I first heard about the Garden of the Queens when my Dad told me about the places he’d like to dive most. He said this region in the Caribbean was pristine and had been protected for decades. I did a little research and found stories and images of beautiful mangroves, sharks, groupers and crocodiles. It definitely looked like an awesome place to dive. But, it’s hard to get to and seemed blocked by bureaucracy. So I put it on the back burner.

Years later, I just happened to have an opportunity to check out a new boat that Cuba Diving Centers was adding to its fleet. I grabbed by two favorite dive buddies (my Dad and brother) and hopped a flight to Camaguey, Cuba. We found our fears about entering and exiting Cuba were unfounded. It was seamless. And, needless to say, the diving was everything we hoped for. If you’re interested, Backscatter is arranging a trip there in 2020.