Pacific Cruisers Converge on Vava’u

As the South Pacific cruising season draws to a close, many voyaging sailors are poised to head south to New Zealand in order to avoid the imminent cyclone season in the tropics. And the ideal place to set out from is Tonga. No doubt that’s why a group of local entrepreneurs will stage the second annual Vava’u Regatta and Festival this week, with a full schedule of activities that are focused on fun.

"We currently have 32 registered yachts," says Regatta Committee member and former cruiser Lisa Newton, "and I’m sure more will register on Wednesday at the Opening Day Festival!" And why wouldn’t they? With a full menu of activities, including two sailboat races, a kids’ parade, a "billionaire’s pub crawl" where everyone dresses in costume, and "the most fabulous full moon party in the Pacific," what fun-loving sailor could resist.

We’re happy to say, we’ll be there to chronicle the fun, and we’ll bring you a full report in the November edition of Latitude 38. Yeah, we know, ‘tough duty’. But as our longtime motto dictates, "We go where the wind blows."