Cuba for novices

[madworld]

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/08/world ... -well&_r=0

Cuba’s Surge in Tourism Keeps Food Off Residents’ Plates
Tourists are quite literally eating Cuba’s lunch. Thanks in part to the United States embargo, but also to poor planning by the island’s government, goods that Cubans have long relied on are going to well-heeled tourists and the hundreds of private restaurants that cater to them, leading to soaring prices and empty shelves.

[Flag53]

Hey Shawn13 what sizes kites where you using ?
I've got a friend going next week and we're heading there in Jan !

Cheers

[alexeyga]

Just got back from Cayo Coco last Sunday. Had about 6/7 days, all on 12 although some of these I could've been on a 9 - that is at 200lbs.

It is all heavily regulated now, on all major spots there are no-riding and launching zones and you have to pay the 25CUC.

Some friends were in Guillermo and they've said that the beach (in front of the Sercotel) has improved a lot - it's a wider now. They are going through the same process on Coyo Coco.

Overall, my go-to kit for Cuba was 9/12/17, but somehow I never got around using the 17m in the last 3 years - even when we had light-enough days - I simply didn't feel like riding it - having spent previous days on a 12 or a 9. Personally I get no fun from riding big kites and if it comes to it I'd rather relax or do something else. So last trip it was only a 12 and 9. Didn't regret it.

Great trip overall. If I had to break it down:
Best water front: Guillermo, but it's crowded
Best beach: Cayo Coco - Trip: no crowds, but it's choppy
Happy medium: Cayo Coco - Pullman: Beach sucks, but you're just a few tacks away from the mind-blowing lagune (in low-tide) and it's fairly light crowd-wise.

[Flag53]

Hey alexeyga was that 25 cuc a week ?

Thanks for the heads up

[alexeyga]

Their official line is that it's 25CUC per stay, unofficially - if you're planing more than one trip to the same spot per year - there's some wiggle room...

[Flag53]

Cheers alexeyga that's great

[irwe]

I have only been to Santa Lucia (2 X November) but it offers everything. Waves, Flat, Chop, deep, shallow beginner area. Have been for a total of 14 days and have yet to miss a day on the water (KBH in light winds).
Just a note the Resorts started (Nov 1, 2016) charging an additional $20.00 Cuban Tourist Dollars to transport sports equipment on the Airport Resort Bus each way. It was a shock to our kite group as we had not been notified by the airlines or resorts prior as the are suppose to be "all inclusive". Last year they discussed implementing a fee to transport sports gear to and from the resorts saying they would hire an special truck to transport the gear but there was no special truck this year and everything fit easily in the bus luggage area. One of the kitersurfers who has been going to Santa Lucia for the past 10 years has never seen a problem loading on the sports gear onto the bus. So I take it as a pure money grab by the resorts. As the Cuban Tourist Dollar is valued more then the American Dollar I feel it is expensive for a "nonservice" when you are already travelling "Elite Class"

[shawn13]

I took a 6,9,12,and 15. I didnt use the 6 this trip, but in the past i used a 7m on multiple days.

Guillermo is not crowded. It is crowded in one spot because for some reason kiters like to be cramed into an area with beginners and cause chaos. I stayed at Sol at the north west end of the beach and sometimes we only had 5 people on the water. Everyone goes to Sechotel because its near the flats, but its an easy ride from Sol and you miss the crowds. They reclaimed the beach and now its 30m wide which is great for the launch zone. There is no grass or seaweed in the sand near Sol like by the flats. You can walk in the water without risk.

I have been to Santa Lucia. I still think Guillermo is the place to be. Is 25 CUC per trip ansd they will rescue you with a seadoo if you need assistance. I kited in varadero before it was banned and I dont see a loss with the ban. I will post photos and a vlog about guillermo soon.

This was my 5th time to guillermo and my 9th to Cuba. I rode 9 out of 11 days this trip.

[CaptainArgh]

I'm hoping to get to Cuba some day for kiting. I'm surprised to see only 3 locations discussed and frankly none of them with stellar reports that make it sound worth traveling to. The masses must be missing something, right?!?

I've wanted to go ever since this great Kiteboarding article from 2009 explored the island with Susi and Clarissa;
2012/09/A-Cuba-Odyssey-Kiteboarding1.pdf
.

[marlboroughman]

Keep in mind you are going to quiet places in the middle of nowhere. Lifeguards go home at 5pm and that's that. Never go out in offshore wind. Cuba is the only Caribbean island affected by NA weather patterns. This winter they call for more Jet Stream fluctuations, Arctic Vortex and all that jazz. So if they forecast wind switching to NW/W don't even think about it.