When Anne Hammick started research on the first edition of Atlantic Islands back in 1987, few would have guessed the changes which 25 years would bring. Facilities for yachts have improved immeasurably in all four island groups, bureaucracy has decreased and, from being seen mainly as convenient stepping stones on the Atlantic passage, all the archipelagos are now accepted as cruising destinations in their own right. The seventh edition of Atlantic Islands builds on solid foundations - the author''s long familiarity with the area, an invaluable network of local contacts, and the constant flow of information and feedback received from yachtsmen and women during the lifetime of the previous edition.