With a little luck, you can snag a berth in front of Victoria, BC’s Empress Hotel — at the center of that sparkling-clean port’s many shoreside attractions. latitude/Andy
©2016Latitude 38 Media, LLC In a bareboat chartering report a few years back, we referred to the cruising grounds containing the Gulf and San Juan islands as "the Greater Puget Sound area." More »

Needless to say, the development of smart phones and tablets, in combination with the specialized apps that support them, have led to dramatic changes in the way millions of people acquire information and conduct their lives — including boaters.  More »

In anticipation of the many cold, wet days that lie ahead tthis winter — when even diehard sailors would think twice about heading out on the water — we’re working on an article that will introduce you to a variety of rainy-day projects that a typical do-it-yourselfer could handle. More »

Our ‘cover girls’ this month are vintage Farallon Clippers Credit and VIP, seen charging upwind during October’s Jessica Cup. (Local photographer Chris Ray captured the image.) © 2016 Graphic Latitude/Annie Just in time for the weekend, the December issue of Latitude 38 magazine is being distributed today all over the Bay Area, and will also be available on the website to read online or download — for free, as always — by mid-afternoon today. More »

Chuan singlehands the massive tri en route to Shanghai. The yellow circle indicates where the broken tether was found. © Guo Chuan Sailing Late last month, when Chinese singlehander Guo Chuan, 51, sailed out the Golden Gate aboard the 97-ft trimaran Qingdao China, he was determined to set a solo nonstop record for the 7,000-mile passage to Shanghai, while spreading a message of "Sino-American friendship" and promoting "marine culture exchanges between the two nations." More »

Having made the 4,000-mile crossing from Panama several weeks previously, a cruising cat arrives at the entrance to Cook’s Bay, Moorea, site of the annual Tahiti-Moorea Sailing Rendez-vous. latitude/Andy
©2016Latitude 38 Media, LLC Practically every day now we get emails from would-be South Pacific cruisers wondering when we’re going to begin taking signups for the 2017 Pacific Puddle Jump. More »

At the risk of drowning in the attempt, these kissing-contest challengers were determined to keep their lips locked despite being pummeled by the Cabo shore break.  © 2016 Fin Beven Unless you’re well over 60, you’ve probably never seen the 1953 black-and-white film From Here to Eternity — except perhaps via an oldies TV channel. More »

Here comes the sun. . . One of the coolest things about sailing in the 750-mile Ha-Ha rally is experiencing little ‘gifts’ from Mother Nature, such as splendid sunrises and sunsets — not to mention night skies salted with a gazillion brilliant stars.  More »

Here on California’s North Coast, boaters who venture offshore have been reporting abnormally large numbers of whales in recent weeks. So many, in fact, that they pose a serious potential threat to small-boat operators, while their own safety is potentially threatened by ship strikes. More »