Steve Pickard is the Pilot book editor for Mediterranean Spain, including the Straits of Gibraltar all the way to the French border

In this Imray podcast (together with The Royal Cruising Club Pilotage Foundation). Steve Pickard brings to life, with Podcaster Ceri, some of his favourite Med Spain areas together with some words of wisdom for both the new and returning cruiser.

Steve first came to the Mediterranean region in the winter of 1978 on a delivery trip from the Hamble to Greece. In Gibraltar he took over a Nicolson 39 that had spent Christmas hove to off NW Spain. Almost certainly as a result of these excesses the rudder dropped off on their first night out from Gib when he was amazed to find out how warm the winter sea was! As Almeria drew close he was treated to his first sight of Moorish Spain with the town’s imposing castle dominating the very welcome port. Steve has cruised this coast many times since and always too quickly has found that the slower the progress, the greater the rewards.

To order your copy of this fascinating pilot book just go to:

https://www.imray.com/Publications/Imray+Pilots/Imray+pilots+and+cruising+guides/Mediterranean/IB0236-1/