To my knowledge: Americans can travel to Cuba legally if you are a Cuban American, politician, and journalist or if you have a research project regarding Cuba. [“Getting boating in Cuba back to the past” ] Others including students, religious groups, and humanitarians can apply for a license from the U.S. Treasury Department Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). Cuban Americans have been given the right to travel to Cuba and spent I believe it is $180.00 a day, each time they go, BUT we have an Embargo? Free people of the U.S.A. shouldn’t have to have a license to travel! I believe that the freedom to travel in times of peace is a constitutional right! I am born an American and if I read the Constitution correct it prohibits the federal government from depriving any person of life, liberty, or property without due process of law. Why should I have to fight for equality and my human rights to travel to Cuba like any Cuban American? I am American and I can’t go? The new change in the law is absurd un-Constitutional and criminally discriminating. What if, a U.S. company said, I will only hire Cuban Americans or they are the only ones that can ride the Tri-Rail? They would be in court and a lawsuit would be slapped on them in a second, but our government can discriminate? It is everything that every race in this country has fought for and that is equality.

I have been going to Cuba since 1995. I have had to jump through the loops and get all kinds of permits, questions, licenses, and letters of proof to go to Cuba. I have lectured on the marine environment and oil spills, help with the Bridges of Music to Cuba, gone for humanitarian reasons. I have taken many people to help the people there and support the one love I have  … the sea and boating.The people are wonderful and I always look forward to my next adventure to Cuba. 

Commodore Escrich has always been helpful and has visions of seeing Cuba once again the huge attraction for boaters, regattas, and fishing. You could hear it in his voice and see it in his eyes at the event. This is a man that has not let politics stop his love for yachting and has single handedly tried to keep  his Yacht Club and marinas open for all people who want to come and enjoy his country. He lives by his countries rules and restrictions, but will be the first to  tell you he does not agree with all of them, as we don’t in this country.

I believe that Cuba will give the Bahamas a run for their money. This is not about political issues or my opinions on who is right or wrong. Boating and traveling to Cuba is about the enjoyment of the sea, country, its people and a culture that is different than ours. I want to make my own opinions and judgments about Cuba, not my government doing it for me. That is what makes our world a wonderful place to live with all its differences. Why must we keep trying to make them more North American? Let’s respect and enjoy their culture as we want them to respect our culture.

My desires and love for boating has led me to be unreasonable and unstoppable in my quest for the freedom of boaters to go to Cuba. I am pushing forward to bring the 90 miles of water between Florida and Cuba together in Peace.