Islas Baleares

Ibiza, Formentera, Mallorca, Cabrera and Menorca

Graham Hutt

RCC Pilotage Foundation & Imray Publishers

8th edition 2006

The UK recommended price £32.50

ISBN 978 085288 915 2

Now in its eighth edition, this excellent guide published by Imray under the auspices of the Royal Cruising Club’s Pilotage Foundation provides cruising sailors with a comprehensive picture of the Mediterranean’s premier yachting destination. Marinas in the Balearics, and yachting facilities generally, are among the best in the Mediterranean and all this essential information has been revised and updated in this latest edition. As in all Imray publications, the artwork is of the highest order and there are aerial photographs of all popular ports and anchorages. One inspired addition is satellite photographs of the individual islands, which accompany each section and show exactly where a port, marina or bay is located. One slight criticism is the confusion caused by the use of either Spanish or Mallorcan names so that in the same chapter one finds Puerto de Cala Bona followed by Porto Cristo. This, however, is a fairly minor point and the latest edition of this popular book, which was first published some thirty years ago, is in every other respect such a valuable guide that no one should land in the Balearics without it. French and Spanish editions of the same guide will appear during 2007.

This reviewer visited the Balearics in April 2006 and came across a phenomenon which is worth highlighting as it is of great importance to those planning to cruise the Balearics on their own yachts. This is encroaching into bays and anchorages of what appear to be provisional moorings laid down by hotels or local operators for the use of water scooters that can be rented by holidaymakers. The noisy water scooters are an absolute menace anywhere and unfortunately, in the Balearics, they are spoiling many nice anchorages (such as Cala Portinax on Ibiza). In some places, especially in bays where there is a holiday resort, it is now often impossible to find space to anchor safely, so one can only hope that the authorities will do something about them.

For a complete list of cruising guides as well as regular supplements to existing publications go to www.Imray.com

For further information about the Royal Cruising Club Pilotage Foundation visit www.rccpf.org.uk