Is Bill Gates getting tired of the Seattle gloom? Who knows, but Cascade Investment, which he and Saudi businessman Alwaleed bin Talal own 95% of, just told the securities and exchange commission they are paying $200 million in cash for the Four Seasons Resort in Punta Mita, plus an adjacent 48-acre parcel of development land. More »

While much of the sailing world is stuck in the dead of winter, things are just now heating up down under, with the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race now just about a week away. More »

We’ve got an update of a product we previously reported on, and a new product that may be of interest to many cruisers. The update is on the DJI Phantom quad copter equipped with a GoPro camera. More »

One of the more dramatic moments on Esprit’s recent Atlantic crossing. Esprit
©2013 Latitude 38 Media, LLC Because Latitude is based on the West Coast, we usually feature sailing photographs from California, Mexico or the South Pacific. More »

Capricorn Cat shuttles part of the Riviera Nayarit Splash group to Paradise Marina, having to dodge whales on the way. latitude/Richard
© Latitude 38 Media, LLC The cruising season moved into higher gear on Friday the 13th, as the Riviera Nayarit Tourism Board, plus the Marina Riviera Nayarit and Latitude 38, threw a Riviera Nayarit Welcome Splash for veterans of the this year’s and previous Baja Ha-Ha’s — plus anybody else who happened to be around and likes sailing. More »

It’s a good thing Southern California-based sailor Fin Beven has a forgiving nature. Otherwise he might have lambasted us mercilessly for misspelling his name in a couple of photo credits this month. More »

The Coasties from Station Bodega Bay will conduct a free public flare demo and training session tonight at 5 p.m. at mile marker 23 at the mouth of the Russian River in Jenner. More »

Kent Pierce and Eric Stokke’s Average White Boat handily won the Melges 24 class. © Sharon Green Santa Barbara typically has some of the most pleasant sailing in Southern California, but on days when it goes off, it really goes off. More »

After recently apprehending two alleged smugglers in an open panga 90 miles southwest of San Diego, guardsmen aboard the Cutter Haddock faced the challenge of securing the 31 bales of pot that they seized. More »