Locations & Ports:
Cienfuegos

Sea & Coast:
The Cuban archipelago comprises a surface area of 110, 992 km² and is situated in the westernmost part of the insular Caribbean, at the entrance of the Gulf of Mexico. More than 4000 keys and islets form part of the Cuban island, including the special municipality Isle of Youth (Isla de la Juventud), with a surface area of 2200 km². Also known as the key to the Gulf, Cuba is the largest of the West Indies and one of the largest in the world. Cuba has more than 300 natural beaches of fine white sand and crystal clear waters. The most famous of these is Varadero; however, there are others to the east of the capital city in Holguín and Cayo Largo del Sur, as well as in the northern keys of Ciego de Ávila and Villa Clara.Warm, gentle, crystal clear waters surround the Cuban archipelago. The mild tides and no strong currents of its waters, their virgin condition, the non polluted and well-preserved bottoms and the diversity of its underwater flora and fauna may be some of the reasons why so many diving lovers come to Cuba. The Cuban reef forms a submarine string of coral around the entire archipelago, both north and south of the island. It is made up mainly of full-grown corals. Rocky buttresses of different structures are shaped by these corals, some incredibly resembling gothic pillars or majestic castles. They are the habitat and shelter of other marine species like sponges in the guise of cups, tubes or branches; sumptuous gorgonians that sway with the waves; algae of capricious growth, and in the crevices and pits: octopus, sea urchins, starfish, polychetes and crustaceans. To complete the wonderful underwater world, astounding caves, vertical walls, tunnels and cliffs join this sea party, along with many other attractions of this submerged tropical garden.

Winds & Weather:
The fact that Cuba is an island and its location under the Tropic of Cancer favors a nice subtropical moderate climate, prevailing warm temperatures. There is an average number of 330 days of sun a year, and two seasons rule: the rain season (May to October) and the dry season (November to April). The average temperature is 25, 5°C (77° F) and water temperature is 25°C. The subtropical climate of Cuba attracts sun-seeking tourists all over the year. The average air temperature for the year is 24.6 degrees Celsius. The predominant wind direction is east or north-east with the average speed of 10 knots (a little less in summer). In the winter months, when the trade wind moves a few latitudes to the south, different wind systems can meet in the northern Caribbean, which may change the wind direction to the north and even to the west. In summer, the trade wind is quite reliable. However, there can develop thunderstorms because of the high content of steam in the air. In late summer, hurricanes are possible.

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