Reeds Eastern Almanac 2022

Perrin Towler and Mark Fishwick (eds)

Reeds / Adlard Coles

£39.99

As the ‘bible’, Reeds Nautical Almanac, reaches its 90th edition it has spawned. Sections of the magnum opus can be purchased separately in more user-friendly sizes, particularly useful for planning and – perhaps -- for having available in the cockpit. Reeds Eastern Almanac 2022 reproduces areas 4, 5, 6, 7 and 16 of the main volume (with the addition of Ramsgate). Spelling it out, these UK areas cover Ramsgate to Great Yarmouth; Winterton (an eccentric choice?) to Berwick upon Tweed; Eyemouth to Rattray Head and Rattray Head to the Shetland Islands (Lerwick). On the other side of the southern North Sea the Eastern Almanac includes Delfzijl to Nieuwpoort together with an appealingly simple diagram of the standing mast route.

As an East Coast sailor I initially found this combination of information attractive and motivating. It made me feel I could turn left or right or set out straight across. But why not also to Germany or Scandinavia? Why are areas 14 and 15 from the main volume not included here? Many yachtsmen will set out from the English East Coast to the Baltic, the Friesian Island or adventures up the coast of Norway. The appeal of this volume as a specific North Sea companion was significantly diminished.

Seeing something on a smaller scale makes on look at it more carefully. I considered this smaller Almanac as a cockpit companion and envisaged a situation where I needed to enter one of my local rivers as a stranger, in a crisis perhaps. I regret that the results were disappointing. Chartlets for the River Deben and River Ore entrances, which change annually with the shifting shingle, were based on a survey of 2017 and there was no indication where up-to-date information might quickly be downloaded (answer = www.eastcoastpilot.com not eastcoastsailing.co.uk).

The main disappointment in this volume was its price. £39.99 for 5 areas makes the complete Almanac – £49.99 for 26 areas plus the additional front material – feel like a bargain. Both editions include the useful marina guide and directory, together with some undifferentiated advertising. Locally focused advertising could have been a definite plus, this wasn’t really.

Reeds also produce a Western Almanac and a Channel Almanac, both priced at £39.99.  Reeds loose-leaf Almanac, including binder, costs £55. The annual update this year is £44.99