Publisher: Second Ed., 2001

Seldom have I seen such a comprehensive and well laid out Pilot as that produced by The Fremantle Sailing Club for the entire Western Australian coast line from its boarder with Northern Territory to the Great Australian Bight.

It not only contains excellent clear chartlets of all the harbours and anchorages together with a wealth of essential pilotage and tidal information, but is packed full of the fascinating historical background to the discovery and naming of the various locations along the coast and details all the shipwrecks that have occurred since the earliest days of its initial Dutch exploration in the early 1600`s. Coupled with this are details and habitat of the dangerous creatures, which can be met along the way from salt-water crocodiles to sea snakes, octopus and sharks together with all essential tips for dealing with marine stings of various types.

Not only is this pilot essential reading for all who might wish to cruise WA`s waters, but it is laid out in a far more user-friendly fashion than many European waters` Pilots. This appears to be typical of other equally well-presented Australian Pilots I have seen, such as the comparably clear one for Tasmania.

All the historical and general interest information makes WA Cruising a book well worth reading in its own right, even if one is not likely to be sailing that far afield. - RWF