Talks are currently in session. Could open up potential for great waves a mere 90 miles away (or only a handful of hours in a boat from the space/ treasure coasts).. Plus trade and cigars..

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2014/12/17/371398638/cuba-frees-american-contractor-alan-gross

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/12/sports/cuban-surfers-face-hurdles-before-catching-waves.html?pagewanted=all

http://www.surfermag.com/features/destination-havana/

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'Out of step' - Ian Mackaye

I've already been!! There's a lot more to this than what we are seeing on the news...

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Sector9 should build/run a Surfcamp there to finally achive a surf related job

I think HavanaBama is already there...

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...at least I'm enjoying the ride.

I hear ya. I've been talking to my wife about visiting as her family is half Cuban. Would be a great destination to explore and visit. Yes, probably fickle, but really fun when it's on. If I score, I'm not sharing so you will have to see for yourselves. LOL.

Do it Sector9 but with the local support , unfoutunately all the vids I have seeen on surfing in Cuba shows Gulf coast like waves (Sloppy, Choppy with size) but breaking over a hard bottom semi-point which would be way different than the sand bottom beachbreaks we have, quality not so good.  I guess when the waves are on they are wind driven so you get on shores as well.   It would be cool to take a fast ferry from Key West to Cuba, for a wind wave event.  That is the next piece of the surf job/cool job is owning and operating a ferry service from FL to Cuba.   I am sure many boat captains are already lining up the logistics.

6 hour drive to Key West, 2-3 hour crossing.  You could be surfing the same day you leave Melbourne

 

Cuba is def in the spotlight just by coincidence Anthony Bourdane (sp?) show last night was on Cuba the food, people, cars, it is like a time warp back to the 50's...food looked real good..looks like getting around with boards would be the biggest challenge.

NPR also focused on Cuba as the next big used car market and autoparts market for the US, No infrastructure for new car dealers but good used cars and ample car parts are needed...Autozone, Pep Boys , Napa CEO's are drooling right now...

Friend of a friend used to ship used cars from POrt of MIA to Costa..maybe a  good opprotunity to buy at auction and do the same..

Like everything, if the common man (me) thinks of it ...it is too late, someone I am sure has already begun the work on how to get it done.

Edited: 12/19/2014 at 08:07 AM by SurferMic

Cuba's natural history is impressive.  Lots of different soil (including serpentine rock that's rare on earth's surface and toxic to most plants--there's other spots around Washington, D.C., California, New Caledonia).  Lots of palms.  Crocodiles. 

Spill the beans SpinK...whatcha know?

Yes this is an important milestone for surfing.

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Replace turf grass with native plants that don't need irrigation and synthetic fertilizers or chemicals that can go into our waterways and ocean

only a carribean sea swell window

havanabama knows. & ....good luck finding a board!

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Water dissolving...and water removing
There is water at the bottom of the ocean

Taking boards into Cuba

operation surf

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Found some point breaks on the western end of the island!

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WPTV NewsChannel5/Fox 29
Meteorologist/Surf Forecaster
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Palm Beach County, Florida

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Gulf Lows

Im sure ESM or Surfline will have a full feature up before the plane lands..lol

Cant wait to see what new breaks will show up in our back yard.
Wont take long for some surf company to exploit it. I would venture to say there very few local surfers in cuba.


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https://i.imgur.com/rMXKWWK.gifv

Havanabama been dere! So glad we have the Surfing Weatherman on board too!

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Life is a garden*Dig it!

When Balsa Bill and I went to the last Greg Noll Classic in CR, on the way back Lasca flew over the western end of Cuba, along the north coast to Havana, then to Miami. The north western side had cove after cove, just waiting for a strong cold front or tropical system, the center of the gulf is 16,000 feet deep, definitely a strong swell window with not much drag.

It's about time, every other country in the world does biz with Cuba, what, are they going to over throw the USA?

My wife and I were going to go from Jamaica about 20 years ago, but had to scrap the whole trip

There won't be tourist travel to Cuba anytime soon.  Here's the Obama administration's official version (via Washington Post):

"General licenses will be made available for all authorized travelers in the following existing categories: (1) family visits; (2) official business of the U.S. government, foreign governments, and certain intergovernmental organizations; (3) journalistic activity; (4) professional research and professional meetings; (5) educational activities; (6) religious activities; (7) public performances, clinics, workshops, athletic and other competitions, and exhibitions; (8) support for the Cuban people; (9) humanitarian projects; (10) activities of private foundations or research or educational institutes; (11) exportation, importation, or transmission of information or information materials; and (12) certain export transactions that may be considered for authorization under existing regulations and guidelines."

So maybe an international surfing contest.   That sort of thing is already possible.  This summer, the International Palm Society had its every-other-year meeting in Miami and did a field trip to Cuba. 

I've flown over Cuba just once.  

The person who had initially told me about the whole thing before it broke (fucking reporters..) had just mentioned a similar idea as to saying you were in a comp or something, because it isn't quite 'free-range' open, yet.. Like chickens..

In that case.. '2ndLight.com and Maxwell House Coffee Present the First Annual Surfers Without Borders Competition'.. All proceeds go to the Cuban Chupacabra Crisis programar (or El Triple C for short).. Enter date here.

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'Out of step' - Ian Mackaye

You can fly to DR then hop over to Cuba, also Europeans having been vacationing there for decades.  It is not impossible to get to just not directly from the US gotta Island hop.  I am guessing it is a fickle place much like Jamaica.  Other ways are from the Bahamas and Canada.  Seems like aot of hassle to get to a fickle place.

http://havanasurf-cuba.com/

http://www.wannasurf.com/spot/Central_America/Cuba/comment/index.html?wdaction=lib.WDPageComment.show

From Gulfster :

"Surf forecast getting interesting with this next system for early next week. this system reminds me of the fronts we use to get, stalling low pressure, sweeping the Gulf with Pacific energy backing up the system. My take, South winds come up on Sunday and into Monday as the low begins to wrap up. This all gets pushed across the Gulf with a potent dip in the jet. What does this all mean?? A couple days of S/SW swell switching to a W/NW swell into Christmas eve/ Christmas day. Multiple days of surf for the GC on the radar. Hopefully this forecast holds or goes notch up!"

Someone go and report back!

Anyone want to start a pool for when Surfline get the first CAM setup there?

Edited: 12/18/2014 at 06:47 AM by SurferMic

Yeah, but as an academic, I can see this opening up some conference opportunities. Some of my colleagues have already been, so will keep an eye out!

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[Feminism is] a socialist, anti-family, political movement that encourages women to leave their husbands, kill their children, practice witchcraft, destroy capitalism and become lesbians. ~Pat Robertson

Google Earth historical imagery definitely shows the north west coast's winter potential to the west of Havana. But, it looks like a lot of the farther north western coast has pretty good coastal shallows that would "drag" a swell down too much.

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Dora Hates You

Edited: 12/18/2014 at 07:26 AM by dingpatch

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"Most people would die sooner than think; in fact, they do." - Bertrand Russell


"Morality is doing what is right, regardless of what you are told. Religion is doing what you are told, regardless of what is right.


If I do not answer you .... nothing personal, I just have you on ignore.

is that Mailbu or Rincon !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! with a little salsa on it

Edit: If you want to discuss the American debt please take it to the NSR forum. There is a cuba thread there. Please no politics in the surfing forum, thanks.

Edited: 12/18/2014 at 08:59 AM by 2nd Light Forums Moderator

"General licenses will be made available for all authorized travelers in the following existing categories:; (7) public performances>>

> >

Surfing could be a public performance???>>

Does this mean you have to check out your spray pattern when surfing in Cuba???>>

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The NY Times is describing how the Obama administration will use executive discretion to keep the framework of the embargo, but make travel and trade much easier.  

Perhaps it'll be possible fairly soon to buy a ticket on a scheduled flight from the US to Cuba without going through a travel agent.  

I'm surprised.