COVER STORY Cuba's Isla de Juventud The Thrill of Diving Forbidden Water Although few divers have ventured into Cuba's forbidden waters, the diving there is rated along with the best in the Caribbean. The trip itself, however, is not without its problems. Our correspondent warns of troubles with bugs and plumbing, yet speaks of dives off the Isla de Juventud he rates as perfect 10s. Add to this mix the charm of Old Havana, a double-sized version of New Orleans' French Quarter that's twice as old and twice as exotic, the curiosity of getting a glimpse behind the remnants of the iron curtain, and the challenges of navigating an off-limits second-world country with a third-world standard of living, and the prospect of visiting Cuba seems both riskier and more enticing. For divers who have wondered whether there's a problem with diving Cuba's forbidden waters, Undercurrent's correspondent brings back the latest reports on a patched-together paradise where rolls of toilet paper dispensed as tips can open doors - some of them to five-star hotels.   Diving in Cuba's Forbidden Waters Boat and beach diving are possible at a number of sites along Cuba's shores that boast a wide variety of diving zones and features including ancient and historic wrecks, virgin reefs, audacious sea life, and a host of tunnels, caves, dropoffs, and walls (including Fidel's favorite at Maria la Gorda). Still, the lure of Cuba is not without its risks. Our correspondent discusses governmental and Treasury Department restrictions so divers will know what's legal and what's not before they book. What's Left After Mitch? As everyone now knows, Hurricane Mitch, a category 5 storm that ranked among the strongest hurricanes on record, wreaked havoc in Honduras and left its mark elsewhere in the Caribbean. Hear some reports of how the resorts and reefs made out on the Bay Islands, mainland Honduras, Belize, and elsewhere in the Caribbean, including divers on Roatán who were forced to ride out the storm. Get the full story! Hurricane Resort Report Our list of resorts on the Bay Islands and in Belize advises who sustained damage, the status of repairs, and who's open and who's not. Sherwood Cries Foul The German dive magazine Tauchen reported a problem with the dry air bleed system of the Sherwood SRB5300 Magnum regulator which, in the event of malfunction, may cause insufficient air to reach the user. Sherwood claims to have duplicated the test and notes that the regulator delivered a "lesser but adequate amount of air for breathing." Small Reserve - Big Fish When Anse Chastenet Resort in St. Lucia put up a ring of buoys to keep fishing boats at bay, they probably didn't think they were establishing a marine reserve. Scientists, however, concluded that they had, then decided to study the effects the reserve had on marine populations. Beating the Credit Card Surcharge Have you ever been on a dive trip, pulled out a credit card, and been told that you must pay a surcharge for not paying cash? Although credit card companies charge merchants a percentage of the bill whenever a customer uses his card, passing that fee on to customers is in violation of the credit card companies' agreements with merchants. Still the practice continues unabated, and often the customer is left holding the bag. Find out what you can do if a merchant tries to charge a surcharge on a credit card bill and what to do if he does - and you don't notice the fee till you get home. Two Odd Deaths in 1998 The last thing any diver wants is to end up as a statistic. Somehow that fate seems even more ironic when death occurs under circumstances that ought to be innocuous - like practicing in a pool or resting on a boat while returning from a dive site. A $177,000 Mask Strap Innovative Scuba's velcro diving headband is a handy-looking product. But Netex Products got more than it bargained for when it marketed thousands of unauthorized knock-off products. More Trouble on the Reef Explorer Ever since the Reef Explorer changed owners in 1997, the boat has had its share of trouble. Stranding divers on a reef and having a crew member die from bad air seemed bad enough, but the latest adventure, in which the captain commandeered his own boat while holding a flare gun on passengers, was crazier than the land of Oz for the six Americans and five Spaniards on board. Scuba Drowning Deaths Panic and loss of consciousness account for up to 80 percent of dive deaths, and some Australian researchers decided to study 100 drowning deaths and 48 near-death accidents to look for ways in which they might have been prevented. Their study uncovers patterns in diver error and points to simple ways to increase safety and reduce dive accidents. Thinking on Your Feet Everybody forgets something when they pack for a trip, but when that something turns out to be your passport, things can get a little complicated. Subscriber Beverly Turnover tells the story of the worst trip kickoff we've ever heard. Is This Corporate Doublespeak? When Royal Caribbean's Ocean Fund awarded more than $500,000 to marine conservation organizations recently, they certainly sounded like serious environmentalists. But two weeks after the award, the Justice Department announced that the cruise line had been fined $8 million for dumping oil and lying about it to the Coast Guard. Flotsam & Jetsam Our column of dive tidbits advises on the dive trademarks with the highest brand-name recognition, how to avoid the 10 percent of seats that don't fully recline when making long flights, and whether it's safe to dive if you sport testicular implants.