The procedure for moving from port to port in Cuba is first you pay your marina bill and then you are directed to the clearance dock to collect your despacho. We'd calculated if we could leave the dock around 3pm we'd arrive in Havana about 8am next morning. Check out time for the marina was advised as 12 noon, but with no other boats we were hoping there'd be some leniency. We went to the office early in the morning to ask for our bill. When we were given it it wasn't right. We'd been on the dock for 4 nights yet were being charged for six. The accounts office had calculated one days' charge for each calendar day instead of four 24 hour periods. When we questioned the maths a new invoice was prepared. This time it was for five days because we'd indicated to the manager we'd like to leave the dock three hours after midday. This was when we realised rules are rules when dealing with a government owned business. There's no flexibility on their part, but there is on hours - we changed our departure time to midday and saved $35.
At midday port captain was there to pull the plug on our electricity and to hand us our lines. We tootled over to the Customs dock and tied up ready for our clearance inspection. This time the officers were two ladies around twenty years old. Their military uniforms were quite the statement - tight white blouses over uplift bras showing plenty of cleavage, short, short blue skirts and fishnet pattern tights. Each girl had full make up, long artificial nails with diamante applique and the senior of the two played music on her phone throughout the interview. Very relaxed ladies and no English. All they wanted to do was stamp our paperwork and go back to lunch. They were so relaxed we were able to stay on the dock for a couple of hours while we had lunch and waited for our preferred departure time. Thank you Guarda Frontera Varadero.
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