The High Cost of Cuban Diving

It’s not the price of the dive boat that’ll put a crimp your pocketbook; it’s that nasty fine imposed by the U.S. government upon reentry! While travel to Cuba has been banned for decades, for years the restriction was loosely enforced, allowing divers a chance to explore Cuba’s reefs by making a quick detour through countries like Canada or Mexico. The Cubans didn’t stamp passports, and as long as you took the Cuban baggage stickers off your dive bag and smoked your cigars before you got home, there were few worries. However, over the last four years the Bush administration has been steadily clamping down on Cuban travel, and penalties have now reached onerous levels. Travelers caught today risk fines of up to $65,000 per person plus a chance to add their names to a decidedly unchic social register: the Homeland Security watch list.

Some of the cases of divers caught in the crackdown have started working their way into court. Craig Ostrem (Edina, MN) booked a dive trip through Canada in Jan./Feb. of 1999, returning with two bottles of rum, some candy, and artwork valued at $30. He was caught upon reentry and fined $7,500. Last month a judge softened that fine to $780 — certainly a relief, although it’s unclear whether Ostrem’s name has joined Cat Stevens’ in the Homeland Security database.