Friday’s opening ceremonies included traditional dancing at the water’s edge. latitude/Andy
© Latitude 38 Media, LLC By all accounts, the fourth annual Tahiti-Moorea Sailing Rendezvous, which concluded yesterday, was a huge success. More »

Paul and Annalise aboard Sea Lise at the San Francisco YC last week. After an 11-year cruise from Vancouver to Denmark and back, they are thinking about cruising Alaska next summer. More »

Tropical storm activity in the Eastern Pacific, meaning Mexico, went from ‘zero to 60’ in just the last week. There hadn’t been anything since the season started on June 1. But then, on June 18, Tropical Depression One started offshore and headed north, in the direction of Mazatlan. More »

It was in this bay, adjacent to Point Venus, that the first Europeans landed at Tahiti. In the distance lies Moorea, where the Rendezvous will take Puddle Jumpers. latitude/Andy
©2009 Latitude 38 Media, LLC Now in its fourth year, the annual Tahiti-Moorea Sailing Rendezvous begins today, with a fleet of at least 53 boats — several more than organizers had set as their max capacity. More »

In the April issue of Latitude 38, Glenn Tieman reported that he was readying Manu Rere, his traditional 38-ft catamaran that he built in Ventura County for $14,000, for a crossing from Costa Rica to the Marquesas. More »

An F-18 Super Hornet breaks the sound barrier about 50 feet above Profligate’s mast. Okay, it just seemed like it. U.S. Navy
©2009 Latitude 38 Media, LLC If San Diego ever gets tired of its America’s Finest City motto, they could always try America’s Noisiest City — and nobody would accuse them of false advertising. More »

A smart phone, such as our iPhone, is a key ingredient in any onboard office. With the free Bloomberg app, you can easily follow your investments, too. Assuming you have any left. More »

With the number of mayday situations we’ve been reporting on recently, we were reminded of an essential resource for Pacific cruisers which was put together by South Pacific cruiser (and once-Whitbread skipper) Ewout Mante of the Elliott 45 Bravado. More »

Chris and Lori of Mandolin strike a pose at the equator as they toast their new status as shellbacks. Mandolin
©2009 Latitude 38 Media, LLC Dozens of westbound cruisers will be gathering at Papeete, Tahiti, later this month to take part in the 4th annual Tahiti-Moorea Sailing Rendezvous, a free three-day event (June 19-21) intended to celebrate the fleet’s safe arrival in French Polynesia, while exposing them to local traditions, sports, entertainment and cuisine.  More »

Countless sailors have visited St. Barth, our favorite island. Every last one has been entertained by the follies of airplanes trying to land at the tiny airport. The deal is that pilots have to clear a ridge along which runs the island’s main road, then slam their plane down before they run out of runway and risk plowing into all the topless women on the shores of Baie St. More »