Mediterranean

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The Mediterranean Sea Cruising Guide

An online cruising guide for yachts sailing the coasts and islands in the Mediterranean Sea.

The Mediterranean Sea

The Mediterranean Sea is a sea off the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Europe, on the south by Africa, and on the east by Asia. It covers an approximate area of 2.5 million km2 (965,000 sq mi) and and it is approximate 2,080 nM (3,860 km) long, but its connection to the Atlantic (the Strait of Gibraltar) is only 7.6 nM (14 km) wide. Its average depth of 1,500 metres (4,920 ft) and the deepest recorded point is 5,267 meters (about 3.27 miles) in the Calypso Deep in the Ionian Sea. The Mediterranean coastline extends for 24,800 nM (46,000 km or 28,600 mi). In oceanography, it is sometimes called the Eurafrican Mediterranean Sea or the European Mediterranean Sea to distinguish it from mediterranean seas elsewhere.

The Med currents for June - Click for larger view

The Mediterranean Sea is connected to the Atlantic Ocean by the Strait of Gibraltar on the west and to the Sea of Marmara and the Black Sea, by the Dardanelles and the Bosphorus respectively, on the east. The Sea of Marmara is often considered a part of the Mediterranean Sea, whereas the Black Sea is generally not. The 88 nM (163 km) long man-made Suez Canal in the southeast connects the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea.

Being nearly landlocked affects the Mediterranean Sea's properties; for instance, tides are very limited as a result of the narrow connection with the Atlantic Ocean. The Mediterranean is characterized and immediately recognized by its deep blue color.

Evaporation greatly exceeds precipitation and river runoff in the Mediterranean, a fact that is central to the water circulation within the basin. Evaporation is especially high in its eastern half, causing the water level to decrease and salinity to increase eastward. This pressure gradient pushes relatively cool, low-salinity water from the Atlantic across the basin; it warms and becomes saltier as it travels east, then sinks in the region of the Levant and circulates westward, to spill over the Strait of Gibraltar. Thus, seawater flow is eastward in the Strait's surface waters, and westward below; once in the Atlantic, this chemically-distinct Mediterranean Intermediate Water can persist thousands of kilometers away from its source.

Mediterranean Cruising permits/Requirements

Mediterranean Climate

The Mediterranean climate is characterized by hot, dry summers and cool, wet winters.

Sources for weather forecasts for the Mediteranean:

Mediterranean Charts

BA
4300 Mediterranean and Black Sea
4301 Mediterranean — western part
Mediterranean — eastern part
NIMA
W310 Mediterranean Sea
Turkish
2 Mediterranean

See also NIMA Pub. 132 - Eastern Mediterranean.

Radio Nets

Also see World Cruiser's Nets.

Countries in The Mediterranean

Clockwise starting from Gibraltar

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Gibraltar TopWiki.png
Spain
France
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Italy TopWiki.png
Malta
Slovenia
Croatia TopWiki.png
Bosnia and Herzegovina Question icon.png
Montenegro
Albania
Greece TopWiki.png
Turkey TopWiki.png
Cyprus Question icon.png
Syria Question icon.png
Lebanon
Israel
Egypt
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Tunisia
Algeria Question icon.png
Morocco

Major Islands in The Mediterranean

Sicily
Sardinia
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Corsica
Crete
Evia
Majorca
Lesvos
Rhodes
Chios
Kefalonia
Corfu
Menorca
Ibiza
Djerba
Limnos
Samos
Naxos

Major Seas in The Mediterranean

Routes/Passages To/From

These passages can be used for both East to West and for West to East voyages.

See also Mediterranean Distances Table.

Cruiser's Friends

Contact details of "Cruiser's Friends" that can be contacted for local information or assistance.

Forum Discussions

List links to discussion threads on partnering forums. (see link for requirements)

External Links

References & Publications

Personal Notes

Personal experiences?


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SailorSmiley.gifContributors to this page

Names: Lighthouse, Nausikaa, JeanneP, Istioploos, Atheneoflymington


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