Latest News
New Zealand to Tonga: Rig Failure Leads Crew to Abandon Yacht
Date Published - June 17, 2019
(June 17, 2019) – Having departed Opua on June 9th for Tonga, yacht Squander suffered major mast rig failure three days into the passage. Turning around and battling headwinds for four days, the crew finally had to abandon the yacht just 90km off Great Barrier Island…. Read More
Panama: Increased Canal Tolls Effective from January 1st 2020
Date Published - June 17, 2019
(June 17, 2019) – The Panama Canal Authorities have just announced a proposed change in tolls, bringing the transit rate for recreational yachts less than 65 feet up to 100% more than today’s rate…. Read More
Mediterranean Cruising Update - regarding the migrant crisis
Date Published - June 17, 2019
(Originally published April 1, 2019 – updated June 17, 2019) – The migrant crisis, once most prevalent in the Eastern Mediterranean, has now encompassed the Western Mediterranean Sea particularly between Morocco and Spain. European countries continue to harden their policies against refugees arriving by sea and yacht skippers should be… Read More
USA, Georgia: Proposed Anchoring Restrictions
Date Published - June 12, 2019
The Georgia Department of Natural Resources has proposed a number of amendments to the current rules for liveaboard boaters, concerning over-night and long-term anchoring in the estuarine area of the state…. Read More
Portugal: Request Permission to Anchor or Face a Fine
Date Published - June 12, 2019
The RCC Pilotage Foundation has reported that a yachtsman has been fined for anchoring in the Portinho de Arrábida in the Rio Sado (south of Lisbon) without permission…. Read More
Cuba: New Travel Restrictions for US Citizens and US Recreational Vessels
Date Published - June 06, 2019
(June 6, 2019) – After enjoying a few years of legal cruising to Cuba from the US, it is now no longer possible for US cruisers to arrive at the Island on their own keel. The US Government yesterday introduced a new law banning the “People to People” category, including… Read More
South Pacific, Cook Islands, Suwarrow: World ARC 2019-20 Reach Paradise Island
Date Published - June 06, 2019
(June 6, 2019) – The sound of coral sands crunching under flip flops and ripples of soft laughter could be heard across the turquoise waters as dingies arrived onto the shores of the paradise island of Suwarrow. Participants welcomed each other with great enthusiasm as they gathered together on the… Read More
Vall Ellis, Noonsite Site Researcher, Retires after 19 Years with Noonsite
Date Published - June 06, 2019
At the end of April 2019, we said a very fond farewell to the longest-standing team member with Noonsite, Val Ellis (Site Researcher, holiday cover for the Editor and all-around amazing asset to the Noonsite team). … Read More
Noonsite June Product Update
Date Published - June 05, 2019
Since our beta launch April 30th we have been busy improving Noonsite. Read on to find out more . . …. Read More
Grenada to Trinidad: New Convoy Process Makes Passage to and from Trinidad Safer and More Fun
Date Published - June 04, 2019
(June 4, 2019) Chaguaramas, Trinidad, YSATT – Concerned about sailing to Trinidad? Now you can join a convoy! The Yacht Services Association of Trinidad and Tobago (YSATT), working with Jesse James of Members Only Maxi Taxi Service, and with the assistance of several long-time cruisers, has implemented a process to… Read More
25th Edition of ARC Portugal Sets Sail
Date Published - June 03, 2019
Heading out into a cloudy Plymouth Sound on Sunday 2 June, seventeen boats began their three week adventure sailing to the sunny Algarve with World Cruising Club’s annual sailing rally ARC Portugal…. Read More
Bermuda to Azores: Yacht Abandoned due to Rudder Failure
Date Published - June 01, 2019
(Updated June 2, 2019) – Halfway between Bermuda and the Azores the Grand Soleil ’50 “Boingo Alive” was abandoned by her owner and crew when she suffered rudder failure. After the owners appealed to the cruising community for help in recovering their yacht, it has now been announced that no… Read More
Mediterranean Yacht Transport: Superyacht "My Song" Falls Overboard During Transit
Date Published - June 01, 2019
(Updated May 31, 2019) – The 130-foot cruiser/racer “My Song” was being transported to Genoa when she fell off the deck of the carrying vessel at 0400 on May 26, 2019…. Read More
USA, Atlantic City: Cruising Couple Rescued as Boat Sinks after Microburst Hits
Date Published - May 31, 2019
(May 31, 2019) – Peter Bailey and Heidi Snyder lost their home on May 29, 2019, on the last leg of their circumnavigation, when they were hit by a microburst off the coast of New Jersey…. Read More
Summer 2019 eNews from World Cruising Club!
Date Published - May 30, 2019
(May 30, 2019) – Featured in this edition are details of the 2019 Bluewater Weekend, results of the ARC Survey in Yachting World Magazine, World ARC 2021 entries now open, an SSB helpful guide and much more…. Read More
NOAA's Prediction for the 2019 Atlantic Hurricane Season
Date Published - May 30, 2019
(May 23, 2019) – NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center have published their outlook for the Atlantic hurricane season which starts officially on 1 June and runs until the 30 November…. Read More
Indian Ocean & Southern Red Sea: High Risk Area to be Reduced
Date Published - May 29, 2019
As of 1 May 2019, the coordinates of the High Risk Area in the Indian Ocean will be changed.
… Read More
Venezuela, Isla Margarita: Migrant Boat Sinks - One Man Rescued by Passing Boat
Date Published - May 19, 2019
(May 19, 2019) – A sport fishing boat encounters a survivor 30 miles off Trinidad. Twenty other migrants are presumed drowned…. Read More
USA, North East: Coast Guard Complete Installation of Manually Activated Sound Signals
Date Published - May 16, 2019
(May 15, 2019) – The Coast Guard has completed the installation of Mariner Radio Activated Sound Signal (MRASS) devices at 82 lighthouses across the Northeast…. Read More
USA: Thinking of sailing south this autumn? ARC Caribbean 1500 2019 entries now open
Date Published - May 16, 2019
(May 16, 2019) – North America’s longest-running sailing rally will start from the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay where an international fleet of around 30 boats will gather at the end of October. Early bird discount on the entry fee until the end of May…. Read More
Greece: Find Out How to Register and Pay the New Cruising Tax (TEPAI)
Date Published - May 10, 2019
(Updated May 17, 2019 – originally posted May 10, 2019) – Boat owners can now register and pay online for the new cruising tax (TEPAI) introduced by the Greek Government on 09 May, 2019. There are still however a few issues the Greeks need to overcome before the system functions… Read More
The Intensity of Southern Indian Ocean Cyclones Increases in 2019
Date Published - May 09, 2019
(May 9, 2019) – Tropical storms and cyclones are a natural and recurring feature in the Indian Ocean but there is evidence that whilst the number of events remains stable the intensity of the storms is increasing…. Read More
Panama: Important Clearance Procedures to Remember
Date Published - May 08, 2019
(May 8, 2019) – Russell Goedjen of Shelter Bay Marina, Panama, sends a timely reminder of the do’s and don’ts when heading to Panama…. Read More
Portrait of a Cruiser: Alene D. Rice and Bruce Balan
Date Published - May 08, 2019
(Apr 10, 2019) – An early love for travel and sailing lead both Alene and Bruce to set goals early in life towards a future in cruising, and both found means to make this passion a reality in their 40s. Now full-time seasoned sailors with many ocean miles behind them,… Read More
East Pacific Offshore Waters Forecasts
Date Published - May 07, 2019
(April 16, 2019) – The East Pacific offshore waters forecast is issued by the National Hurricane Center (NHC)/Tropical Analysis Forecast Branch (TAFB)…. Read More
