Little Five
Active member
Whilst cruising the north coast of Cuba in January this year, I had just come on watch and was asking the skipper "What,s that very bright light to port", he replied "A lighthouse". "Can't be" says I , "It's static and pointing right at us"
He dives below to check the chart, returns to confirm it is the Santa Maria lighthouse. Much puzzlement. Then the radio jumps to life with garbled spanish and it transpires this is the the Military demanding to know who we are, previous port and next destination etc. After we had satisfied them, the lighthouse was returned to its duty. The US coastguard have high speed craft to intercept you, the cubans simply shine a bright light at you.
He dives below to check the chart, returns to confirm it is the Santa Maria lighthouse. Much puzzlement. Then the radio jumps to life with garbled spanish and it transpires this is the the Military demanding to know who we are, previous port and next destination etc. After we had satisfied them, the lighthouse was returned to its duty. The US coastguard have high speed craft to intercept you, the cubans simply shine a bright light at you.