Jardines de la Reina - Avalon II

Lodging Details
Avalon II is a brand new, state-of-the-art mothership with 10 staterooms and all the amenities and offerings you would expect from a high-end, private yacht. The ship’s overall capacity is 20 passengers and 9 crewmembers, although all trips are limited to groups of between 10 and 16 anglers. The boat offers the perfect balance of substantial exploration capabilities, functional style, and total comfort, and offers guests a unique platform for an exclusive voyage through the Jardines de la Reina. All staterooms offer plenty of space, private bathrooms, individual air conditioning, and heating controls, electricity plugs, and panoramic windows to enjoy the breathtaking view of the Caribbean. There is also a spacious and comfortable combination lounge, dining room, and bar area on the main deck. This is the ideal option for large groups and families.

Food and Beverages
Dining onboard Avalon II is always amazing. The menu typically combines fantastic Continental Italian cuisine, fresh seafood every day, and traditional Cuban favorites like rice and beans, black bean soup, and fried plantains. If you are someone who enjoys fresh seafood, then you will be in heaven. Beverages available on board include bottled water, various soft drinks, beer, rum, and imported wines. If you prefer liquor other than rum, you can bring this with you.

Typical Length of Stay
A typical stay in the  Jardines de la Reina area is seven (7) nights / five and a half (5.5) fishing days, starting on Saturday and ending on Friday. A normal week includes five full days of fishing and one or two half days (depending on your schedule and mode of transportation to and from Jucaro). Additional days in Havana or on other parts of the island can easily be arranged and itineraries can be fully customized. Combo trips between the Jardines de la Reina and other fishing areas can also be arranged. Please contact Yellow Dog for more details.

Non-Angling Activities and Options
These are remote live-aboard operations located in the mangrove wilderness of the Jardines de la Reina. This means that non-angling (and non-diving) activities are limited. If you are interested in diving, Avalon’s dive program is incredible and the Jardines are considered by many to be one of the finest, most pristine dive and snorkel destinations in the entire world. Even anglers can participate in a shallow-water dive program on a few afternoons of their trip. This can be taught after your day of fishing and can culminate in a trip where you dive with the area’s famous Silky Sharks.  Overall this specific destination is best suited for anglers and divers.

Internet / Communications
Wi-Fi is not available on Avalon II. Some cell phone service providers now offer international plans that will allow for your phone to work while on mainland Cuba. While in Jardines de la Reina, there is NO cell service. Also, satellite phones are strictly prohibited in Cuba and will be confiscated at the airport on arrival.

How To Get There
The fisheries that are located in the Western half of Cuba (Cayo Largo, Isla de la Juventud, Zapata, Playa Larga/Las Salinas and Cannarreos) can all be best accessed with flights directly into Havana’s Jose Marti International Airport (HAV). There are many daily flights to Havana on US carriers such as American Airlines, Delta, Jet Blue and Southwest that can easily be booked to get to Havana. If you are traveling to Jardines de la Reina, Cayo Romano or Cayo Paredon, the best arrival city is Camaguey (CMW) which is served with daily flights from Miami (MIA) on American Airlines. There are a number of international flights that can be booked into Havana from international cities such as Milan, Madrid and Istanbul. Yellow Dog can help advise on the best days to travel to and from Havana based on the specific fishery that you are traveling to. We can also help with tour services and hotel arrangements for your trip.

Arrival and Departure Details / Times
For the grand majority of fisheries in Cuba, anglers typically fly into Havana’s Jose Marti International Airport (HAV) on a Friday, where they overnight in the city. The next day (Saturday), you will be met for your transfer to Port where you will board your mothership for the week. Once everyone is aboard, you will transfer to the fishery where you will moor for the night. Your guides will meet you the next morning with the skiffs for your first day of fishing. On the following Friday, you will bid your guides goodbye and the boat will head back to port to prepare for your Saturday morning disembarkation. You can either schedule a late departure flight (after 4 PM at the earliest!) out of Havana on this day, or we can arrange a final hotel night in Havana prior to your departing flights. Many visitors choose to add an extra day or two in the city to explore Havana and the surrounding areas either before or after your week aboard. Yellow Dog can help arrange for additional time in Cuba and associated logistics.

Documents Required
A valid passport is required for all visitors to Cuba and must be valid for at least six (6) months beyond the duration of your stay. Citizens of the United States are also required to have a Cuban entrance visa that can be secured when checking in for your direct flight to Cuba. You will be asked to sign an affidavit for your trip to Cuba and determine which OFAC category your trip qualifies for and as an American traveler, you are obligated to maintain a record of your trip for five years – documentation is supplied to you by Yellow Dog.

Travel Arrangements
Yellow Dog provides airline reservations ad ticketing assistance through etcTravel Group, and a full-service airline logistics agent that can help book airline tickets, hotels, rental cars, and more. You can click here to request a quote or contact Yellow Dog for more information at 406-585-8667. etcTravel Group offers dedicated support services for all Yellow Dog clients. Service fees may apply when booking or researching tickets, and etcTravel will discuss this with you before sending quotes.

General Information
Fishing hours during a stay aboard Avalon II are longer than in most Caribbean fishing destinations and are totally at the discretion of the clients. The day normally begins with breakfast at 7:00 AM and guides are ready to head out any time after 7:45 AM. Some anglers elect to return to La Tortuga for a nice lunch and a break from the sun – especially during the summer season. Many of the flats are within fifteen minutes of the boat, and it is usually possible to take a lunch break in the shade and relax a bit before fishing a long afternoon. On other days, you will want to explore more distant waters that see little fishing pressure, which means that you will need to request a packed cooler lunch the evening before. You can run as far as you like with the guides and your skiff to the most distant flats in the island system, as Avalon does not put any limitation on the amount of gas used each day. Guides will know to bring extra gas when they need it! Another bonus is that Avalon allows clients to fish late into the afternoon if they like. In the Jardines, it is common to have the stronger wind in the mornings followed by calm, making for superb late-afternoon and evening fishing, especially for bonefish.  

One thing to keep in mind is that this particular area – and Cuba in general – is by no mean “Disneyland” when it comes to flats fishing. While the angling pressure is extremely light compared to all other saltwater destinations, Cuba has in fact been fished by many anglers from Europe, Canada, and even the U.S. for more than 15 years. Some people have the perception that this area has been totally locked off and untouched for the past 60 years and that a trip to Cuba will allow them to be the very first to ever fish these areas. That is simply not the case, given that other countries have not had the same travel restrictions in place as those implemented by the U.S.

That said, when it comes to the Jardines, this fishing area has a “footprint” that is roughly similar to that of the Florida Keys in size. And in that area, no more than a few dozen anglers can fish the entire fishery on any given week! Imagine how good the Keys would be with no traffic, no boats, no people, no development of any kind, and only a few hundred anglers annually. That is Jardines. These fish receive very little pressure and as a result, are more likely to cooperate and eat a fly. This is what Cuba offers.

Boats and Equipment 
The fishing boats used by Avalon are Dolphin Super Skiffs outfitted with Yamaha 60 or 70HP motors. Radios and life jackets are carried aboard every skiff. For gear and equipment, it is recommended that anglers always bring their own rods, reels, wading boots, etc. Flies, leaders, tippet, all terminal tackle, and all accessories should be packed as well, as very few items are available anywhere in Cuba! Yellow Dog will provide a complete pre-trip packing and equipment list for fishing Cuba.

Package Rates
Remember that Yellow Dog’s services are completely free! When you book a trip with Yellow Dog, you never pay more than when you book directly with the lodge or outfitter. 

Please contact Yellow Dog for rates.

What’s Included:

• Meet-and-greet reception upon arrival at Camaguey International Airport (CMW)

• Land and water transfers to/from Camaguey to Jucaro and Avalon II

• Seven (7) nights accommodations on Avalon II

• Three meals per day (all-inclusive meal service)

• Six (6) full days of guided fishing (two anglers per skiff) 

• Full bar tab and all-inclusive drinks while aboard

• Taxes and GSTs  
  

What’s Not Included:

• International flights to Camaguey International Airport (CMW) Yellow Dog can help arrange

• Entry Visa for Cuba

• Meals, drinks, taxis, and any additional expenses (outside program listed above)

• Fishing tackle, equipment, flies, and all terminal tackle 

• Gratuities for guides and staff 

• Other items of a personal nature

• Conservation Fee ($300)

Avalon Cuban Fishing Centers and Live-Aboards (Cuba)
TERMS AND CONDITIONS – CANCELLATIONS
Receipt of deposit and/or final payment is acknowledgment that registrant has read and accepts the deposit, cancellation, refund and responsibility clauses for these packages. For trips outside of 90 days, a 50% deposit is required at the time of confirmation to hold all reservations and trip dates. For all Cuba trips less than 90 days out, FULL payment is required to secure reservations. Passport number, date of birth and full name (as printed in passport) are required to confirm any Cuba reservation. Payment for all Cuba trip must be made in US dollars. All trip cancellations must be received in writing, sent to Yellow Dog Flyfishing and cancellations will incur a $250.00 USD per person Yellow Dog handling fee, regardless of timing or reason. For cancellations outside of 180 days from start of trip, trip payments are refundable minus an $800 USD per person cancellation fee charged by operator and a $250.00 USD per person fee charged by Yellow Dog. Inside of 180 days from start of trip, deposits and/or final payments are non-refundable and no credits will be issued unless Avalon and/or Yellow Dog are able to resell the trip(s) (in which case there will also be an $800 USD per person cancellation fee charged by operator and a $250.00 USD per person fee charged by Yellow Dog.) No refunds will be issued for unused portions of packages. Because of the operator’s strict cancellation policies, we highly recommend the purchase of trip cancellation insurance. In no event will Avalon Outdoors be responsible for any cancellation of services or operations due to inclement weather, any event of force majeure, airline delays or flight cancellations, or any other reason beyond the control of the operator. Avalon Outdoors will not refund payments in the event of poor weather. If your flights are cancelled and connections are missed, Avalon is not responsible for alternative travel arrangements including flights, hotels, meals and any other expenses incurred. Please note that credit card payments cannot be accepted for any incidentals or expenses once in Cuba. Once again, Yellow Dog strongly recommends that anglers and guests purchase travel insurance these Cuban packages.

Payment Terms for All Yellow Dog Trip Bookings  
Unless otherwise noted on your invoice, for all trips less than 90 days out, full payment is required after receipt of the confirmation email to secure guides and reservations. For trips outside of 90 days, a 50% deposit is required upon receipt of confirmation email to confirm your reservations.   

Yellow Dog accepts on-line payments via a secure payment portal – a quick and easy way to complete your trip reservation. Please reach out to accounting@yellowdogflyfishing.com to gain access. 

Yellow Dog Flyfishing Standard Forms of Payment 

• Debit card (fee-free) and credit card (3% convenience fee) - to pay via card please utilize the customer payment portal. If you need assistance, reach out to 406-585-8667 ext. #3 

• Wires - please include name and/or invoice number for reference on your wire. Please reach out to accounting@yellowdogflyfishing.com for wiring instructions. (client is responsible for wiring fees) 

• Physical check - please include your invoice number in the memo. Mail checks to 213 S. Willson Ave. Bozeman, MT, 59715

If you have any questions about alternate payment methods, please contact Yellow Dog at (406) 585-8667 ext. #3. We are available Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM MT.