Seven limestone islets riddled with tunnels and caves, red gorgonian fans on the deeper walls, and a resident population of…Seven limestone islets riddled with tunnels and caves, red gorgonian fans on the deeper walls, and a resident population of groupers, conger, moray and dense schools of saddled bream that have lost all fear of divers after four decades of protection. The Medes were a pirate base and later a quarry before protection began in 1983. The reserve is the most studied piece of Mediterranean seabed in Spain, and the recovery of its grouper population is the case study everyone else quotes. Anchorage: Anchor off L'Estartit; anchoring inside the reserve is prohibited and moorings are assigned. Hazards: Heavy boat traffic in season and strict no-take rules; the tunnels are overhead environments. More