yachting, May, 61-63, 102, 104. , 1953c, "Island of Enchantment:New York to Cuba, Via the Inland Waterway, In a 46-Foot Cruiser, Part I, Yachting, April, 64-66, 112-113, Stone,William T. and Anne M, Hays, 1993, A Cruising Guide to the Caribbean,Including the North Coast of South America, Central America, and Yucatan, Revised Edition, With Corrections, Sheridan House, Dobbs Ferry, NY, Street, Jr Donald, 1974, A Cruising Guide to the Lesser Antilles, Sail Books, Inc., Boston, MA. Van Sant, Bruce, 1989, The Gentleman's Guide to PassagesSouth, Cruising Guide Publications,lnc., Clearwater, FL. Vidaillet Rodriguez, J.D., 1989, "Ritmo Anual de las Precipitaciones," 1:3,000,000 scale in NANC, VI Clima!, 3.4, 35. Virgin Islands, 1990, "Mooring and Anchoring of Vessels and Houseboats Act of 1990," Bill 18-0057, Act No. 5567, Eighteenth Legislature of the Virgin Islands, St. Thomas. Waterway Guide, 1993, Southern, Communication Channels, Inc., Atlanta, GA. White, Robb, 1953, Our Virgin Island, Doubleday, Garden City, NY. Yachting, 1950, "Cruisers Race to Cuba," May, 39. 0
4
'a X X X X X X X X
X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
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C5 N m Cd rn rn C Cm D e 0 Q 0 m C UJ w 0 0! m 0 0 0 O o m Jm 0 C5 g! C 0! g 0 m C m 0m CU pl C0 C m Pl ~ C5 0mO O 0 Cll C O Q! cd m m 0 m m Q o z O v!CO I z ! Co
0O 0 m Cm 0 0! Co m 0 O lQ CO 'U 0 C m Cd E ~ 0 0 CU L m m CO ~ m 0 E m C5 G m g ~ o m 0! m m O .= C o m m 0 CO I- al o o C 0 fl Ul G m CU m V CO m CU m cd C e Co C p Cd C C C C CU m 0 Q E 'a Cm O m m m m m m m m e r p ~ m Q boa zzo Q 6 Boating Regions Location and Area
Table 3 O N O
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Potential Boating Activities and Hazards
Table 7 CC O
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tw O 4 ~
I~ Ctt O M Pt .t". 22
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Relative Distribution of Charter Boats in 1993, by Location in South Florida and the Caribbean
Table 12 26Relative Percent Changedecline in[-] Caribbeanand growthBoating [+] of Facilities:Total! 1960-1993
Table 13
28
E E 0 0 Z C 6$
0 O 0 O T V A 29 30
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Tarara Marina near Cojimar, Cuba Photo by the author.! 49 Photo 10. Chapeiin Marina repair abaci ity at Hicacos Point, Cuba photo by author!. Photo 1'i. Chapeiin marina Slipvvay, Cuba photo by the author! 50 ! P 'J! " j'. ! ! Photo 12. Admiralty Bey, EeqUiz, The Grenadines, 1949 Mitchell, 1948!. Photo 13. Admiralty Bey, The Grehddlner, 199Q Doyle, 1990!. 7 ~4'r' j j "-'~'15'i'*'p~@",443x744PK ppprp 14 Ejjgjjrrj HBrppr ljprigjjg, 1955 1Hjscpcjj, 1957!. 4 Photo 15. English Harbour, Anti gua, 3989 'Pig~ Ipgg:":;jp jj!ylgr 'L ": ';I,:l.:;;;: ,,::,::.-',.-...-'-:,:;:: Photo 16. Point-a-Pitre, Guadeloupe, 1948 Wlitchell, 1948!, Photo 17. Pointe-a-Pitre, Guadeloupe, 'l989 photo by the author!. ;48;::,~!~~4<~: i',,;,~ ' jp, ;","~$!LP%g 7 '-~j"le" ?'4$f$$4/5%4 4~$4' 1 Photo 19, Yacht Haven, st, Thomas, U,s, virgin Islands, 1989 photo by the author!. 54 Appendix 1 Pre-1960 Boating Facilities A. Caribbean and Central America Location Name Marina and Boat Town Total Yacht Club Yard Dock Bimini - Cat Cay Berry Islands New Providence Grand Bahama Great Abaco Andros Eleuthera Exuma Rum Cay Turks and Caicos Bahamas Subtotal 17 28 Puerto Rico, San Juan Puerto Rico Subtotal US Virgin Islands British Virgin Islands Virgin Islands Subtotal St, Kitts Antigua Guadeloupe St. Vincent and Grenadines Grenada Martinique St. Lucia Trinidad and Tobago Leeward/Windward Islands Subt Jamaica - Kingston Jamaica Subtotal Panama - Colon Central America/Mexico Subtota Cuba - Havana Cuba - Cienfuegos Cuba - Santiago Cuba - Cabanas Cuba - Mariel Cuba - Pto La Esperanza Cuba - Batabano Cuba - Guantanamo/Caimanera Cuba - Baracoa Cuba - Gibara Cuba - Nipe Cuba - Nuevitas Cuba - Caibarien Cuba - Isabela Cuba - Cardenas Cuba - Matanzas Cuba Subtotal 13 20 to1Ats 19 12 37 68 55 Appendix 1 Pre-1960 Boating Facilities B. South Florida Location Name Marina and Boat Town Total Yacht Club Yard Dock North Palm Beach Boca Raton Fort Lauderdale 17 North Miami Miami 10 14 Upper Keys Middle Keys Lower Keys EvergladesCity and Marco Island Naples Fort Myers and Fort Myers Beach Sarasota Bradenton Tampa and St. Petersburg 22 Clearwater TOTALS 45 fi 1 ! 1 56 Appendix 2 1993 Boating Facilities A. Caribbean and Central America Location Name Marina and Boat Town Total Yacht Club Yard Dock Bimini- Cat Cay Berry Islands New Providence Grand Bahama Great Abaco 21 Andros Eleuthera Exuma Long Island Cat Island San Salvador Rum Cay 1 1 Haiti - North Coast, Fort Liberte DR - North Coast, Puerto Plata DR - North Coast, Samana Haiti - West Coast, Port-au-Prince DR - South Coast, Boca Chica 1 1 2 ? i"::~:?A:a".?..':??':wn..:..Pn@@iir*.r.,rr:: ~' > .?w+",c04a@M&si9'o%cFo>dich:~i .AMk+Y%%. '... @AY%?'.A Ss PR - West Coast,Mayaguez PR - South Coast 2 3 2 4 PR - North Coast, Arecibo 1 1 PR - North Coast, San Juan 3 1 4 "'-""":i'""fifa~.4%%~%1? ~"e"w US Virgin Islands 15 4 1 20 57 Caribbean and Central America Continuation! Location Name Marina and Boat Town Total Yacht Club Yard Dock St. Martin 11 1 12 St. Barts St. Kit ts Monser rat Antigua Guadeloupe 4 1 Dominica St. Vincent and Grenadines Grenada 4 4 8 Martinique 1 St. Lucia 3 Barbados 2 1 3 Jamaica- Kingston 32 Jamaica - Pt. Antonio Venezuela- Margarita Venezuela - Pto Sucre/Pto Guanta Venezuela - Pto La Cruz, Barcelona Venezuela - Carenero Venezuela - Pto Azul/Pto Carabellado Venezuela - Pto Calera Venezuela - P to Cabello Venezuela Boca de Suanchez Venezuela - Bahia Estanques Venezuela Pto Guaraganao Venezueia - Maracaibo Dutch ABC - Curacao Dutch ABC - Aruba Colombia- BarranquiHa 2 2 58 Caribbean and Central America Continuation! Location Name Marina and Boat Town Yacht Club Yard Dock Panama- Colon Honduras - Bay Islands Mexico - Cozumel Mexico- Isla Mujeres 2 Central America/Mexico Subtotal 5 Cuba- Marina Hemingway Cuba - Cayo Largo Cuba - Varadero Cuba - BahiaHondo Cuba - Cabanas Cuba- Mariel Cuba - Pto La Esperanza Cuba- La Colonia Cuba- Siguanea Cuba - Batabano Cuba - PlayaGiron/Playa Larga Cuba- Cienfuegos Cuba- Santiago Cuba - Guantanamo/Caimanera Cuba - Baracoa Cuba - Gibara Cuba - Nipe Cuba - Nuevitas Cuba- Caibarien Cuba - Isabela Cuba - Cardenas Cuba- Matanzas Cuba - Havana/Almendares Cuba - Tarana Cuba - Cayo Guillermo Cuba - Jucaro Cuba- CayoBlanco Cuba - Bahia Corriente Cuba - Sama I 16 18 59 Appendix 2 j.993 Boating Facilities B. South Florida Location Name Marina and Boat Town Total Yacht Club Yard Dock North Palm Beach Lake Worth Inlet West Palm and Palm Beach Boca Raton 13 Fort Lauderdale 31 North Miami 16 Miami 12 13 25 Upper Keys 21 25 Middle Keys 10 14 Lower Keys 13 EvergladesCity andMarco Island Naples Fort Myers and Fort Myers Beach Sanibel and Pine Island Sound Gasparilla Sound Charlotte Harbor Venice 16 Sarasota Bradenton Tampa and St. Petersburg 30 Clearwater 10 60 Appendix 3 1993 Caribbean and South Florida Charter Boats LOCATION NAME TOTAL NEW PORT RICHEY CHARLOTTE HARBOR 12 SANIBEL MIAMI MIDDLE KEYS LOWFR KFYS FLORIDA SIJBTOTAL 72 ST. THOMAS 134 ST. JOHN TORTOLA 342 VIRGIN ISLANDS SUBTOTAL 481 ST. MARTIN 180 ANTIGUA 21 GIJADELOUPE ST. VINCENT AND GRENADINES GRENADA MARTINIQUE 184 ST. LUCIA 66 LEEWARD AND WINDWARD ISIMNDS SUBTOTAL 612 NORTH COAST SUBTOTAL 17 SOUTH COAST CUBA SUBTOTAL Boating and Politics: Why You Can't Co to Cuba, Yet Terry L, McCoy "It's a SAILBOAT race and it's not political," participants in June 1994 Sarasota-to- Havana regatta Southwinds May 1994: 11!. "The organizers of this regatta should not try to disguise the event as a humanitarian cause nor sports event it is an act of complete indifference and insensitivity toward the Cubanswho continue suffering," Florida Governor Lawton Chiles Diario de los ¹gocios Inter-Americanos, mayo de 1994, translated from Spanish!. There was a sharp difference of opinion regarding the 1994 Sarasota-to-Havana race. Participants saw it as nothing more than a recreational sporting event, but there were others who viewed it as the naive act of lending support to a ruthless dictatorship. The fact of the matter is that what most boaters take for granted the right to weigh anchor and cruise wherever they wish is caught up in a geopolitical dispute betweenWashington and Havana. As a result, for the last 35 yearsCuba, the largest of the Caribbean islands and the one closestto the U.S., has been effectively off limits for U.S. boaters. This paper proposes to review the policies governing recreationalboating to Cuba and the political forces which shapesthem in order for U.S. boatersto better understandwhy they cannotcruise in Cuba and the prospectsfor a changein this situation. U.S. Policy The Political Context Although a full discussionof U.S.-Cubanrelations is beyondthe scopeof this paper, it is impossible to understandthe restrictions on recreationalboating to the island without putting it in this larger context.' What is most striking is that the relations souredvery soon after Castro cameto power and have remained highly polarized for 35 years. Today, five years after the end of the Cold War, Washingtonand Havana, the closest of neighbors prior to 1959, are still, in the words of Wayne Smith, "the closest of enemies" 987!. Appendix A contains a chronology of key events in U.S.-Cuban relations 1959-1994. Castro, briefly welcomedby the U.S. in his struggle to overthrow the discreditedBatista dictatorship, became Washington's worst dream in a matter of months. He siumnarily tried and executed his enemies, employedradical rhetoric, delayedpromised elections, and seizedprivate property, including the extensive holdings of U,S, investors, But his cardinal sins were to ally Cuba with the Soviet bloc and promote radical revolution elsewhere in Latin America. At the height of the Cold War frenzy in the U.S., he brazenly challengedWashington by introducing communismand the Soviet threat into the Westernhemisphere. The U.S. respondedto eachCastro provocationin kind, and U.S.-Cubanrelations rapidly drifted Terry L. McCoy is Director of the Center for Latin American Studies and Professor of Latin American Studies and political science, 319 Grinter Hall, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611 904! 392-0375. He bases the analysis in this paper in part on a trip he and the other authors made to Cuba in July 1994, For two overviews of U.S.-Cuban relations, see Smith, 1987, and wright, 1991. 62 toward the point of a total break, In January1961, only two years after Castro cameto power, the two countriesbroke diplomatic relations; in April, the U.S. sponsoredthe Bay of Pigs exile invasion to overthrow Castro; and, in December1961, Castro, who easily turned back the Bay of Pigs force, declaredhimself to be a Marxist-Leninist and his revolution to be socialist, At this point, there was no turning back for Washington,and Cuba becamethe central preoccupationof U.S. Latin American policy and its containmenta fundamentalconcern of U,S. foreign policy. The objectivesof U,S. policy, pursuedby nine Republicanand Democraticpresidents, are: to isolate and contain Castro within the Hemisphere;to weakenCuba's ties to the Soviet Union and vice versa!; and to remove the Castro regime. The instrumentschosen to achievethese objects have been negative sticks not carrots. They have included everything from diplomatic isolation to exile raids and covert attemptsto assassinateCastro. The centerpieceof U.S. policy, however, is the economicembargo prohibiting U.S. firms from trading with and investing in Cuba and U,S, citizens from traveling to Cuba. The Cubanexiles who resettledin south Florida have reinforced the U,S, policy of containment, Cubansopposed to Castro beganleaving very early in the revolution, and they have steadily streamedout of Cuba, often facilitated by Castro. Today, there are nearly one million Cubans living in the U.S. versus 11 million in Cuba!; and approximately 600,000 of whom reside in south Florida, The Cuban-American community has become an effective lobby in favor of the embargo and other measures to isolate and undermine the Castro regime. Its crowning accomplishment was the 1992 Cuban Democracy Act, Cuban-Americanopposition to any U,S, contactswith Castro's governmenthas affectedrecreational boating relations with Cuba, directly as well as through the embargo. U.S. Cubanpolicy has fared less well in the internationalarena. At the height of Castro's attemptsto export his revolution in the mid 1960's, the countriesof Latin America broke diplomatic relations, voted to suspendCuba from the Organizationof American States,and adoptedan economicembargo of their own see Appendix A!, But Canadaand many Europeanstates refused to adopt such measures,arguing that it was more effective to engagethe Castro regime than isolate it, In the 1970's as Castro retreatedfrom radicalism, the Latin American countriesbegan to re-establishdiplomatic and commercialties with Cuba, This rapprochementaccelerated in the late 1980's with the demiseof socialismthroughout the world, In recent years the U.S. has stood increasinglyalone in its campaignto undermineCastro, In the 1970's when relations betweenthe two countriesbegan to warm up, Cuba and the U.S. openeddiplomatic interest sectionsin eachother's capitals in 1977. Many observerssaw this as an important step toward full diplomatic recognition and the resumptionof economicrelations. The Carter administrationdid relax restrictions on travel and U.S. subsidiariesdoing businesswith Cuba. But the dispatchingof Cuban troops to Africa, Cuban intervention in Central America, the Mariel refugeecrisis, and the advent of the conservative Reaganadministration in Washington,brought a return to the policies of containmentand isolation. Nor did thesepolicies disappearwith the end of the Cold War. In fact, the 1992 CubanDemocracy Act tightenedthe embargo. The Act prohibits the Treasury Departmentfrom licensing trade by subsidiariesof U,S, firms with Cuba; prohibits foreign commercialvessels that have called on Cubanports from stopping in U.S. ports for 180 days; and mandatesthe Presidentto suspendU,S, foreign aid to any country providing grants or subsidizedloans to Cuba. At the signing ceremonyin Miami during the fall presidentialcampaign, President Bush stressed the purpose of the Act: The legislation that I sign here today reflects our determination... that the Cuban governmentwill not benefit from U.S. trade or aid until the Cubanpeople are free. And it reflects another belief: I'm not going to let others prop up Castro with aid or some sweetheart trade deal Bush,1992!. The Act also contains provisions for increasing humanitarian assistanceto Cuba, improving telecommunications with the island, and promoting cultural and people-to-people exchanges, reducing the embargo in response to moves taken toward democracy and respect for human rights, and assisting a 63 transitional government Watson, 1993!, The internationalcommunity has strongly condemnedthe act. In a 1993 UN vote condemning U,S. policy toward Cuba, only two countries Israel and Romania sided with the U.S.. PresidentClinton, who unsuccessfullycourted Cuban-Americanvoters in the 1992, is thus far committedto maintaining the economicembargo. In responseto the August 1994 refugeecrisis, the administrationtightened it by suspendingmonetary remittances and charter flights to Cuba following measures to prevent Cuban refugeesfrom reachingU.S, shores, Thus, as 1994 draws to a close, the United Statesis still locked into a policy of sealingoff Cuba until, in the congressionaltestimony of a StateDepartment official, "there is true, democraticreform and respectfor humanrights" in Cuba Watson, 1993!. This policy has obvious implications for boating. Regulations Affecting Recreational Boating to Cuba U,S, officials are quick to point out that Americansare free to travel to Cuba. In testimony before Congressregarding implementationof the CubanDemocracy, Act, AssistantSecretary of StateAlexander Watson stressedthat "freedomto travel is a fundamentalright that Americanscherish," and he claimed that 15,000 Americans went to Cuba in 1992 Ibid.!, The Cuban desk officer in the Department of State reiterated that "travel to Cuba is not prohibited under current U.S. law and policy" Hays, 1994!. The Constitution, as interpreted by the courts, does guarantee Americans the right to travel wherever and by whatever means they wish. Boaters may go to Cuba, but what they can do once there is severely limited by the embargo. After his assurance that there is no law nor policy against travel to Cuba, the Cuban desk officer continues: "but financial transactions incidental to travel to Cuba are regulated" Hays, 1994!. U.S. boaters cannot spend money in Cuba, Table 1 summarizes the regulations and procedures affecting pleasure boating to Cuba. The most important are the Cuban Assets Control Regulations promulgated in 1963 under the Trading with the Enemy Act. The underlying rationale of these regulations, which are administered by the U.S. Treasury Department'sOffice of Foreign AssetsControl, is to "isolate Cuba economicallyand deprive it of U.S, dollars" U,S. Departmentof Treasury, 1993!. The regulationsprohibit the following: selling U,S, goods in Cuba, importing Cubangoods to the U.S., sendingmoney except small amountsto family members!,and "Is]pendingmoney in connectionwith tourist, business,or recreationaltrips..., whether travelers go directly to Cuba or via a third country" Ibid.!. They also specify reporting proceduresand penaltiesfor violating the regulations. Although the regulationsdo not single out boating, they clearly apply to it. For example, "boat docking fees" would be a "financial transactionincidental to travel to Cuba," accordingto the Cuba desk officer Hayes, 1994!. Under the regulations, it is possible for boaters to travel under one of the four exempted categories U.S. government employees, family, professional researchers, and journalists which are allowed to spendup to $100/day, or to seeka, Treasury Departmentlicense to take humanitariansupplies to Cuba. It is also possibleto cruise Cuba living off of onboardstores and not spendany money, Although the CubanDemocracy Act did strengthensome aspects of the embargo,none of the changesaffect boating.' The Act does not prohibit foreign pleasure craft which have been in cuba from calling in U.S. ports, only foreign vessels which have commercially traded with Cuba Hays, 1994!. 64 Table 1 U.S. REGULATIONS AND PROCEDURES AFFECTING U.S. PLEASURE CRAFT CRUISING IN CUBAN WATERS Regulations Cuban Assets Control Regulations Before Eligibility: Travel to Cuba not prohibited under U,S, law Departure Restrictions: Persons subject to U.S, jurisdiction prohibited from spending money related to travel to Cuba Exemptions: Journalists,professional researchers, government officials, persons visiting close relatives, fully sponsoredtravelers personsin these categoriesneed not apply for permissionand may spendup to $100 a day directly related to travel! Licensed Those engagedin humanitarianor humanrights activities may Travel: apply for licensesauthorizing travel relatedtransactions Boating: Licensing normally denied for recreational travel, tourist travel and travel related to hobbies Departure Travelers flying to Cuba are required to fill out forms about their trip and the funds they are carrying; no similar controls exist for those going by boat Return Boatersreturning from Cuba must check in with U.S. CustomsService and report Cuba trip; all those dealing with Cuba must maintain records and make them available to Treasury Department Office of Assets Control on request Contacts Public Affairs Office, U.S. Customs Service, Miami 05-536-4126! Office of Assets Control, Department of Treasury 02-622-2480! Sources: Letter from Dennis Hays. Coordinatorof Office of CubanAffairs, U.S. Department of State, April 29, 1994. U.S. Department of Treasury, Office of Assets Control, "Cuba: What You Need to Know About the U.S. Embargo," pamphlet, 1993. 65 Enforcement While a fewboaters go asjournalists seeCushing, 1994 a, b, c!, or go on their own seeFleming, 1992!, or evenon humanitarianmissions Halloran, 1994!, the clearintent of the regulationsis to discourageU,S. pleasureboating on a scalecommercially rewarding for Cuba. Do theregulations work or do boatersignore or skirtthem? Enforcement depends on self-reporting. Skippersare not required to obtainprior approvalbut only to reportto Customson returningthat theyhave been to Cubaand to maintainrecords on their expendituresand activities. This makesit relativelyeasy to falsify both, especiallyexpenditure of funds somethingthat wouldbe almost impossibleto avoid, if only on a casualbasis!.4 Thereare only scattered reports of actionto prosecuteboaters who do go to Cuba. Customsseized the Dutch-registered vessel of a U,S,citizen who had been in Cubabecause they discoveredthat he had repair parts delivered to himthere which constituted trading with the enemy CruisingWorld, September, 1993: 13!. Theboat was later returned after the owner paid a small fine. Treasuryofficials threatened to seize the boats of KeyWest charter captains who advertised that they weregoing to participatein the 1992Ernest Hemingway International Marlin Tournamentin Havana Flannery, 1992!. Only two boats participated, and the skipper of onehad his trophy confiscatedon returningto theU.S.. Thistreatment contrasts with thatgiven participants in the 1994 Sarasota-Havanaregatta, Federal authorities not only blessed the event, since Cuba was waiving slip andvisa fees,but theyprovided participants protection from Cuban-Americanprotesters St. PetersburgTimes, June 11, 1994!. Theyalso chose not to act on reportsthat the Sarasotasailors had in fact spent money in Cuba. AlthoughAmerican yachtsmen do venture into Cuban waters, during a July1994 visit to Cubannminas, we saw very few U.S. registered boats.' This suggests that, while the probability of theindividual boater facing legal reprisals for cruisingCuban waters may be very low, themere existenceof the embargoand its occasionaluse "muddiesthe waters" for recreationalboaters contemplatinggoing to Cuba CruisingWorld, September, 1993: 13!. An evenmore effective deterrentis the political controversysurrounding boating in Cuba. Two recentincidents illustrate this phenomenon. In early 1993, the prestigiousSt, PetersburgYacht Club announcedthat it was revivingthe popular284-mile St. Petersburg-Havanasail boatrace which it hadsponsored from 1930 until 1958. The club's announcementbrought immediate protests from Cuban-Americanswho claimedthat it wouldbenefit the Castrogovernment. Florida Governor Lawton Chiles and other state andlocal officialssided with the Cuban-Americancommunity in urgingthat the racebe canceled. Theyacht club resisted these pressures until tendays before the start when the race was abruptly canceled.A localCuban-American real estate developer thanked the club for "exercisinggood sense."The club issued a statementasserting that it "certainlyhas no desireto insultany of its friendsor membersby implyingthat it supportsthe currentCuban government" and that the race "engendereda level of controversywhich was unanticipated and unintended" St. Petersburg Times, March 11, 1993: 1C!. A skipper from Texaswhose power boat was moored at the Hemingway Marina outside of Havana in July, 1994,told us that he avoideddetection by entering and leavingCuba through the Bahamas, 'At the five largestmarinas on Cuba'snorth coast,we countedfewer than 20 vessels with U.S. hailing ports on their transoms, and met only four skippers who admitted that they were from the U,S, Undauntedby whathappened to the St, PetersburgYacht Club, the morelaid-back SarasotaSailing Squadron announced in early 1994that it wassponsoring a Sarasota-Havanaregatta. Sailorsthroughout the southeast signed up to participatein spiteof oppositionfrom the Cuban Ainericancommunity and state officials. Regattaorganizer, Bob Winters,had negotiated with Cuban authorities a fee waiver so that the racerswould have no official expensesin Cuba. Winters also soughtto give the eventa htunanitariancharacter by askingparticipants to bring food andclothing, In contrastto the St. PetersburgYacht Club's race,the Sarasotaregatta took place, with 84 boatsand several hundred sailors going to Havana.' But the squadronbeat a hastyretreat on its return home. In the face of Cuban-Americanthreats to prosecutethe participantsand the sponsoringSquadron for violatingthe embargo press coverage of theregatta reported that many of theparticipants did spendmoney in Cuba!and the threat of theSarasota City Commissionto revoke the Squadron'slease of city property,the Squadronsent a letterto the commission"apologizing for its insensitivityto Cuban-Americansand promising it wouldn'tsponsor another Havana race until relationsimprove" JamesFlannery in Soundings,September, 1994: A14!. The Squadronalso revokedorganizer Winters' membership,' Thus, the "Sarasota-Havanarace faded into historyas fast as it arrived,the sponsoringyacht club decidingagainst scheduling any more forays to Cubabecause theyare too politically charged" Ibid. !. Althoughit is now legallypossible for U.S. boatersto go to Cuba,it is hardto imaginghow they can do sowithout spending money if onlyto buya coldbeer and thereby violateU.S. law. In any case,the "politicallycharged" atmosphere surrounding boating to Cuba guaranteesthat it will notoccur on a largescale until theU.S. embargo is lifted. Cuban Policy The Economic and Political Context While U.S. policy andpolitics discourage recreational boaters from goingto Cuba, Cubanpolicy encouragesthem, even if it meansviolating the embargo although the Castro governmentis clearlyhoping that the embargowill be dropped!. Cubais in the midstof a severe economiccrisis, andthe governmenthas turned to internationaltourism, including boating, for relief. Before the revolution, Cuba was a major destinationfor U.S. tourists. Cuba's reputationas a NorthAmerican playground complete with prostitution, gambling, and underworld ties,plus the general anti-American thrust of therevolution, led Castro to repudiateinternational Fifty protesters greeted the June 10 start with shouts of "Freedom for Cuba" and "Cubansdrown while sailors race" St, Petersburg Times,June 11, 1994!. An impressive array of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies provided security for the racers. 'Winters was his own worst enemy. In addition to poor organization of the race itself, he shocked everyonewhen he announcedon arrival in Havanathat he wasstaying in Cubafor an unspecified period of time, working with "no salary" for the Club Nautico Internacional Hemingway St. Petersburg Times, June 17, 1994!. In a conversation with the author in July, Winters was enthusiastic about Cuba,although he admitted that he had left problems back in Florida. Then in the September 1994 issue of Sotlthwir!ds 6! he indicated that he was having second thoughts: "They lthe cubans!... don't have much. It's a tough situation, I am not as fond of the government as I was. There are restrictions on travel. The young people have nothing to do," squadron members felt that winters had misled and used them. 67 tourism in the first decade of his rule. Instead he emphasized domestic, "social" tourism, turning over major resorts to unions, the CommunistYoung Pioneers,and other revolutionary organizations Hall, 1992: 110-111!. Of course, the embargo closed off the U,S. market, which had provided nearly 90 percent of foreign tourists to Cuba prior to the revolution Ibid.!. Relaxationin U.S.-Cuban relations in the mid 1970s, along with moderation of Cuban politics and policies, resulted in increasedforeign tourist arrivals and revenue. In the 1980's Cuba gave even higher priority to developingtourism as it cameunder pressureto pay its hard currency foreign debt. It was the collapseof the Soviet Union and socialismin EasternEurope, however, which provided the definitive impetusfor Castro to return internationaltourism to the importanceit had before 1959, The end of the Cold War has triggered a major economicdisaster in Cuba, The Soviet bloc accountedfor over 85 percentof all Cubantrade, much of it subsidizedon terms favorable to Cuba, The suddenloss of this trade after 1989threw the Cubaneconomy into a free fall. From 1989 through 1993, the country's gross domesticproduct declinedby an astounding44 percent Economist Intelligence Unit, 1994: 4!. The extraordinarychallenge represented by this crisis forced a "special period at a time of peace"with required harsh austerity measuresfor the Cuban people, on the one hand, and specialincentives to developthe Cubaneconomy, on the other. The incentivesinclude: permitting Cubansto hold and spenddollars, authorizing small self employment enterprises,establishing semi-private agricultural cooperatives,and funneling public resourcesand foreign investmentinto the developmentof sectorswith the greatestpromise for generatinghard currency, minerals extraction and international tourism Gunn, 1994!. For Castro, "tourism is gold" because it produces hard currency Miami Herald, January 10, 1994: 1!. It is important to stress that the Cuban government has adopted these capitalistic measuresnot to abandonsocialism but to saveit, It is possiblethat they may eventuallyundermine the system,but there is no commitmentto a fundamentaltransition, either to a marketeconomy or constitutionaldemocracy, as demandedby the U.S. governmentand Cubanexile community Caivano, 1994!.' Development of the Tourism Sector The government'splan for reviving Cuba as a major internationaltourist destination includesreallocating resources, seeking foreign partners, reorganizinggovernment agencies, and sophisticatedmarketing. There is evidenceof success,but there are problems, the most daunting being the absenceof U.S. tourists. The governmentis funneling a significant percentageof its severelystressed budget and scarceforeign exchangereserves into the constructionof new hotels, restorationof existing facilities, training personnel,improving infrastructure, and the addition of complementaryactivities and facilities. Castro promisesto add 4,000 new rooms a year Miami Herald, January 10, 1994: 1!. Specialattention is given to upgrading accommodationsand service, which, although improved, are still low by Caribbeanstandards. Although tourist developmenthas concentratedon the Varadero Beachregion east of Havana,it is now takingplace elsewhere on the island,' Foreign investors are sought for capital but also for management skills Caivano, In a speech celebrating Cuba's family medicine program televised to the Cuban people while we were in Havana, Fidel castro made it very clear he had no intention of presiding over a transition to capitalism. He ended his remarks with the revolutionary exhortations: "Socialismo o muerte. Patria o muerte. Venceremos!" " Socialism or death, Fatherland or death. We will be victorious!! 'There were a number of new large hotels under construction at Varadero in July 1994. 68 1994: 2!. Joint venture arrangementsgive the foreign companiesautonomy in dealing with a wide xangeof issues,including labor relations. For their part, tourism workers, paid in pesos which allows the governmentto capturemore hard currency!, are now allowed to keep a portion of their dollar tips, which actsas a powerfulincentive to work in tourism." Cuba'sjoint venturesin tourism also offer investorsa quick return on investments,thus minimizing someof the long term uncertainty Cuba presents the potential investor Ibid,!, Companies from Europe, Canada, and Latin America are investing in tourism under the various arrangements Zellers, 1994: 262!, In its effort to develop tourism as quickly as possible, the Cuban government has experimented with various organizational arrangements, The most interesting are semi-autonomous, semi-private, competitive empresas enterprises!. Cubanacan is the largest and most visible of empresas, but even the armed forces has its own tourism enterprise, Gaviota. In April, 1994, the government pushed tourism development to an even higher level institutionally by establishing a Ministry of Tourism to replace the National Institute of Tourism or INTUR Latin America Weekly Report, May 5, I994: 183!. Although the ministry one of five new ministries was only in its infancy, in July, 1994, we spokewith two people likely to be namedto high positions in it, and they stressedthat the ministry would set generalpolicy and evaluateresults, but not manageprojects. Managementwould continueto be the responsibility of the empresas. They also stressedthat the new objectivesof Cubantourism policy were: to improve service, to diversify Cuban tourism, and to generatebetter economic returns." Cuba has made impressivestrides in expandingits tourism facilities and reaping the benefits in a relatively short period of time. The number of foreign visitors to the island has doubled every year since 1988, reaching600,000 in 1993 more than twice the number of tourists during the best year prior to the revolution!. Not only are more tourists going to Cuba, but they are spending moxemoney. In 1993 tourism generated$700 million in revenueof which $350 million was profit for Cuba Miami Herald, January 10, 1994: 1!. In June, 1992, Cuba became a member of' the Caribbean Tourism Organization, a sign of its acceptance as a serious and legitimate participant in the competitive Caribbean market Zellers, 1994: 260! Arturo Villar 994! describestourism as "the only bright star in Cuba's economic future." There are problems, howevex, The level of service and value added are still low. But of much greater concernis the enclavenatuxe of tourism in Cuba today and the absenceof Americans. At the black market exchange rate, which is the only way dollars and pesos are exchanged, a waiter in a tourist hotel makes the equivalent of more in tips in one day than a medical doctor makes in a month. The director of a scientific institute complained to us that his son had no interest in attending the university, but instead enrolled in a tourist training program. Caivano 994:2! reports, "Many of those filling jobs as waiters, chambermaids and bellboys are doctors, teachers and engineers who prefer to work for dollar tips rather than their meager peso salaries," "We visited two other agencies the instituto de Hidrografia and the Academia de Ciencias in which tourism has assumed greater importance. Although the former is linked to the Ministry of Defense, its resources 1 percent! and staff are increasingly devoted to tourism-related projects, while the Academy of sciences has been absorbed by the new Ministry of science, Technology and the Environment. Both are supposed to become self-supporting. Beyond anxiety about whether positions would be eliminated and what the new lines of authority would be, academy scientists with whom we spoke were concerned adout reconciling tourism development with environmental protection. 69 Becausemost Cubans do not havedollars, they do not haveaccess to tourist resorts." Perhapsjust as significant for building Cuba as a tourist destinationis the fact that, although tourists are theoretically free to wander anywhere, "the currency barrier, coupledwith the effects of tight rationing, pretty much keep [them] on the tourist track" Mosak, 1992!, Cuba's rich history and culture remain beyond the experienceof most tourists. As for the Americans,they accountfor 60 percent of all tourists in the Caribbean, Without them, Cuba will have difficulty expandingbeyond the three percent of Caribbean tourist arrivals it currently receives Hall, 1992: 104-105!. Marine Tourism "Our facilities are yours, just choosethe time... we provide the rest" Marina Hemingway Brochure!. With 5,746 kilometers of coastline, 1600 keys and islets, coves, bays and inlets, and 289 recognized beaches, Cuba's marine resources are unsurpassed in the Caribbean, if not in the world, and the government'sdevelopment plan gives special attentionto coastaland marine tourism Ibid.: 111-112!. Thus far the emphasishas been on developingwater sports linked to the large destinationresorts that cater to Europeanand Canadianpackage tours. Theseinclude diving, fishing, nautical tourism, and beachactivities jet skis, wind surfers, etc.!. According to officials of Marlin, the Cubanacansubsidiary responsiblefor its marine tourism, 40 percentof Cubanacanvisitors engage in nauticalactivities, Thesegenerated $2,7 million in revenuesin 1993,up 33 percentover the previous year, Marlin coordinatesits activities with the marine enterprisesof Cubanacan'stwo "competitors. " The Cubangovernment is also developingpleasure boating facilities, most importantly chartering and marinas. In addition to individual charter boats sail and power available by the day and week with captainand crew, in Varaderowe visited a charteroperation with a fleet of ten 43' Beneteaulook-alikes made in the formerYugoslavia." The governmenthas a three-stageplan for marina development:first, to improve and expandcurrent marinas; next, to build new facilities adjacentto popular tourist areaswithout vaginas; and, finally, to build new marinas in remote areas in order to open up under-utilized areas of the coast Villar, 1994!. It seems clear from our conversationwith officials that the last stagewill not be embarkedupon until U,S, boatershave access to Cuba in large numbers. A Marlin official told us that Cuba currently only has only two full servicemarinas Hemingway and Acua!, but Villar 994! reports that there are 13 marinas suitable for tourist use and another ten designated for expansion. In July 1994, we visited five marinas from Marina Hemingway west of Havanato Gaviota on the easterntip of the Varaderopeninsula, Hemingway is the largest and best known marina in Cuba. Begun in the 1950's as a water front community with canalsfor residentsto dock their boats behind their houses,its current capacityis two hundredboats, but with finger piers it could hold up to 2000, accordingto the marina's architect. Recent Some of the resorts formerly available to Cuban tourists are being converted to dollar resorts for foreigners, At the Jose Marti Young Pioneers camp east of Havana, we saw dormitories and cottages being turned into condominiums to complement the marina now in operation. An added attraction of this site is the memorial to policemen killed by cubans who were trying to steal a boat and flee to the U.S. "'Accordingto the captainof one of the boats,their chargefor day sailsis SSSa day per person with lunch and captain. The clientele are European tourists and the operation is a joint venture between Puerto Sol and a German company. 70 constructionand upgrading has addeda hotel, restaurants,a discotheque,furnished villas, a small grocery store, swimming pool, tennis courts, a repair yard with lift, and other featuresfound in U.S. marinas," There is also a club Club Nautico InternacionalHemingway at the marina which is trying to promoteinternational boating in Cuba." Althoughprices and charges are reasonable, they are all in dollars. The four other marinas we visited Marlin, Acua, Chapelin, and Gaviota! were not as largeor well equippedas MarinaHemingway, but they werereal marinasand could easily be upgraded.Table 2 summarizesthe Cubanregulations and procedures governing U,S. pleasurecraft in Cuba. Boating in Cuba The main impressionwe cameaway with is that recreationalboating is currently on hold in Cuba, in spite of the island's great appealas a boatingdestination and the efforts of the Cuban governmentto attract foreign boaters. Boaterswho have cruised Cuba praise its unspoiled natural beauty and the friendlinessof the Cubanpeople see Cushing, Fleming, Stone, and reports on Cuba in Commodores'Bulletin of SevenSeas Cruising Association!. Generallythey find the facilities acceptable,and the bureaucraticred tape no worse than other foreign landfalls. One author compared cruising Cuba to a remotemid-ocean landfall since boaters "must solve provisioning and parts from their own on-boardlockers" Kellogg, 1992: 61!. But whatever its attractionsmay be, we saw very few foreign registeredboats in Cuba, and the vacancyrate in the marinaswas very high. Part of the explanationlies in the fact that boating in Cuba is a little too adventuresomefor most boaters,even those who are legally permitted to do so. There is also evidence that boaters feel uncomfortable cruising where there is growing discrepancybetween the visitor and the local population. Crime and begging are also on the rise in Cuba, although they are still less a problemthan in most other Caribbeanislands. Finally, the refugeecrisis of August 1994 has undoubtedlycreated more uncertaintyabout boating in Cuba. The most obvious explanation for absenceof foreign boaters in Cuba is the U,S, embargo it effectively deters U.S. boatersfrom taking that 90 mile passageacross the Florida Straits to the last unexploredcruising, fishing, and diving areain the Caribbean. Those U,S, boaters who do go to Cubareceive a warmwelcome but endup spendingvery little money." Cubanofficials repeatedlymade it clear that they are betting that U.S. boaterswill soon be able to freely spend dollars in Cuba because without them the future of marine tourism in Cuba is bleak. In its September 1994 issue, Southern Boating reports that Yacht Support Services Ltd. is operating out of Marina Hemingway, and that it claims that "it can smooth entry procedures, get spare parts through customs, arrange duty-free fuel and even arrange sail or power charters." YSS was setting up its office during our visit. For U.S. boaters to purchase its services would clearly violate the embargo, In one of the ironies that characterizes cuba today, the Marina Hemingway is across from a special academy of the communist party. According to the manager, the club has 230 paying members, primarily from Havana's diplomatic community. It hosted the sarasota race in 1994. Cuban officials and the Cuban press heralded the Sarasota-Havana race as a new era in marine relations, but economically the event had to have been a net loss for Cuba, since slip and visa fees were waived. 71 Table 2 CUBANREGULATIONS AND PROCEDURESAFFECTING U.S. PLEASURECRAFT CRUISING IN CUBAN WATERS Before Not necessaryto secureperinission to enterCuba prior to departure,but it canbe done Departure at least20 daysprior to entryby contactingCubatur Calle 231 156entre NYO, Ha- bana 4; telex;511366; tel: 324521!and providing information on captain,crew, and vessel Entering Ports of Barlovento Marina Hemingway!;Camaguey Santa Lucia Beach!; Entry; Casilda[Trinidad] Ancon!; CienfuegosBay Jagua!;Golfo de Guacanayabo Manzanillo!; Guantanamo Baracoa!; Holguin South Marina Bahiade Naranjo!;Isla de Juventud Colony!; Los Canarreos Cayo Largo!; Pinar del Rio SantaLucia!; Santiagode'Cuba Muelle Romero!;Varadero Marina Gaviota,Marina Chapelin,Marina Agua, Marina Paraiso! Proce- For entering Marina Heiningway dure: Call CoastGuard Guardiafronteras!on VHF Ch. 16 to identify and seek permission to proceed Tie up at police dock at entranceto marinaand stayon board ship until inspectedand certified by: Sanitation: Health certificate Immigration: All personsaboard must be issuedtourist cards Customs: Signed declaration of contents of vessel -- Agriculture: Plant and animal products -- Coast Guard: Must have a permit to use boat or dinghy Must havepermit Certificadode Seguridad!to cruiseCuban coast, specifies areas which cannot be visited Must clear in and out of ports open to foreign vessels Advise Coast Guard by VHF of proposed overnight anchorages Departure Vessels must notify Coast Guard 24 hours prior to leaving of desire to depart, subject to inspection and formal check out Contacts Cuban Interest Section 2639 16th Street NW Washington, D.C. 20009 Tel, 202-797-8609/8615 Fax 202-797-8521 Sources: Accountsof cruiserspublished in Commodores'Bulletinof SevenSeas Cruising Association. Cushing, Doran. "Exploring Cuba's North Coast," Souihwinds, 2, No, 3 March 1994!: 8-10+. Kellogg, Fleming. "Welcometo Cuba," Cruising JForld, March 1992: 59-63. 72 Conclusion Until the U.S. embargois lifted, recreationalboating in Cuba will remain beyondthe reachof all but a veryfew U.S.boaters. Once it is lifted, U.S. boatingto Cuba will boom, probably overwhelmingfacilities in Cuba and Florida. The most recent crisis in U.S.-Cubanrelations has in the short run strengthenedthe embargoand shovedboating of the recreationalvariety further into the background. In the longer run, it may precipitatedeeper changes, either in the form of a political upheavalin Cuba that would bring down the regime or through mutual concessionsthat would initiate significant changesin Cuba and progressivelylower the embargo, As a result we may be closer to a resumptionof U.S. recreationalboating in Cuba than we were before August l994. 73 Appendix Chronology of Key Events in U.S.-Cuban Relations 1959-1994 Date Event 1959 January Batista governmentfalls and Castroassumes power U.S. recognizesgovernment of Fidel Castro April Castropays official visit to Washington 1960 February USSR agrees to buy Cuban sugar and extend long term credit August U.S, imposes partial embargo on exports to Cuba; raises Cuban issue in OAS and gets weak condemnation October Total U.S. embargoon exportsto Cuba except food and medicines!;extends embargo to foreign subsidiariesof U.S. firms; eliminatesCuban sugar quota; blacklists vesselscarrying cargo to and from Cuba from carrying U.S. government-fi- nanced cargo 1961 January U.S.-Cubandiplomatic relations severed April Bay of Pigs invasion December Castro declares himself a Marxist-Leninist and proclaims the Revolution socialist 1962 January OAS suspendsCuba Feb-May U.S. bans virtually all imports from Cuba July OAS bans military trade by members with Cuba October Missile crisis; U,S, actsto withhold foreign assistancefrom countrieswith shipstrading with Cuba but reachesan agree- ment with the USSR to ceaseattempts to overthrow Castro 1963 U,S, freezesall Cubanassets under Trading with the Enemy Act; NATO agreesto military but not trade embargo 1964 OAS votes for members to sever diplomatic relations with Cuba aud adopt a full trade embargo 74 1975 OAS votes to lift collective sanctions; U.S. allows licensing of foreign subsidiariesof U.S. firms to do businesswith Cuba 1977 U.S. and Cuba open diplomatic interestsections in eachother' s capitals;U.S. loosensrestrictions on travel to Cuba; discussions underway on broad range of issues 1978 Cubantroops deployedin Africa 1979 Report of Soviet combat brigade in Cuba; outbreak of conflict in Central America 1980 Mariel boat lift 1981 U.S. tightens economic embargo 1982 U.S. bans business and tourist travel to Cuba 1984 U.S. and Cuba negotiateagreement to normalize immigration and return Mariel excludables 1985 Cuba suspendsMariel immigration agreement to protest Radio Marti 1986 July Cuba stops servicing $7 billion foreign debt August U.S. tightensembargo by acting againstfront companiesin third countries, revoking permission for Cubans to obtain U,S, visas in third countriesand reducingamount relatives can remit to Cuba as gifts 1987 Mariel agreementreinstated allowing normal migration 1988 Cubaagrees to begin withdrawing troops from Angola 1989 Collapse of Socialist Bloc December U,S, invades Panama, eliminating key location for circumvent- ing embargo 1990 February Sandinistasdefeated in Nicaraguanelection March TV Marti beginstransmitting to Cuba Spring CubanDemocracy Act introducedinto Congress October Castro declares "Special Period" to cope with economic crisis 1991 May Pres. Bush offers to improve relations with Cuba if it holds free electionsunder internationalsupervision, respects human rights and stops subverting its neighbors 75 1992 Pres, Bush signs Cuban Democracy Act 1993 Cubangovernment legalizes U,S. dollar andsmall private businesses 1994 April Cuban exile conference in Havana August U.S.prohibits Cuban refugees from enteringU.S. andsuspends remittancesand charterflights in responseto refugeecrisis September U.S. andCuba sign agreement funneling migration through legal channels Compiled from various sources. 76 Literature consulted Aguilera, Ernesto 1956 "Cruising Around Cuba: A Yachtsman'sIntroduction to the Largest of the Antilles," Yachting, 100, No. 6 December!. Bardach, Ann Louise 1994 "Conversationswith Castro," Vanity Fair, March 1994: 128-135+. Bush, George 1992 "Remarkson Signing of the CubanDemocracy Act of 1992 in Miami, Florida," WeeklyCompilation of PresidentialDocuments, 28, No. 44 November 2!; 2071. Caivano, Joan 1994 "Cuba's Deal with the Dollar," Cuba Briefing Paper Series, No. 6, Special Supplement July!: 2-5. Cobb, Sharon Y. 1993 "Preparingfor the New Cuba,"Jacksonville, September: 43-47. Christian Science Monitor Cruising World. Cuban American National Foundation 1993 Cuba in Crisis: ProceedingsPoma ConferenceSponsored by the Cuban American National Foundation. Miami: Cuban American National Foundation. Cushing, Doran 1994a "Exploring Cuba's North Coast,"Southwinds, 2, No. 3 March!: 8-10+. 1994b "Cuba's Northwest Coast,"Southwinds, 2, No, 4 April!: 20-21. 1994c "MeanderingThrough an UndisturbedArchipelago: Cuba's Northwest Barrier Reef," Southwinds,2, No. 5 May!: 20-21. Diario de los Negocios InterAmericanos 1994 "La RegataSarasota-Habana Censurada por Gobernador,"mayo: 4. Economist Intelligence Unit 1993, 94 "Cuba: Country Report" 77 Finch, Kathleen Upton 1994 "A Taste of Forbidden Fruit: An American Traveler gets a Rare Glimpse of Castro's Cuba," Smart Money, April: 144-154, Flannery, James 1992 "Boating to Cuba: A Sneak Preview," Soundings, October, Fleming, Kellogg 1992 "Welcome to Cuba," Cruising World, March: 59-63. Governor's Commission on a Free Cuba 1993 "Report of the Governor's Commission on a Free Cuba," February 24, 1994, Gunn, Gillian 1994 "Balancing Economic Efficiency, Social Concerns and Political Control," Cuba Briefing Paper Series, No. 5 March!. Hall, Derek R. 1992 "Tourism Development in Cuba" in David Harrison, Editor, Tourism and the Less Developed Countries. London: Belhaven Press. 102-121. Halloran, George 1994 "U.S, to Cuba Boater Shares Experiences," Fathom, Summer: 15+. Hays, Dennis K, 1994 Letter from Coordinatorof Office of CubanAffairs, U.S, Department of State,to Terry L. McCoy, April 29. Instituto de Oceanologia, Academia de Ciencias de Cuba nd Lineas de Investigacion. Pamphlet, Latin American W'eeklyReport London! Miami Herald. Mosak, Esther 1992 "Tourist Trappings," Cuba Update, January: 34-40. The New Fork Times. Purcell, Susan Kaufman 1992 "Risky Business? The CubanDemocracy Act of 1992," Hemisphere, 4, No. 3 Summer!. 78 Schultz, Donald E. 1993a "Can Castro Survive? Cuba's Economic Crisis," Journal of Inter- americanStudies and iWorldAffairs, 35, No. 1 Spring!: 89+, 1993b "The United Statesand Cuba; From a Strategyof Conflict to ConstructiveEngagement," Journal of 1nteramericanStudies and iWorldAffairs, 35, No. 2 Summer!: 81+, Seven Seas Cruising Association Commodores ' Bulletin Smith, Wayne S, 1987 Closestof Enemies:A Personaland DiplomaticAccount of U.S.-Cu- ban Relations since 1957. New York: W,W, Norton k, Company. 1994 "TestimonyBefore the Subcommitteeon SelectRevenue Measures and the Subcommittee on Trade," March 17. Southwinds St. Petersburg Times Stone, Roger D. 1990 The Voyageof the Sanderling, New York: Alfred A Knopf. Tampa Tribune U.S. Congress 1992 Title XVII Cuban Democracy Act of 1992 U,S, Department of State 1993 "Fact Sheet: Cuba," February 22. U,S, Departmentof Treasury,Office of Foreign AssetsControl 1993 "Cuba: What You Need to Know About the U,S, Embargo: An Overview of the Cuban Assets Control Regulations, Title 31, Put 515 of the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations." Pamphlet, Villar, Arturo 1994 "Tourism Offers Economic Hope for Cuba," Fathom, 6, No.2 September!, 5, Watson, Alexander 1993 "The Cuban Democracy Act: One Year Later," U.S. Department of State Dispatch, December 6: 853. 79 Whisenand, William D, 1993 "The Other Side of Cuba," Florida Trend, October: 44-51. Wright, Thomas C, Latin America in the Era of the Cuban Revolution. New York: Praeger. Zellers, Margaret 1994 "Cuba," Caribbean 1994. Redondo Beach, California: Fielding Worldwide, Inc. 259-302. residential project. The long-term development plan includes 2,070 rooms, restaurants, golf courses, boat repair facilities support for 80Marinasailing schoolsHemingway and otherinwest activitiesHavana atwas a plannedoriginally costdesigned of $219as milliona U,S, dollars. It's clearly aimed at the U.S. boater. Cuban tourism officials hope to one day see Marina Acua and Varadero filled with visiting bc aters, This marina is the closest one in Cuba to Key West, Florida. Ii@l' awaIts customers near Varadero. It is a joint ve~ture between the Cuban enterprise Puerto Sol and Cerman investors. ,, p... I>4~4' , The Impact on Florida's Marinas and Recreational Boating Based Industries of a Post-Embargo Cuba: The Need to Plan Now James C. Cato' introduction Cuba is destinedto becomea major centerof tourism not only in the Caribbean,but over time in the entirehemisphere. The mystiqueof Cuba,and its historicalties andnearness to the UnitedStates, will make it a majorchoice of both vacationdestination and expanded business opportunity, The governmentof Cuba recentlymade tourism a highpriority for development,'and tourism in Floridastands to be impactedby tourismin Cubamore substantially than any othergeographic area of the U.S. This impactcan be positiveor negativefrom either an economicor environmentalpoint of view. Everyoneis asking,"What if the U.S. embargoagainst Cuba is lifted?How will it affectmy business or way of life?" The effecton "oceanand coastal" trades can be substantial ranging from cruiseline opportunitiesand shrimp farming The CubaReport, June 1993! to majorshipping and transportation opportunitiesfor Floridaports JacksonvilleMagazine, September 1993!. Floridaboating and marina-related businessesare in a positionto be greatlyimpacted by the openingof Cubato unrestrictedtravel by U.S. citizens,and this hasimplications for an importantsector of Florida'seconomy, It hasbeen almost a decade sincean in-depthstatewide study has been conducted regarding the economicvalue of the Floridarecreational boatingand marina industry, In 1985the total directeconomic activity associatedwith boatingand marinas was$1.4 billion Milon andAdams, 1987! with 23,000jobs created. Today that value would be much larger and boating and marinascontinue to contribute to Florida's economy.One could speculate that the industrymight grow basedon a Cubaopen to U,S, basedtravel. More peoplemight purchaseboats to recreationallyboat to Cuba,and more transient boats might pass throughFlorida to reachCuba. More marinaswould be requiredas well asmore services, Florida will be thepoint of departure,The impacton individualbusinesses boat manufacturers, marine equipment manufacturers,marinas and boatyards, and those who providemarine trades and services! however, will likely dependon the uniqueattributes of thosebusinesses, their location,the strategicplanning skills of their owners and mangers, and their ability to plan now and to take risks in the face of an uncertain situation. This paper is designedto focus on the impact of an open Cuba on the Florida-basedsectors of the recreationalboating and marina industries, and how to preparefor the future. The key questionsfor a Floridamarina owner or theboating industry sector are: Whatopportunities exist now in Cubafor boating andhow will that affectcurrent boating patterns and thus my business?What opportunities exist in Cubafor expansionor linking my businessto opportunitiesthere? What businessand environmentallaws exist in Cuba that affectthe potentialfor increasedboating? Will environmentalrestrictions relating to expansionin Florida be a problem?If increasedboating brings me additionalbusiness, am I in a financialposition to expand? " Directorof the FloridaSea Grant College Program and Professorof Foodand ResourceEconomics, Building 803, P.O. Box 110400, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611-0400, 904! 392-5870. ' cuba'sfuture economicdevelopment will be focusedon its naturalresources: ! biotechnology; ! minerals; and ! tourism according to GiselaAlonso, Director, RecursoSNaturales y Turismo in the Academia de Ciencias,Cuba personal communication, July 6, 1994!. In addition, Dr. Angel Garcia Alvarez, Vice Presidente, de Hidrografia y Oceanografia, Cuba, indicates that 51 percent of their main programmatic thrust is tourism personal communication, July 7, 1994!. This group among other activities produces 80-100nautical charts each year and is publishing a cruising guide to Cuba. They are also in charge of Cuban aids to navigation. 82 ShouldI reposition myself in a differentboating-related market niche? What can I donow or in thefuture and what is really out of my control? Floridaboaters, sailors and marina and boating business operators are starting from behind. As noted byone recent boater to Cuba,"From the cruising grapevine, we had learned that U.S. sailors were becoming theodd cruisers out. English,French and German cruising crews regularly visit Cubaduring cruises to the Caribbeanand U.S. eastcoast. Indeed,for Canadianssouthbound on the IntracoastalWaterway, Cuba is oftena happilyless-costly winter destination than south Florida" Fleming, 1992!, Fleming also notes that theCuban tourism department is expanding marina services to attractlive-aboards, Recent participation in theannual Ernest Hemingway International Marlin Tournament and the Sarasota Sailing Squadron's June 1994race to Havanaare just two indicatorsof therapidly increasing interest in fishingand cruising from Florida to Cuba. Floridaboaters, inarina owners and others associated with recreationalboating should take heed from therecent statement made by theGovernor's Commission on a FreeCuba which indicates that if Floridais notready, it will beunable to minimizethe impacts on state and local government that may occur as Cuba becomesopen to U.S.travel, and at thesame time be able to takeadvantage of its opportunities,In no sector is this more true than in the industriesassociated with recreationalboating. Limits to t rowih Thereis no questionthat a Cubaopen to U.S.boating will placemore pressure on Florida'smarinas, waterwaysand boating traffic patterns, Florida's coastline represents an extremely valuable asset. These resourcesprovide recreational boating opportunities for thepublic, However,Florida's environment is limitedin its abilityto supportmore boating activities. From a financialperspective, Florida's marinas may benefitfrom Cuba boating, earn a higherreturn on theirinvestment, and delay for a whilelonger the pressure to convertmarina space to otheruses. However, it will continueto bedifficult to expandin particular,wet slip marinas,where the pressurefrom Cubaboating will be the greatest. Thevery existence of marinasin Floridais threatenedby severalfactors. First, escalating coastal land priceshave placed an increasing tax burden on waterfront facilities and have made them less profitable to operate,Second, condominium and other residential waterfront developments continue to displacemarinas sincethey represent a highervalue use of theproperty, Third, the environmental concerns and restrictions associatedwith expandingexisting marinas and in buildingnew ones are tremendous. As Bell 990! pointsout, the demandfor recreational'boats is really a demandfor recreational services e,g cruising, fishing! provided by theboats, Boat use is predominantlya function of leisuretime. As incomesrise, the demandfor leisuretime usuallyincreases. Previous research has shown that the number of boatsregistered can be predicted based on Floridapopulation and Florida real personal income per capita, Bell 990! projectedthat by theyear 2000, a totalof 898,017pleasure boats will beregistered in Florida, Of this total 852,218will be under26 feetand 45,799 will be 26 feetor greater Table 1 andFigure 1!, The analysispresented later in thispaper indicates the projection for all boatsunder 26 feetmay not be reached, while that for boats 26 feet or greaterhas alreadybeen surpassed, ' The term "recreational" boat is used in the Bell study. The data reported as recreational by Bell are the same data reported as pleasure by the Bureau of Licenses,Titles and permits, Florida Marine patrol. The term pleasure boat will be used in this paper. 83 Table1. Actualand projectednmnber of pleasureboats in Florida,1982 to 2000. Under 26 feet 26 feet or greater Total 1982 457,084 24,530 481,614 1993 620,548 48,876 669,424 2000 852,218 45,799 898,011 Source:Bell 990! for 2000projection. Data for 1982 981-82! and 1993 992-93! from Bureau of Licenses,Titles and Permits,Florida MarmePatrol. Theseestimates assume unlimited waterfront land and unlimited ability to expandmarina. and dock space,which Bell acknowledgesas not completelyrealistic. Bell 990! projectsthat the demandfor dry stackstorage will triple between1982 and 2000! while wet slip demandwill double, In any event,the marinaindustry will needto rapidlyexpand to accommodatethe projectedincrease by the year2000, The increasein dry stackingwill allow morevertical use of the waterfrontthan wet slip use. But, for boats capableof cruisingto Cuba,the demandwill be strongfor wet slip storage.It is particularlyimportant to note that the number of pleasureboats 26 feet and greater in length registeredin 1993 has already exceeded the Bell projection for the year 2000 by sevenpercent while the growth rate for smaller boats has not kept pace, The faster growth rate for boats26 feet and greaterwill increasethe demandfor marinas with wet slips,4 Bell's work 990! using a 1981 sampleshowed statewide that 55 percentof boats 26 feet and greater usedstorage in marinas. Of this total, 61 percentused wet slips and 39 percentused dry stacks. Thus, using Bell's projected estimatesto 2000 for the numberof boats in Florida 26 feet and greater of 45 799 already surpassedin 1993!, a total of approximately25,189 marina spaceswould be needed:9,824 in dry stacksand 15,365 in wet slips. Only generaldata are availableto analyzethe availability of marina slips and dry stack facilities. A statewideanalysis done every five years Table 2! indicatesthat between1987 and 1992, the number of saltwatermarinas has declinedby 127, the number of slips/mooringsby 4,063 and the number of dry storage slips by 2,424, There has been an increasein the number of freshwaternminas and slips/mooringsbut dry storageslips declined by 498. For 1992 a total of 1,416 marinasof ten slips or more were in existence; 1,074 saltwater; 342 freshwater. Saltwater wet slips/moorings in 1993 totaled 45,436, When compared to the Bell projections it appears there might be adequate marina space to accommodatean increasein the number of boats. However, becauseof the generalnature of' the data on the sizesof slips available, and the generalnature of stateboat registrationdata, it is not possibleto make an accurateassessment of current wet slip demand, However, it is unlikely that waterfront spacelimitations and environmentalconsiderations will allow much expansionto occur, It is more likely that the downward trend in marina wet slips will continue. ' The projections by cell 990! used boat registration data through 1988, A iater section of this paper will indicate a dramatic slowdown of recreational boat registration beginning in 1990. Table2. Sites,slips, mooringsand dry storageat saltwaterand freshwater marinas in Florida, 1987 and 1992. Federal, State, Count Munici al Private Total 1987 1992 Change 1987 1992 Change 1987 1992 Change Saltwater marina Sites 92 92 0 1,104 982 -122 1,201 1,074 -127 Slips/moorings 6,312 6,463 + 151 43,187 38,973 -4,214 49,499 45,436 -4,063 Dry Storage 1,304 1,314 + 10 32,172 29,738 -2,434 33,476 31,052 -2,424 Freshwater Marinas Sites 22 25 +3 302 317 + 15 324 342 + 18 Slips/Moorings 521 623 + 102 10,662 10,794 + 132 11,183 11,417 +234 Dry Storage 129 111 -18 4,169 3,689 -480 4,298 3,800 -498 Source:Division of Recreationand Parks,Department of EnvironmentalProtection. StatewideOutdoor ComprehensiveRecreation Plan. For marinas 10 slips or nore. Now enter Cuba with unrestricted travel by U.S. boaters. Will this cause current boaters to change their boating patterns? Will they leave from your marina? Will more peoplepurchase boats so they can cruise to Cuba from the Florida west coast? Will boaters stay in Cuba longer, rather than in Florida, thus reducing your revenue? Will more transientboats come through Florida to travel to Cuba? Will that increaseyour businessand boat traffic? Will more Cuba boating increaseyour marine servicesbusiness? To be ready for increasedU.S./Cuba boating, eachmarina owner, eachboating service business,and eachbusiness that anticipatesbeing impactedneeds to have a plan, A recent article Florida Trend, 1994! indicatessome Florida businessesare alreadydoing this. The survey coveredover 20 types of industriesand indicatedthat 17 percent alreadyhave a businessplan for Cuba. A total of 62 percent seethe needto have a physical presencein Cuba and 69 percentplan to engagein a servicerelated activity in Cuba, Current Status of Boats in Florida Before any boating and marina-related plan can be developed, it is critical to understand the numbers and types of boats in Florida, and the growth rate in the number of boats. The most useful data are from boat registration data at the county level. Thesedata do have shortcomings,but are useful to indicate general trends,' This analysisalso doesnot include boats registeredoutside Florida. No data exists on the number, kind and boating patternsof transientboats. Boat registration data in Florida are collectedby size class: less than 12', 12' to less than 16', 16' to less than 26', 26' to less than 40'; 40' to less than 65'; 65' to less than 110'; 110' or larger, Data are also collectedby type of craft, propulsion and more generaluse categories. Boats that do not use enginesare not included. The analysisin the paperprovides somegeneral data on boats registeredin Florida and then is restricted to generalcategories of boatsthat could potentially move betweenFlorida and Cuba. General interest is in those boats 26' and larger, although some boaters would travel between Florida and the U.S. in boats in the very top of the 16' to less than 26' class. Boat registration data indicate the location of the county registering the boat. it does not mean the boat is physically located in that county. Florida registrations also include those boats not registered in Florida but that are in Florida 90+ days on an annual basis. 85 In 1993,'a totalof 715,516boats were registered in Florida.Almost 95 percent are pleasure boats whichincludes powered canoes Table 3!. Of thetotal boats in Florida,86,7 20,548! percent arepleasure boats under 26 feet and 6.8 percent 8,876! are pleasure boats 26 feet or longer.The number of boatshas been increasing steadily through 1990 when registrations peaked at 718,054,then have fallen slightlyto the1993 level of 715,516 Figure 2!, Thenumber of commercialboats registered has shown a gradualbut steady increase, with the decline coming in thepleasure boat category. For the three largest size classes,'a totalof 48,875recreational boats and 7,825 commercial boats were registered in 1993 Table 4!. Thepredominant propulsion is power, in contrastto sail,with 4,216 sail boats 26' and over registered Figure3!.' Table3. Vesselsregistered in Floridafor fiscalyear 1993. ategory um er ercent o o Dealer 5,058 .7 Commercial 32,877 4.6 Pleasure 677,581 94.7 Canoes 8,157! Boats 69,424! Under 26 feet 20,548! 26 feet and over 8,876! TOTAL 715,516 100,0 Source: Bureau of Licenses, Titles and Permits, Florida Marine Patrol, Table 4. Registeredboats in Florida in 1993 by use for the four largest size classes. to to to 1 an Category Under 26' Under 40' Under 65' Over Commercial 15,596 5,234 2,256 335 Pleasure 305,246 41,412 7,129 334 TOTAL 320,842 46,646 9,385 669 Source: Bureau of Licenses, Titles and Permits, Florida Marine Patrol. ' Actually for the state fiscal year 1992-93, 65' to less than 110' and 110' and over were combined for this analysis. Data in Figure 4 from: Atlas of Boats, Date County, Florida, 1993. Boating Research Center, University of Miami. February, 1994. Totals for each category are slightly lower than those reported by the Division of Recreation and Parks. The original data base is the same, but apparently not all people registering boats report propulsion type. 86 The growthin registeredpleasure boats has shown two distinctgrowth patterns over the last decade. Through 1989, the number of registeredpleasure boats all size classes!grew at a rate of 6-7 percentper year,and in 1989was at a level95 percentgreater than in 1975,' However,since 1989, the numberof registeredpleasure boats has been level and actually declined slightly to 677,581 in 1993 Figure 4!. However, the growth rate has been different for the various size classifications,with total numbers declining in only the under 16' category Figures 5, 6, 7!. A summary of boat registration trends is given in Table 5, It is clear that the growth in the numberof boats in Florida is occurring in precisely those categoriescapable of boating betweenFlorida and Cuba. While the growth rate appearsto be slowing, the potential for increaseddemand for "Cuba-related"boating is real. The analysisfrom this point will focus on thosecounties where the major concentrationof pleasure boats are located. Fifteen Florida counties have at least 15,000 pleasure boats all sizes! registered, representing60 percent of Florida's total. Theseare concentratedin south Florida, the central west coast, and the central Atlantic coast Figure 8!. Twenty countieshave at least 6,000 pleasureboats 16' to under 26', representing76 percentof Florida's total in this size class. Theseboats are distributed uniformly Table 5. Trends in registrationof pleasureboats in Florida by boat sizeclassiTication prior to 1989 and 1989-93. Category Prior to 1989 1989 to 1993 All Pleasure Boats Steady Increase Slight Decline Under 16 Feet Steady Increase Steady Decline 16 Feet to Under 26 Feet Steady Increase Level 26 Feet to Under 40 Feet Steady Increase Increase at Decreasing Rate 40 Feet to Under 65 Feet Steady Increase Increase at Decreasing Rate 65 Feet and Over Steady Increase Increase at Decreasing Rate from TampaBay southwardand around the entireeast coast to Duvalcounty Figure9!. For pleasureboats 26' to under 40', 22 countiesaccount for 91 percentof Florida's total. Again there is general distribution from TampaBay southwardand around to Duval county. There is also a cluster of boats in the far western Panhandle Figure 10!. A very similardistribution pattern exists for the 21 countiesthat representthe 91 percentof Florida'spleasure boats 40' to under65' Figure 11!. Finally, nine countiesmostly in south Florida,hold 85 percentof the pleasureboats 65' andover Figure 12!. In general,for thosepleasure boats ~caable ofboating to Cuba 6' andover!, the boatsare generally distributed from TampaBay southand around Florida all the way to Jacksonville,with the major concentrationsof the larger boats in south Florida. 9 Prior to 1975 boats with less than 10 horsepower were not included, 87 preparing Now for an Uncertain Future Whisenand 993! givessome excellent advice on how to preparefor a post-embargoCuba. While theseguidelines are intendedprincipally for businessesintending to operatein Cuba,they canbe adaptedto the Floridabased boating and marina industry. Theyrecognize the critical issuesof political risk andcountry risk whichare very elusivequestions at the currenttime but encourageeach business sector to plan ahead. Here are somesuggestions. Overall you needto do the following: 1, Estimatethe impact in Florida on your boating businessof post-embargoCuba, ~ The Marine Industries Association of Florida and other boating and marina-relatedtrade associationsshould appoint a Cubatask force to study in detail how a post-embargoCuba will affect the membersof your association, Boating clubs and associationsshould do the same. Determinethe current statusand developmentof the marina and recreational boating sector in Cuba. ~ Marinas and boating relatedbusinesses should examinethe potential for domesticor foreign joint venture opportunitiesin Cuba. Will you be better off by linking with a partnerin Cuba when that is allowed! and thus expandingyour businessboth there and here from spin-off activities? 3. Determine the interestof the Cubangovernment and foreign competitorsin developingthe Cubanmarina and boating sector. ~ Identify Cuban stateenterprises, ministries and other government groups most important to the boating and marina industry in Cuba, and determinewhat they are doing in Cuba." Determinewhich foreign investorsare interested in developingthe marinaand boating sector." Develop a detailedstrategic plan to follow to take advantageof the opportunities and minimize the negative impacts of increased Cuba boating. ~ Identify the ways boating in Cuba will affect your current business. For example, will boating to the Bahamas decrease, and thus decrease/increaseyour current boating business?What will be the "' The Cuban government has created under Cubanacan,the tourist development sector of the government, three competing "empresas," or enterprises, The goals are to produce better economic returns, to provide better service, and to diversify Cuba's tourist economy, These three enterprises are involved in developing destination resort hotels, marinas and water sport activities related to the hotel trade, The enterprises are Marlin, Puerto Sol and Gaviota. Each has facilities in various stages of development across Cuba according to Daniel Herrera, Ministerio de Turismo, Cuba personal communication, July 8, 1994!, It is clear that foreign investment is being sought. For example, the Spanish are investing in hotels. The level of foreign investment in marinas is not clear, although proposals are being reviewed according to caiixto Noche Fernandez, Sub-Gerente General, Marina Hemingway, Havana, Cuba personal communication, July 7, 1994!. 88 likely destinationsin Cuba by U.S. boaters? Will the location of your marinaor type of your boatingservice trade give you an advantage?" ~ Will current U.S. and personalfinancial conditions allow expansionif needed? Will environmentalpermitting be feasible to allow expansion? ~ Determinethe impact of current and potential Cubanand U.S. laws and rules on boating and marina operation. ~ Develop a financial plan. ~ Develop a humanresource plan to accommodateexpanded businesses and/or opportunities, ~ Develop contingencyplans in activities and time for various scenarios for when a post-embargoCuba might occur. ~ Create a monitoring plan to keep aware of boating and political conditions in Cuba. Summary Cuba has the long-term potential to becomea major center of tourism in the Caribbean, This will likely have both positive and negativeeconomic impacts on marina and boating-relatedtourism in Florida and on Florida's coastalenvironment. After severaldecades of rapid growth, the number of registeredpleasure boats in Florida has declined since 1989, However, the decline is in smaller size boat classes. For those boats 26 feet and greater, the increase in number of boats continues to increase, but at a decreasing rate. The number of saltwatermarinas, slips/mooringsand dry storagespaces has declined the last five years. If Cuba becomesopen to unrestrictedU.S. boat travel, the demandfor larger boatswill likely increase,the number of transient boatspassing through Florida will increaseand all of them will be facedwith fewer marina spaces, particularly in the wet slip category. The major distribution of boats in Florida capableof boating to Cuba begins in the Tampa Bay area south and around Florida all the way to Jacksonville,with the major concentrationsof the larger boats in south Florida. There is somespeculation that boating patternsmight shift slightly from Florida's lower Atlantic coastto the lower Gulf Coast, since the preferred passagefrom Florida to Cuba will be through the Florida Keys and through the Dry Tortugas. The lower Gulf Coast of Florida will be a closer destination for those boats in Cuba preferring to come to the U.S. for maintenance. Florida based marina and boating businesses should prepare now for a post-embargo Cuba, whenever it occurs, These businesses need to estimate the impact in Florida of a post-embargo Cuba, determinethe current statusand developmentof the marina and recreationalboating sector in Cuba, determinethe interest of the Cubangovernment and foreign competitorsin developingthe Cubanmarina and " A major long-termdevelopment plan including2,070 rooms hotel; condominium,etc.!, restaurants,golf courses, boat repair facilities, sailing schools, etc,, has been developed for Marina Hemingway. It is clear the marina is aimed to the "north," with its long-term success depending clearly on U.S. boaters being able to travel to Cuba. This marina is a project of the Marlin group of Cubanacan personal observation, July 7, 1994!. boatingsector, and develop a detailedstrategic plan to follow to takeadvantage of the opportunitiesand minimize the negativeimpacts of increasedCuba boating. The biggest risk of all is doing nothing. 90 Literature Cited The Cuba Report. June 1993. Cuba Newsletter,Inc. Miami, Florida. Milon, J. W. and C. M. Adams. 1987. The Economic Impact of Florida's Recreational Boating Industry in 1985. Florida Sea Grant Technical Paper No. 50. Gainesville: University of Florida. 16 pp. Bell, F. W. 1990. Economic Impact of the Bluebelting Incentives on the Marina Industry in Florida. Florida Sea Grant Report 99. Gainesville: University of Florida. 111 pp. Florida Trend. April 1994. "Reaching for Cuba." p. 16. Whisenand, J. D. October 1993. "The Other Side of Cuba," Florida Trend. pp. 44-51. 92 CO 1 LA LA CV CD CD CD CD O CD CD 0 LA CO CO CD CD lU CO CO CD 0 U CV ~ ~ CO CD Q U 0 S CV ~V! CO CD U! Q M O CO C 0 CD CQ CO 0 Q CD E CO CD O V! O OO O g O O O 0 O CO O O O O CO OCO O 93 C0 Cl ~ ~ 0 0 lO Cla 0 O le O. CL 8 C}. tL 0 CO M 0 J3 C I 0! I 0! 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CO CD M 0 CVI p LL X 0- 0 OCU o Q3 m < O CD CD E ~o I G$ o CL Ci Q LO CD 0 0 99 CD CQI LA CQ LA CV CD O CD c9 LA lQ CV CD I U E GJCO Q CD CQ CD 0 D 0 m cD CL C Q cve h CD ~ 0! EL 'U O O 0 O LL Q 100 CO CO PO O CO 0 0 101 g a! H o 0o o LL 102 CV COI 0! D I V! 0 S 13 I CO Cg 'g e 0 o N L E 0 G>~ co CL a The Influence of Meterological and Oceanographic Conditions on Recreational Boat Routes Between The United States and Cuba D, Max Sheppard' Introduction Whenthe conditionsare such that peoplecan travel freely between the UnitedStates and Cuba there will bemany boaters sailing to Cubafrom the Gulf of Mexicoand U.S. east coasts. The routes taken by theseboaters will be determined,in part, by the meteorologicaland physical oceanographic met/ocean! conditionsthat exist in andover the watersconnecting these two countries.The purposeof this paperis to summarizeand present information about those met/ocean parameters having the greatestimpact on boaters and,based on this information,speculate on whatwill be the mostpopular routes taken. It is hopedthat this information will be useful to those in the marine related industriesattempting to plan for this increased boatingactivity. Thoseparameters deemed most important to boatersinclude: wind speedand direction; waveheight and period; surface current magnitude and direction; and frequency, timing andseverity of storms. Eachof theseparameters will be discussedbriefly andsummary data presented for the regionsof interest. This is followedby a discussionof how theseparameters are likely to impactboating and boating routes between the United States and Cuba. Met/Ocean Parameters Wind The variability of wind speedand direction with time differs significantly with location and season. In some locationsthe wind is nearly constantin speedand direction while in other areasit displays a cyclic behavior with periods ranging from hours to months. For the regionsof concern,namely the lower U.S. east coast and the Gulf of Mexico, the winds are variable but have definite biases that change with the season of the year. Figure 1 is a definition chart showing 1! the meanastronomical tide rangeat various locations along the coastand 2! the location of the sites where wind and wave information is presented. Wind and wave! rosesfor locations in the Gulf of Mexico and Florida Straits are shown in Figures 2 and 3, Note that at station 51 the wind is from the eastern sector 7.5' to 112.5'! 50% of the time. Twelve percent of the wind from this sector had speedsbetween 5.0 and 9.9 knots, 58% had speedsbetween 10.0 and 14.9 knots and 30% had speedsbetween 15,0 and 19,9 knots. Even in locationswhere there is a prevailing wind direction there is variability, as shown in the wind stick diagram in Figure 4 for Key West, Florida for the year 1985. The length of the lines indicatesthe speedof the wind and the lines point in the direction to which the wind is blowing. For example,at 12:00 AM on January 1, 1985 the wind speedwas 12 knots from the east-southeast 10'!, Wind direction is more important for sailboaters than powerboaters, but is of concern to all boaters due to its effect on wave heights, steepnessand propagationdirections, Winds in a direction oppositeto strong surfacecurrents produce very steep,short crestedwaves that are difficult to navigate. This is discussed further in the section on waves, Professor of Coastal and Oceanographic Engineering, College of Engineering, 336 Weil Hall, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, <904! 392-1436. 104 Waves Most surfacewaves are generatedby wind, either by local wind or that due to somedistant storm. In deepwater, waves can travel great distances with minimalloss of energy, Whenthey reachwater depths that are less than about one-half their length distancefrom one crest to the next! they start to "feel the bottom" andlose energy. Wind generatedwaves depend prirtmily on wind speedand duration, fetch and water depth. Fetchis the distanceover whichthe wind is blowingover water. In an enclosedbody of waterfetch is the distancefroin the lee shoreto the point of interest; in an open body of water it is the distancefrom the start of the wind systemto the point of interest. Wind generatedwaves are random in nature with a rangeof wave lengths and heights presentat any given time. This presentsa problem in trying to quantify the wave height of a given seastate, One representationthat has found wide acceptanceand use is the quantity called "significant wave height", If the water elevationis recordedat a particular site for a duration of about 20 minutes and the one-third largest wave heights in this record are averaged,the result is called the nH-one- third" denotedby H»s ! for the wave field. A quantity known as the ~sinificant wave ~heiht can he obtained by computingthe area under a plot of wave energy density versuswave frequencyfor the samewave field, Such a plot is known as a wave energy density spectrum, A spectrum for a site off the coast of West Palm Beach, Florida in 12 ft water depths on January 15, 1994 is shown in Figure 5, For all practical purposes the value of the significant wave height is equal to the value of H,/3 for the wave field, The period of the waveswith the most energy in the wave record is called the peak period T,. Specificationof significant wave height, peak period, and wave energydensity spectrumare good ways to quantify a randomwave field, The maximum height of an individual wave in a randomsea is about twice the significant wave height. Wave data are more difficult and costly to obtain than wind data and, therefore, are more scarce. To circumvent this lack of data, computer wind and wave models have been developed to ohindcast" waves. Knowing the distribution of pressure in the atmosphere along with a limited number of wind measurements at specific locations, the wind field that existedin a specifiedarea for a particular interval of time in the past can be computed hindcast!. The wind model output is then used as input to a wave model which in turn computes the wave conditions for the area. The resulting time history of winds and waves is called a nhindcastnsince it is a prediction of somethingthat took place in the past. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,Coastal Engineering Research Center has hindcastedwinds and waves in the waters surrounding the United States on a fifteen minute interval for a 20-year period 956-1975! [Hubertz and Brooks 989! and Hubertz et al. 993!!. These data can be used to obtain valuable statistical information about wind and waves. This particular Corps study purposely excluded tropical storms and hurricanes. Wave roses for several locations are presented in Figures 2 and 3. Note that at station 51 in the Florida Straits waves propagate from the easterly sector 7.5'to 112.5'! 57% of the time. Of those waves from this sector 43% have heights trough to crest! between 0.0 and 0.9 m .95 ft! and 52% have heights between 1.0 m .28 ft! and 1,9 m ,23 ft!, Recall that the hindcaststhat producedthis data excludedtropical storms and hurricanes. Waves can be significantly affected by surface currents. When a wave propagates in the direction of the current, its height is reducedand its length becomeslonger than it would be if there were no current. On the other hand, when a wavepropagates in the direction oppositeto the current, its height is increasedand its length is shortened,thus it becomessteeper, Figure 6, which is a plot of wave height divided by deep water wave height versus surfacecurrent speeddivided by deep water wave speed,illustrates thesefacts. For a particular wave the deep water wave height and speedare constantso the plot in Figure 6 can be thought of as wave height versus current speed. When the wavesare propagatingin the direction of the current U/c, ! 0! the wave heights are reduced;when the wavespropagate opposite the direction of the current U/cp 0! the wave height is increasedsignificantly. In general, large steepwaves inake for an uncomfortable,and often unsafepassage for sailors in small craft, such as cruising and fishing boats, The prevailing easterly winds in the Straits of Florida the passagebetween the Florida Keys and the northern coast of Cuba! produce wavesthat propagateopposite to the strong easterlyflowing currents in that region producing undesirable wave conditions when the winds are strong. Waves also increasein height and shortenin length when they propagateinto shallower water a 105 processknown as shoaling!, These effects start when the water depth decreases to about one-half the length of the wave and continuesuntil either the wave breaksor it reachesthe shore. To illustrate the effect of shoaling,the height and length of a 12second period wave is followedfrom deep water to breakingfor a coast with a bottom slope of 1:200. The results are presentedin Table 1. Table 1 The Propagation of a 12 Second Period Wave from Deep to Shallow Water Wave heights in tropical storms and hurricanescan be very large. In the Gulf of Mexico the maximum wave heights expectedto occur in a one-in-onehundred year return interva.lhurricane range from 60 to 80 ft with periods between11 and 15 sec API 1993!. One-in-onehundred year hurricanesgenerate waves off the southeastern coast of Florida and are influenced by the Bahama Islands but are large as well. It goeswithout saying that boatersmust take every possibleprecaution in order to avoid such events. The number of protectedanchorages known as hurricaneholes are limited and as the boating activity in southern Florida and Cuba increasesthis will becomea critical problem. Due to the number of tropical storms and hurricanesthat form or passthrough the waters connectingthe United Statesand Cuba and the extreme importanceof thesestorms to boaters,a sectionin this paper is devotedto hurricanes. Surface Currents Surface currents will play an important role in boating between the United States and Cuba. Some of the strongestcurrents in U.S. coastalwaters are found in the vicinity of South Florida and Cuba. These currents, which vary on a seasonal basis, will certainly influence the sailing routes taken by boaters. Water entering the CaribbeanSea from the east as a result of prevailing winds in the southernpart of the North Atlantic Ocean! flows northward through the passagebetween Cuba and the Yucatan Peninsula to form the Yucatan Current see Figures 7 and 8 which show general surface currents in the southern Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico for the months of January and July!. This intense jet penetrates deep into the Gulf of Mexico prior to being deflected south along the west coast of Florida and then east through the Florida Straits. While in the Gulf of Mexico, this current is known as the "Loop Current", As this current emerges from the Florida Straits and heads up the east coast of the United States it is called the "Florida Current" or "Gulf Stream". This intense, concentrated, western boundary current impacts all boating and shipping activity in its path. As the Loop Current meanders in the Gulf of Mexico, large eddies circular bodies of water! are shed and propagate throughout the Gulf rebounding off the continental slope relatively steep portion of the bottom connecting the deep Gulf to the continental shelf!, These eddies, which last monthsto years before dissipatingtheir energy, have diametersup to about 200 nautical miles, current speeds on the order of 3 knots but valuesas large as 4 knots havebeen observed!and forward movementspeeds between 0.5 and 1.5 knots. The size and position of these eddies are monitored by infrared sensors in satellites and the results are reported by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NOAA!. Figure 9 shows a color enhanced, infrared satellite image of the Gulf of Mexico on March 8, 1994 [Rouse 106 994!]. The boundariesof the Loop Currentare apparent due to the sharphorizontal gradients in water temperature.The Loop Current water temperature is significantly warmer than the Gulf and Shelf waters duringthe fall, winterand spring months. The flow streamlinesin Figures 10 -14 show how the surface currentscan change throughout the year. Thenumbers in thesefigures refer to currentspeed in nautical miles per hour knots!. Currents,such as the Loop Currentand Gulf Stream,are sometimes referred to as background currentssince they aregenerated by conditionsfar removedfrom thepoint of interest. A discussionof all of the mechanismsthat canproduce surface currents is beyondthe scopeof this paperbut a briefdescription of local wind generatedcurrents is presented.The dragof a steadywind blowingover an oceansurface producesa surfacecurrent. In deepwater i.e. waterdepths greater than approximately 250 ft at South Florida and Cuba latitudes! the wind generatedcurrent direction evolves in time to an angle approximately equalto 45' to the right in the northernhemisphere! of the wind directionas viewed from above. This misalignmentof dragforce and water surface movement is dueto the Coriolisaccelerations created by the earth's rotation about its axis. The current speeddecreases with distancedown from the surfacebut the angle betweenthe wind and current increases. As the depth of water decreases,so doesthe angle betweenthe wind and surfacecurrents. A rule of thumb for the speedof wind generatedsurface currents is 3% of the 10 meter elevationwind speed. Thus, a wind speedof 25 knots at the standard10 m elevation! will producea surface current of about 0.75 knots, The magnitudeof both the YucatanCurrent and Gulf Streamis greatestduring the samer months when surface currents can exceed 4 knots. Any small boat passagebetween the United States and Cuba must take these currents into consideration. Hurricanes The waters connectingthe U.S. and Cuba are very susceptibleto tropical storms and hurricanes. Theserelatively compact,fast moving, severestorms are extremelydangerous to boatersdue to their excessivewind speeds,waves heights, water elevationsand the tornadoesand water spoutsthat they generate. Theseapproximately circular air massesrotate in a cyclonic direction counter clockwise in the northern hemisphere!. Figure 13 shows a groundbased radar imageof Hurricane Andrew as it madelandfall near Miatni, Florida on August 24, 1992 Houston 1994a!. The centeror eye of the storm is a region of low wind speedand low pressure. The wind speedincreases with increaseddistance from the centerto a point called the "radius to maximum winds" then decreasesto the edgeof the storm. Relative to someonemoving with the eye of the storm, the wind speeds are primarily a function of the distance from the center. However, with the forward motion of the storm with speedsbetween 5 and 20 knots! the absolutewind speed as seen by a boater! is greatestin the forward right quadrant. For a storm moving to the north, maximum wind speedswill occur in the northeastquadrant. Significant strides in hurricane forecastinghave been made in recentyears due to: the existenceof weathersatellites and reconnaissanceaircraft, the developmentof computermodels for predicting storm parametersand an increasedlevel of understandingof the mechanisms that control the growth and decay, and the paths of thesestorms. The distancefrom the predicted to the actualpoint where the center of the hurricanemade landfall for the time period 1989-1993at various tiine intervals prior to landfall are given in Table 2 [Houston 994b!]. These numbers are based on a self- evaluationstudy conductedby forecastersat the National Hurricane Center in Coral Gables, Florida. All boaters,but in particular thosewith slower boats, needto seeka safeanchorage well in advanceof approaching hurricanes. 107 Table 2 Landfall Prediction Errors as a Function of Time Prior to Landfall Time Prior to Landfall in Mours 72 48 36 24 12 Error in Predicting Point of Landfall 224 87 68 47 31 in Miles Thecombination of low pressurein thehurricane and wind drag on thewater surface produces a significantchange in water elevation in a hurricanewhen it reachesshallow water. This effect is known as a meteorologicaltideor stormsurge. In the area to the right and in frontof the storm center the water can rise to heightsin excessof fifteenor eventwenty feet along a coast.The rate of riseand fall is rapidfor fast movingstorms such as the one shown in Figure16, which is' a plotof measuredwater elevation versus time for HurricaneBetsy 965! at Biloxi,Mississippi. This rapid change in waterelevation can be as iinportant aswind speedand wave heights to boatersin manylocations and circumstances. Official hurricaneseason runs from June1 throughNovember 30 but on rare occasionshurricanes havedeveloped asearly as May and as late as December. Figure 17 shows the number of hurricanesand tropicalstorms and hurricanes by dateof originfor the100 year period from 1886 to 1986[Neumann etal. 987!]. Thetracks of tropicalstorms and hurricanes bymonth for thesame 100 year period are shown in Figures18-25 [Neumann et al. 987!]. Boating Routes Between the US and Cuba As a rule,boaters are a freedomloving, independentminded group so it is very difficult to predict whenand where they will sailand what route they will take. Thereare many factors that influence their decisionsbut the meteorological and oceanographic conditions for theregion are major considerations, especiallyin areaswhere these parameters are extreme and predictable, The waters connecting the United Statesand Cuba have strong, relatively predictable currents and good statistics exist on windspeed and direction,and frequency of occurrenceof severestorms. Thesefactors should have a stronginfluence on whenthe majorityof boaterstravel to andfrom Cubaand the routesthey will take. Economicfactors includingthe price, availabilityand quality of fuel, boatparts and repair facilities, ships stores, etc, will also influencethe routestaken. Eventhough the Cubangovernment is placinga highpriority on developing marinasto attractforeign boaters there is still a severeshortage of boatsupplies, parts and repair facilities, While someof the marinas, such as Marina Hemingwaynear Havana,have the physical spaceto accommodatea sizable increase in the numberof boats,they are not at this time! readyfor the demandsthat will be placedon themonce boaters are allowed to travelfreely between the two countries.At present,fuel is in shortsupply and is expensivein Cubaand there are unsubstantiated!reports of problemswith fuel quality waterin dieselfuel, etc.!. Nearlyall existingmarinas in Cubaare on the northern coast. The Cuban governmentis making an all outeffort to upgradeexisting marinas and to developnew ones on the southern coast, The marinadevelopment philosophy appears, however, to be gearedmore toward supplying tourists that fly to Cubaand stay in coastalhotels with water-relatedactivities including scuba diving, sportfishing andboat rentals. In the opinionof this author,there will be an extendedperiod of time after free and unobstructedtravel is allowed betweenthe U,S, and Cuba when boaterswill needto purchaseinuch of their services,goods and fuel from U.S. portsnear Cuba. For thoseboaters originating from portson the Gulf coast Texas,Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and the westcoast of Florida!this will meanthe lower west coast of Florida and the Florida Keys. For larger boatswith greater fuel and stores capacities,they may chooseto departfrom pointson the centralwest coast of Floridawhen heading for Havanato takeadvantage 108 of the easternpart of the Loop Currentand to havea betterangle on the currentsin the Florida Straits. Due to the time requiredto sail from the moredistant locations, while avoidingadverse currents in the mid-Gulf, thereundoubtedly will be thosethat will wantto movetheir boatsto Floridalocations so that trips to Cuba canbe madein a reasonablelength of time. At anyrate, the centraland southwest coasts of Florida should experiencea substantialincrease in boattraffic from boatstraveling from Gulf coaststates to Cuba. For thoseboaters from the central and westernGulf that wish to circumnavigateCuba, the most likely direction wouldbe clockwise,perhaps starting at Havana.Once marinas on the westcoast of Cubacan supply sufficientquantities of fuel andstores, these boaters can ride the YucatanCurrent and the westernportion of the Loop Current to their destinationson their return passage, Boatersoriginating from locationson the U.S. and Florida eastcoast will most likely make their port of departure,Key West, Someof the smaller,slower boats wishing to sail to Havanamay chooseto depart from the Dry Tortugas, which are west of Key West by some60 nautical miles, in order to have a more desirableangle on the currentin the FloridaStraits. However,there are no facilities,stores or fuel in the Tortugas and the anchorageat GardenKey is small and can only accommodatea few boats. AII marinason the east coastshould experiencemore transientboats as people from Canadaand the northeastUnited States travel down the Intracoastal Waterway prior to departing for Cuba. The opening of Cuba to U.S. boaters will no doubt affect boating betweenthe U.S. and the Bahamas. Many of the boatersthat presently depart Florida from the Palm Beacharea to cruise the northern Bahamasare likely to chooseCuban destinations, at least for someperiod of time. This will result in an even greater numberof boatstraveling through southeast Florida and the Florida Keys. Boatersreturning froin Cuba with eastcoast destinations will most likely take advantageof the Gulf Streamand bypassKey West exceptperhaps in times of bad weather. In summary,once boating betweenthe United Statesand Cuba is free and unobstructed,the uncrowded,pristine Cubanwaters will lure many boatersfrom the Umted States. The routes taken by these boaterswill dependin part on the meteorologicaland oceanographicconditions that exist in and over the waters connectingthese two countries. It also seemsapparent that much of the marine industry in Florida will be impactedby this increasedboating activity with perhapsthe central and south Florida west coast, the southeastFlorida coastand the Florida Keys experiencingthe greatestimpact. This meanseconomic opportunitiesfor those associatedwith theseindustries and new challengesfor everyoneinvolved in seeing that theseincreased activities are done in such a way that the beautyand unspoilednature of this unique environmentis preservedfor the enjoymentof generationsto come. 109 References API RecommendedPractice 2A-WSD RP 2A-WSD! Twentieth Edition, 993!, "RecommendedPractice for Planning,Designing and Constructing Fixed Offshore Platforms-Working Stress Design", American PetroleumInstitute, 1220 L. Street, NW, Washington,D.C. 20005. Houston,Samuel H. andPeter Dodge, 994a!, HurricaneResearch Division U.S. Departmentof Commerce, NOAA, Atlantic Oceanographic& Meteorological Laboratory, PersonalCommunication, Houston, SamuelH. and Sim Aberson, 994b!, Hurricane ResearchDivision U.S, Departmentof Commerce,NOAA, Atlantic Oceanographic& Meteorological Laboratory, PersonalComnunication. Hubertz, Jon M. and Rebecca M. Brooks, 989!, "Gulf of Mexico Hindcast Wave information", Wave Information Studiesof U,S, Coastlines,WIS Report 18, Departmentof the Army, U,S, Army Corps Of Engineers,Washington, D,C. 20314-1000. Hubertz, Jon M., Rebecca M, Brooks, Willie A. Brandon and Barbara A. Tracy, 993!, "Hindcast Wave Information for the U.S. Atlantic Coast", Wave Information Studies of U.S, Coastlines, WIS Report 30, Departmentof the Army, U,S, Army Corps of Engineers,Washington, D.C. 20314-1000. Ichiye, Takashi, Han-Hsiung Kuo and Michael R. Carnes, 973!, "Assessmentof Currents and Hydrography of the Eastern Gulf of Mexico", Department of Oceanography, College of Geosciences, Texas A&M University, Contribution Number 601. Jelesnianski, Chester P., Jye Chen and Wilson A. Shaffer, 992!, "SLOSH: Sea, Lake and Overland Surges from Hurricanes", NOAA Technical Report NWS 48, Neumann,Charles J.,Brian R. Jarvinen, Arthur C. Pike and Joe D, Elms, 987!, "Tropical Cyclonesof the North Atlantic Ocean, 1871-1986", NOAA Historical Climatology Series 6-2, Phillips, O,M., 969!, "The Dynamicsof The Upper Ocean", CambridgeAt The University Press, Rouse, Lawrence J., 994!, Coastal Studies Institute, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, Personal Communication. 110 AcKnowledgments The author would like to thank Dr. LawrenceJ. Rouseand the Earth ScanLab of the CoastalStudies Institute,at LouisianaState University, Baton Rouge, LA for supplyingthe AVHRR sea surface image of the Gulf of Mexico, We alsoappreciate the assistanceof Messrs.Samuel H. Houston,Sim Abersonand Peter Dodgewith HurricaneResearch Division of NOAAAtlantic Oceanographic & Meteorological Laboratory in supplyinginformation regarding hurricane prediction accuracy and the Hurricane Andrew radar image. The assistanceof Ms. LauraDickinson in preparingthis documentis alsogreatly appreciated, 111 cd C! QO 6 ~ p cd g p cd 0 4 p 4 cd t/I g 4 5 H~ I/I p < cd P & C/I Q 8 ~ C/I g r/I C/I p tQ cd p g ~ P cd A~K 0 112 ~X X X X X &I &I &I ID CC CV 0 &i N 0 >IU 0 0 0 0 0 >O 0 0 0 0 0O I& 0 0 CO O III 0 0 0 ID d N C& 0C& e N al 0 V O Z O O0CICgl Z 0 O r I& ZIII 0 N I- I- I- I- I- I- I- I- Y Y Y Y Y &I &I &I I&&I &I &I &i N&I NW &I NCC&iCQ W CC &I IU0 0 0 0 0 50 0 0 0 0 0 0 Cn >ON ui CV0 I& 0 ID 0 0IU 0>&i N N 0 0 0 III cI' qj CIC co Z CC 0 0 0Z 0 ZoCIC0 e N I& N I& 22 2 22 2 2 2 2 IS ~ m sl IDm o ID CC CC 0 IJJ ! 0 0 0 0 ! 0 0 0 0 0 0 ID ID 0 ID d PC 0N 0 0 0 ID 0 ID CC 0 m ID CD Z m DC 0 0 V Z0 I-Z 8o d 8 I- m VI Nd CDID V! N ID I- I- I- I- Y Y YIC Y Y m Sl IS Y St Sl Sl IXI IS m Dl d Dl m NIS N N N N IU0 O 0 0 FIJ0 0 0 0 0 0 0 !ui o e 0 0 IZ ID 0!m N No o0 0 0 N N 0 0 ID m m Z S 0 0 Z0 Z I-0 0 o I- ~d m V! CC ID CD N ID 10 20 30 10 20 28 10 20 30 Jan Feb Mar 1 10 20 30 10 20 30 10 20 30 Apr May Jun 1 10 20 30 10 20 30 10 20 30 JU1 Aug Sep 1 10 20 30 10 20 30 10 20 30 Oct Nov Scale: 0 10 80 KIlots! Figure4. Windstick diagram for Key West, Florida winds for the year 1985, measured and plottedin 15minute intervals, The sticks point in the direction towhich the wind is blowing. 115 16.00 o 14. 00 I 12.00 10.00 M 8,00 a 6.00 4.00 2.00 0,10 0.20 0.30 0.40 Frequency in Hz Figure 5. Wave energydensity spectrum for a locationoff West PalmBeach, Florida in water depthsof 12 8. on January15, 1994. 50 10 05 01 025 0 025 05 075 10 U/c, Figure 6, Plot of wave height dividedby deepwater wave height! versuscurrent speed divided by deepwater wave speed!, PositiveU/cp means that the wavesare propagatingin the directionthe current is flowing. NegativeU/c, meansthe wavesare propagatingin the directionopposite the current. 116 100' 80' 60' 40' ' 6~ 60' 1-> +'0~, 60' t,. 50' 50' 0~ 00 056 Ol ~ ~~ 05 ~06 ~~06 ol 0.6 ~03 00 ~ 05 40' ~sl 40' 05 ~05 I I 30' 6650606a'660 600US.03 6006 30' I f 20' 20' 10 06'6 05 0.5 oo Ol 10' os 10' 06~0 ll 15 10L or os lo W ~ os 100' 80' 60' 40' Figure 7. Surfacecurrents in the southwesternNorth Atlantic Ocean,Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico in January Ichiye et al. 1973!. 117 100' 80' 60' 40' =I ' <~ I 0< L Oh 0 0 09 r 0 <03 0 60' 0.9 JF p' 60' 06 I I 50' 50' 06~01~~09 06~ 06 '-Oj 09 06~ 09 Ol 06 40' 40' i'-.!~: 30' f 9>>0<0 I 6 II~ 0.9/W 20' 0<+ 20' 0.9~ 09~ I '9 10' 10' 0 Ol ~ 0< 0< r~ Oh 0$ Ol 100' 80' 60' 40' Figure 8. Surfacecurrents in the southwesternNorth Atlantic Ocean,Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico in July Ichiye et al, 1973!, See back cover for figure 9. 118 900 85' 80' 30' 30' 25' 25' 20' 20' 90' 85' 80' Figure10. Typicalstreamlines of the surface currents in theGulf of Mexicoand surrounding waters for the month of February Ichiye, 1973!, 119 90' 85' 80 30' 30' 25' 25' 20' 20' 90' 85' 80 Figure11. Typicalstreamlines of the surface currents in theGulf of Mexicoand surrounding waters for the month of June Ichiye, 1973!. 120 90' 85' 80' 30' 30 25' 25' 20' 20' 90' 85' 80' Figure 12. Typical streamlinesof the surfacecurrents in the Gulf of Mexico and surroundingwaters for the month of August Ichiye, 1973!, 121 90' 85' 80' 30' 30' 25' 25 20' 20' 90' 85' 80' Figure13. Typicalstreamlines of the surfacecurrents in the Gulf of Mexicoand surroundingwaters for the monthof October Ichiye, 1973!. 122 90' 85' 80' 30' 30' 25' 25' 20' 20' 90' 85' 80' Figure14. Typicalstreamlines of the surface currents in theGulf of Mexicoand surrounding waters for the month of November Ichiye, 1973!. See back cover for figure I5. 123 Water Elevation 00 00 12 00 12 00 12 Time hours! Figure16. Stormsurge hydrograph for HurricaneBetsy September10, 1965!at Biloxi, Mississippi Jelesnianski,1992!. 124 Sl[rr'ZA00[ 8dd SN1[OIS dp '838N[lN R o ch coo o r % o o vl w o o w w o o w o cO [ uquroaog 5 o p O oO g [ 30q109AON 1 loqMchoN g 0 0 ~ rA g [ ~q<>pp [ uqo~p rn Q 1 saqrrLr[daS [ ~rrrclda S QJ ccI ccc 8 c cc[ rn 00 cc[ 8 1 aurr[ [ sun[. Bo8 crr '[ XB+ t g o o o o o cg o o o o SEVE 001 'KZdSNHOIS 80 l[38NC1N 125 0 I m 0 0 C> ~O0 C4 E Ch cA C> CO .i Pv 126 127 128 MI 0 F4 CO o a 0 O C4 'E OO g= r/I 0 v CV .I 129 I 0 'C C! CO 0 0 6 E 00 O g 0 0 GG OO I 'aO K C! CO ~O0 0 0 06cd C O 'E 00 Ch cd :.8 C! C! 131 CO0I C 'a0 K CO CO 0 0 ~O 'E OO R- Vl V g C> 132 M I 0 C> C> Q 0 0 M E 00 C ~ CA .i Figure 9. See pages103-132! An AVHRR seasurface temperature image of the Gulf of Mexico acquiredon March8, 1984.Warmest waters are shades of redand coolest waters are shades of blue.This imagewas acquired by Dr, Lawrence J. Rouse, Coastal Studies Institute, Louisiana State University, and processed by the Earth Scan Laboratory at the Coastal Studies Institute 994!. Figure 15. See pages 103-132! Radar image of Hurricane Andrew as it made landfall near Miami, Florida on August 24, 1992. Image supplied by Mr. Peter Dodge of the Hurricane Research Division of NOAA Houston and Dodge, 1994!, ISBN 0-912747-10-2