Q4_Fall_2016_AlertDiver

(MPAs) was nascent, but I still found myself wondering

in 2016 whether the Gardens of the Queen would be

any different.

Jardines de la Reina has a few things going for it. It’s

situated 60 miles south of Cuba’s central coast near the

village of Jucaro, which is itself a six-hour bus ride from

Havana. (I’m no political science whiz, but it occurs to

me that if for the past 50 years you didn’t want your

citizens to drive their boats 90 miles to Key West you

probably shouldn’t allow them to have enough fuel of

go fishing somewhere that involves a 120-mile round

trip.) Perhaps even more important, Jardines de la Reina

was a favorite spearfishing and scuba diving spot for

Fidel Castro, and he had no desire to see it get fished

One of the highlights of a dive tour to the Gardens of

the Queen is the chance to swim with a crocodile in a

pristine mangrove and seagrass environment. Habituated

to the proximity of snorkelers, these animals offer a

unique and productive photo opportunity.