From the islands of the Aegean to the Straits of Gibraltar, the allure of the Med is unsurpassed. No other cruising ground marries cast troves of shoreside history with unique and easily accessible cuisine, or islands. Although the Mediterranean provides wonderfully diverse cruising opportunities, it can also deliver surprises to the unwary. Rod Heikell, the acknowledged expert on Mediterranean sailing, provides sound advice in this fourth edition, with updates on: anchoring, berthing bow or stern-to, what weather to expect (and how to avoid the worst of it), facilities and the coasts of keeping a boat around the Med, plus information on navigation, popular routes, formalities, and what to expect ashore.

Each country around the Mediterranean is covered, and there's even a handy section on shoe-string cruising for those on a tight budget.

This is the perfect guide for anyone cruising in the Mediterranean, conveying the magic of this unique sea as well as giving practical, first-hand advice on sailing in these enticing waters.

Table of contents

1 The Mediterranean Sea
The land and its history
The ten most common questions I'm asked

2 What Sort of Boat?
Displacement
Size
Sailer or motor-sailer?
Design features

3 Mediterranean Cruising
Options
All year round or part of the year?
Buying a boat in the Med
Delivery to the Med
Boat-sharing
Timeshare
Leaseback
Try it out

4 Equipping the Boat
Biminis and awnings
Tenders
Swimming ladders and passerelles
Ventilation
Insect screens
Refrigeration
Holding tanks
Power on board
Spares and repairs

5 Equipping Yourself
Money
Funding
Insurance
Documentation
Keeping in touch
Guns and the non-combatant

6 Navigating Around the Inland Sea
GPS
Plotters and laptops
Real world navigation
SOLAS Regs

7 Weather
Summer
Coastal effects
Other winds
Winter
Weather forecasts

8 Berthing and Anchoring
Stern-to
Bows-to
Marinas
Harbour practice and hazards
Anchors
Anchoring

9 Mediterranean Passage Planning Guide
Gibraltar
Spain
France
Monaco
Italy
Malta
Slovenia, Croatia, Montenegro and Albania
Greece
Turkey
Cyprus
Syria
Lebanon
Israel
Egypt
Libya
Tunisia
Algeria
Morocco

Appendix 1: Checklists
Appendix 2: Useful Reading and
Websites
Appendix 3: Distance Tables
Index