Mediterranean Almanac 2007-2008

Created by doina. Last modified on 2007-03-12 11:04:22
Topic: Books,Charts and DVDs

Edited by Rod Heikell

UK recommended price £27.50

Published by Imray, Laurie, Norie & Wilson Ltd.

ISBN 978 085288 911 4

The new edition of this almanac is a useful complement to the various Imray cruising guides that cover the entire Mediterranean. The latest edition contains practical information on all Mediterranean countries as well as the Canaries, Madeira and Azores. The first part of the almanac deals with entry formalities in the various countries, EU regulations for cruising yachts, tide tables based on Gibraltar, details of the charts for the area issued by various national authorities as well as sources for weather information. Part two forms the bulk of the almanac and contains succinct details of all marinas and ports of interest to cruising sailors, with details of GPS position, brief description of amenities and repair facilities, contact telephone numbers, email addresses and websites. As with all Imray guides, the harbour and marina plans are of excellent quality.

The inclusion of the offshore islands of Canaries, Madeira and Azores is a useful addition even if the information is in some cases out of date as much of it appears not to have been updated since 2004. In the Canaries new marinas have been built at Santa Cruz de la Palma, which in summer 2005 was already operational. The diagram shows the marina entrance in the wrong place as it is on the shore side (west side) and not where shown. Also in summer 2005 a new breakwater and marina was being completed inside the main harbour at Puerto de la Estaca on the island of El Hierro, but this is not mentioned in the almanac. It is also incorrectly stated that the Canaries are not part of the EU (page 57), which is not correct as the islands do belong to the European Union but enjoy, as other island groups, a special status, such as the fact that they are VAT exempt. The information on Tunisia also contains a number of errors as all international marinas (Sidi Bou Said, Yasmine Hammamet, El Kantaoui and Monastir) are ports of entry with permanent customs and immigration offices. La Goulette is not a port of entry any longer, as the small marina is used exclusively by the Tunisian Navy, and access by foreign flagged yachts is expressly prohibited.

Keeping such a major publication up to date is admittedly a major undertaking but the editor should have ensured that such essential facts as entry formalities had been checked.

In spite of the above comments, this new edition of the Mediterranean Almanac will be of great help to anyone planning to cruise there in the near future and just as useful to sailors whose yachts are already there. The almanac will be updated on the publisher’s website www.imray.com with a 2008 supplement. This and other Imray publications can be ordered directly by visiting the Imray website.