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Mexico Now Requiring Visas

January 16, 2012
Is it true that southbound cruisers now have to get Mexican visas before leaving the U.S.? The answer isn’t clear, but we’re investigating. latitude/Andy
© Latitude 38 Media, LLC "Mexican law now states that anyone coming within 24 miles of shore must have a visa," reported Taylor Hill in the January 4 issue of San Diego’s boating newspaper The Log. More »

Save Cal Boating

January 13, 2012
Cal Boating is responsible for keeping the Delta’s water hyacinth problem under control. A delay in federal approval for this summer’s spraying caused the stuff to strangle many waterways. Just imagine what the Delta would look like if Parks and Rec got their hands on DBW’s funding. More »

The President Turns 90

At cocktail hour tonight, we invite you to join us in raising a glass to the so-called President of the Pacific Ocean, Merl Petersen, who turns 90 today. The gallivanting skipper struck a pose aboard Viveka for our September 2007 feature on him. More »

Making Headlines for Making a Difference

January 11, 2012
Apart from occasional mentions of the America’s Cup superstars and around-the-world record-setters, sailors rarely garner the attention of mainstream media. But the Bay Area’s CBS-TV affiliate and several local radio stations made an exception last month when Captain Richard Gillette received a prestigious Jefferson Award for outstanding community service. More »

World ARC Begins

The 26-boat fleet in the 2012-13 World ARC set off from Rodney Bay, St. Lucia on Sunday on a 15-month circumnavigation. Not all of the entries will complete the 26,000-mile circuit, though, as a handful will be joining the fleet at their next stop in Panama’s San Blas Islands before transiting the Canal and heading for Oz — with stops at the Galapagos, Hiva Oa, Tahiti, Bora Bora, Niue, Vava’u, Fiji and Vanuatu along the way. More »

Laura Dekker Set to Finish

Sixteen-year-old Dutch sailor Laura Dekker is currently sailing from South Africa to St. Martin in the Netherland Antilles in the Caribbean on the last leg of a solo circumnavigation aboard her 38-ft Jeanneau Gin Fizz ketch Guppy. More »

Magnum Completes Her Loop

January 9, 2012
After five years of adventuring, Anne, Uwe and Kara were all smiles when they arrived in California. Magnum
©2012 Latitude 38 Media, LLC Back in 2007 when we met Uwe Dobers, Anne Crowley and their lovely 4-year-old daughter Cara in Zihuatanejo, they were headed west with the Pacific Puddle Jump migration aboard their San Francisco-based Peterson 44 Magnum, determined to keep sailing until their money ran out. More »

Mexico News

Writing about violent crime along the Pacific Coast of Mexico is always tricky. On the one hand, we firmly believe it’s our responsibility and obligation to report on serious crime, violent and otherwise, that occurs in areas that cruisers are likely to frequent. More »

Miracle Bottom Paint Revealed

In the January issue of Latitude 38 you’ll read about this writer’s final haulout in a four-year study on the effectiveness of the biocide Econea in bottom paint. Since the first haulout, we’ve been impressed with only one test paint — a water-based version — that consistently outperformed its fellow test paints and the copper-based control paint. More »

Corogin Rescued by Cargo Ship

January 6, 2012
Our previous report that the mast of 84-year-old Tom Corogin’s Westsail 32 TLC had "snapped" about 500 miles south of Easter Island was apparently inaccurate. Photos taken by the Chilean Navy of Corogin’s rescue on Wednesday by the Japanese 666-ft cargo ship White Kingdom show the mast in a decidedly upright position, though a spreader does appear to be dangling. More »