Scuba Diving Books

This book has some good information in it but it is poorly put together and extremely hard to read.

I consider myself to be an avid diver and reader, so I'm naturally drawn to books that cover a wide berth of topics regarding the ocean and diving. This particular book I had a difficult time wanting to finish. The perspective of the stories were grossly limited by both the recurrent theme of being a new/first time diver and by the fact that few were written after the mid 1970's. There are a few gems amongst the chapters, Dave Berry's lobstering for instance, but the wade through the rest of the book was tiresome. My advise is do not purchase, visit the Library and be willing to skip large portions.

As a diver, this collection of stories is varied and most of them are fascinating. With any collection, there is bound to be some that are similar and some that are not for everyone's taste. I didn't like most of the poems, for instance. I have to say I really enjoyed most of the stories though. I found the cave diving stories spellbinding.

My only caution would be that I think the book appeals most to divers or those with an interest in diving. It is a great gift for such a person.

I loved this book. Diverse writing styles, coupled with humor and drama make this book addictive. I thought Dave Barry's story was a crack up! Buy two because it's the kind of book you loan out to share the joy and never get back! If you like diving and diving tales, this is the book you've been waiting for.

I recently read this collection of stories while on a nice tropical vacation where I did a couple of dives - so was in the mood. Below, I have broken down some of the positives and negatives that I took away from this collection:

The positives: This is without a doubt a comprehensive collection of writings - in terms of the time period covered and styles of writing (humor, poetry, etc). I thought that some of the stories were really great - couldn't help but laugh at Dave Barry's description of diving. I found a few of the older pieces very interesting due to the historic perspective / context.

The negatives: Any time you take on a project to complile a collection this large across different writing styles, it should be a given that all pieces are not going to appeal to all readers. About 25% of the stories simply did not appeal to me.

Secondly, there also seemed to be a recurring "What my first dive was like" or "What it feels like when you are down there" theme. I also found this a bit tiresome after awhile. As a diver, unending explanations of how clear and blue water is, the sense of weightlessness, etc got to be a bit much. Almost drove me to the best example I could think of - a bottle of Bombay Gin.

Closing: A large enough body of work that I think that every reader will find some of the stories very worthy reading. Light enough for a good vacation or bedtime read. Worthy enough purchase - I think a good gift type of purchase for that diver's christmas fin.

I have never found one of the sites listed in this book. Very upset at the wasted time on sandy bottoms.

Don't buy.

Though I am a cavern diver, I have not tried to use this book for this purpose. I have tried to use it for finding dive sites in SE Florida. In this regard, the book is nearly useless. Many (if not most) of the GPS coordinates provided are just plain wrong. Obviously the author is relying on outdated (at best) or totally unreliable third party information. I frankly doubt that the author has ever been to most of the SE Florida open water dive sites written up in this book. This book is a waste of money for open water divers.

Great overall guide, but sent me on several wild goose chases after SE Florida GPS numbers. Suggest the author/publisher invest in getting these numbers verified, or at least add a notice indicating which GPS numbers have and have not been verified. Also, why bother listing Loran-C numbers. Who uses that anymore?

Hope the 11the edition just out is better, but I'm not buying until I see changes in the bad GPS numbers.

-- LL

If you dive and live in florida YOU MUST OWN THIS BOOK. There is no better diving guide around. Hundreds of sites, most with GPS coordinates. Inside this book you'll find the hidden spots some of the locals don't even know about.

I bought this book as a way of finding new GPS coordinates in the Tampa area to dive. This book was pretty good, with a great description of each site. However, the GPS coordinates are pretty much run of the mill numbers, you'll find every local charter dive boat and fishing boat there, but not a bad place to start. Where the book starts to fall apart though is when it starts telling you, Place X is 1.7 miles on a 335 course north of point Y. That info. does you no good. When you are looking for a ledge the size of a small car, close doesn't count. Also, it seemed like all the more interesting sites were given in Loran numbers. Anyone who knows GPS knows that you can't accurately convert Loran to GPS, so those numbers are worthless for all but the 3 people in the world still using Loran.
Overall, a great book for people just learning a new area to fish or dive, but expect everyone in that area to have that number. Good book with good info. For those looking for more GPS numbers, try nauticalcharts.com... VERY GOOD MAPS.

This book is worth every penney. Amazing photo's a full of great information.

A Diver's Guide to Reef Life

Comment by Stephen Wong, Marine Wildlife Photojournalist

I used to believe that biologists (or people who knew much of science) did not make the prettiest images, while dedicated photographers were merely trying to paint aesthetic pictures but didn't know a lot about the scientific part of their subjects. I am sure the biologists could shoot extremely well but they just didn't have the time to create the pretty photos, as their time spent would be doing much research in lab and field. At the same time, wildlife photographers could be stellar ecologist but simply lack the proper background training to discuss seriously the scientific side, or the photographers could know in-depth biology on only a few subjects but not many. Gee, am I wrong! "A Diver's Guide to Reef Life" by Andrea & Antonella Ferrari has changed my steretypic perception.

This 480-page 16cm X 18cm book delivers a wealth of scientific knowledge plus a full load of exquisite images. There must be at least 828 species (I counted) of the more encountered and diver-interested marine creatures' discussed and over 1,200 species of animals deftly composed in the book. Not only the general distribution and sizing of the subjects are talked about, the animals' individual habitats and their intrigue life habits are discussed. The ID shots for the `science' section are more than adequate as the pictures clearly show the species' colors, shapes and unique features so that viewers can immediately locate and relate to. The life habits section and the galleries (many beautiful images) are my most favorite. I am learning a lot from these two areas, plus from the underwater photo-tips that the Ferraris stated in each family introduction.

Besides the more popular diver-quested subjects, such as sharks to the jeweled pygmy seahorses, the book also covers subjects that may be of less interest to most divers, like the corals, sponges and sea squirts. Though these are not talked in-depth, the authors have used ample images to let the readers compare to what they see in their dives - a criteria for a good guide book. The Ferraris also have dedicated a small section on the dangers that the ecosystem now faces and suggested a list of `Don'ts' for everyone to help to preserve the fragile reef.

"A Diver's Guide to Reef Life" is a book that makes nature lovers learn more about the denizens of the seas and the relationships with each other. With interesting marine science balances eye-savvy images, be the book placed on the shelf for educational purposes or bringing it on dive locations for reference, I highly recommend the book for everyone and all resorts.

This book is the most used book in the library at Raja Ampat's Sorido Bay. It seemed that whatever we were looking for, was in this book. Now I have to resolve the spelling quirk for Thysanozoon. Who is correct? The Ferrari's or the others? Also, a big plus for this book...it stays open wherever you put it, while you are researching all your finds. The construction is ingenious.

ANDREA AND ANTONELLA FERRARI have spent years amassing the photographs and information contained in A Diver's Guide to Reef Life, and it shows.
With 1200 tropical species, ranging from coral polyps, gorgonians, sea squirts, sponges, nudibranchs and all of the main fish groups, this is a truly comprehensive work, and probably the only reef guide most divers will need to take with them on a trip.
Covering the Red Sea, Indo-Pacific and many Caribbean species, the book comes in a handy, almost square format with just three species per page, allowing good-sized images of high quality.
The authors describe each species carefully, and where possible give information on behaviour to assist with identification. For example, the reader learns that the orangeband surgeonfish (Acanthurus olivaceus) "can switch its main body colour from dark olive to tan to dark blue in seconds" and that there are 40 different species of triggerfish. One section shows juvenile specimens of some of the commonest fish, demonstrating how unlike their adult forms they can be.
Photographically, Reef Life is excellent, with every shot a genuinely representative view of the animal or fish described. The book also contains a good general introduction to coral-reef ecology, and titbits of information are spread throughout the text: "94 million tonnes of fish are now taken globally each year, compared to 19 million tonnes in 1950."
The Ferraris also produced the Macrolife Guide to Underwater Malaysia, in my opinion the best of its kind. Now they have created an indispensable companion volume that will serve every diver well.
Tim Ecott, author Neutral Buoyancy: Adventures in a Liquid World

As a marine biologist as well as an author and photographer of marine life books, I am very selective in my choice of those that end up on my shelf. I am particularly critical of books with a global scope as these invariably include only a small fraction of what lives in any particular area. These books usually include only what the photographer happens to have good photographs of rather than what is important. This book is an exception as the authors have included many excellent photographs taken by others. In doing so the authors have managed to pull together 1200 of the most important and interesting species, all with concise information on distribution, habitat and behavior. No book of this kind is immune from misidentification, but this one has fewer than most. It's a keeper. For those in the w. Pacific who want to dig deeper, please also check the following: Micronesian Reef Fishes: A Field Guide for Divers and Aquarists

when I bought this book (some years back) I would have given it 5 stars, but all deco info is now very out of date, check dive computers reviewed on index page! otherwise a very god book that is an easy read. For more up to date info check Technical Diving in Depth (Bruce R Weinke) this has every thing you might want to know but is very technical and not (I find) an easy read.

This book was a useful introduction, actually a great deal more detail than in an introduction, to deeper rec. diving. Very useful technical information.

Everything you need to know in basic deep diving about tables, procedures, equipment, setings, planning, decompression techniques and decompression illness, a mut read book for every diver (especially novices) who wants to know more about deep diving.

Marcelo Moorea

I wonder how many serious and dedicated scuba divers actually continue to put off their natural progression from recreational scuba diving to the more advanced techniques of technical diving? Personally, I delayed that progression for far too long. As a professional underwater photo-journalist who specialises in shipwreck research, however, I find myself being drawn more and more towards deeper and deeper wrecks - if only because these are the wrecks that divers want to know more about.

My first choice in books when commencing that transition to more technical expertise, was this book by John Lippmann. A number of people have commented that it is out-of-date - but it is only out-of-date if your own expertise has already progressed beyond the level which this book seeks to teach.

Any diver who is seriously thinking about technical diving but who has yet to make the first move in that direction should read this book. Yes, things have moved on since this book first appeared in 1992 - but that does not make the information inaccurate. It simply allows the modern diver to regard this book as the first step towards an exciting extension of their diving career.

Other books (including other books by this author) will then take that diver even further into the realms and complexities of serious deep technical diving.

NM

I don't write a whole lot of reviews but noticed a few negative ones about this very informative book. This text is a simpler to understand and less costly alternative to John's "Deeper Into Diving", but is still a MUST read in my opinion. This text was recommended reading for my Divemaster course and should be considered as a MUST read for any serious sport diver. It indroduces you to and explains in plain English some additional risks to diving deeper. After reading this text I sought out other titles by John due to his writing style. This text makes no claims to being a TECH diver's bible, only that it informs the SPORT diver of the additional risks of deep diving. I can't say this enough, a MUST read. This text is timeless and with ANY text, product reviews and dive tables should be taken for what they are, examples. I still gain valuable information from diving books written in the 50s and 60s but am making no plans to dive those Navy tables on a double hose regulator. This was not a buyer's guide for dive computers and made no claim to being a guide for decompression diving. I think we as divers can all agree that specialties require specific training. John's book simply opens the door to many avenues. Did I mention it's a MUST read in my book, lol...

The book is well written and adresses the specifics with close circuit rebreathers CCR and Decompression theorie. The text is used by Instructors for training purpose and was also written for to introduce the reader to this segment of technical diving.
The text covers only the recreational diving aspec. of mastering Rebreathers. Again a recommend book for all which want to know about faszination Rebreathers.

ATH

uno dei pochi testi che parli di rebreather e non di questo o di quello

If your think of starting to use rebreathers or are enrolled on a course, this is the book you'll need. Its clear, concise and covers all aspects of the subject, Ive been diving for 19 yrs, instructing for 5, this is one of the best diving instructional books Ive read. My compliments to the author, Jeff Bozonic.

A little dated. Has some info on units that are no longer available and missing info on some of the newer units.

But packed with tons of info on the various types of rebreathers, pre-dive, diving, emergency, and post-dive procedures.

Had this book been titled "A Comprehensive Introduction to Rebreathers" I would have certainly given it 5 stars. My review is written with the desire to catch the attention of propsective buyers so that they can see what this book isn't. It certainly couldn't be considered a comprehensive reference for those who have or are on their way toward mastering rebreathers.

Anyone doing any type of advanced/technical diving that might have a need or interest in learning about rebreathers or furthering their education in rebreathers wouldn't consider a book a valid means of training. We all know we ought to seek instruction from an experienced (I didn't say qualified because that term is loosely used in the diving industry) person or organization. We shouldn't be naive enough to be misled by a title that makes us think, "if I buy and read this book I too can be a master of rebreathers." I suggest we let the title explain what's in the book. I didn't look at the book in a bookstore and then come to Amazon to see what others thought about it. I found it on Amazon, didn't find a detailed explanation of the book's contents and read all the reviews. I was left expecting much more.

The book does contain a wealth of information that I will refer back to often in the future. If you know nothing about rebreathers and want a comprehensive introduction, I can't think of any better book than this.

The book is a good description of the history of the sport. Combined with the Master Exley's "Caverns Measureless to Man", one has a good set of stories on the origins of the sport and some of the scary stories.
The second half unfortunately seems a little anecdotal and turns into something that only the die-hard archeology enthusiast would want to get further into. While entranced in the first few chapters, I got pretty bored with the rest. If you want horror stories from caving, read also Exley's Basic Cave Diving - A Blueprint for Survival. It's a hand-typed, thin pamphlet of a book, but it's one of those essential reads, even if you don't intend to do the sport - like me.

Burgess's recount of these various cave diving episodes makes a good read. It is not very detailed on technical aspects, nor pretends to be a comprehensive re-tracing of the cave diving history. It does however weave in suspense filled short stories the beginnings of cave diving, its major players and their accomplishments. Without the boring list type of dry dates, names and events. Will interest the few passionate about the sport, as well as all adrenaline rush and adventure seekers. To me, it gave a backdrop, a character and a soul to many of those names I looked up to when I started venturing deeper and longer in the underwater realm.

Burgess's recount of these various cave diving episodes makes a good read. It is not very detailed on technical aspects, nor pretends to be a comprehensive re-tracing of the cave diving history. It does however weave in suspense filled short stories the beginnings of cave diving, its major players and their accomplishments. Without the boring list type of dry dates, names and events. Will interest the few passionate about the sport, as well as all adrenaline rush and adventure seekers. To me, it gave a backdrop, a character and a soul to many of those names I looked up to when I started venturing deeper and longer in the underwater realm.

New to technical diving, I found this historical perspective very interesting. Being French, I was most impressed by Burgess' firsts stories about early dives by pioneers. Each chapter recounts a Cave diving exploration history, and can be read independently. It is also well written, in an entertaining style and does not try to play it too "tekkie". The focus is on exploration. I spent a straight week nights on it, and loved it all the way down. You gonna be hooked.

'Robert Burgess succeeds in conveying the excitement, eloquently painting pictures of the sights and describing the intellectual challenges and satisfactions, masterfully mixing adventure with history, sociology, archaeology and some hard-learned lessons in physics. There are chapters with unexpectedly happy endings and others detailing tragic mistakes made in this unforgiving environment... it is easy to see why this book earned a 'Book of the Year' award from Forward Magazine... As a photographer, Burgess is able to add another dimension to this book... Burgess' photos cover many decades and many caves... Overall, the book is a delight, entertaining and an easy read. It's a great vacation book, full of adventure, divided into chapters that can easily stand alone or mesh together...[Burgess] masterfully glides the reader through tales of history that cavers and non-cavers will enjoy.' Susan Brillhart Book Review IMMERSED. The International Technical Diving Magazine

Super fast shipping!!! We can not wait to use this map when we go to Kauai!!!! Aloha!!!!

There has been some concern that this map might not be waterproof. I assure you that it IS waterproof. The "paper" it is printed on is actually a type of very thin plastic, which is why it doesn't fall apart in water, and it is very much rip resistant. The ink Franko uses is also waterproof, so there's no way it can get ruined in the ocean, on boat trips, in sweaty hands, etc.
As a side note, for those people who like the feel of a thick, laminated map, I've seen these laminated too. They are flat like a placemat. Obviously these are also waterproof.

I'm taking this with me on my trip to Kauai. It is a very nice map and shows a lot of detail for snorkling, hiking, etc.

The map was great for finding all the fun stuff to do on the island. Since Kauai is an island it was great the way it broke down all the beaches, snorkelling, and dive sites. The map was accurate for the mountains and land information. The "Tyvek" material proved very durable even through rainy days. I thought it was expensive at first but after using it for the week it was well worth the money. I don't believe there is a better map available.

Excellent for snorkeling and diving locations, but sorely lacking on the surf spots.

Too good. Eye opening. Easy to read. It will be kept in my library for references. I learned so much about our oceans and mankind.

This is an eye-opening, informative look at the history of the world's fisheries throughout time. From early fisheries in Europe, to the discovery of virgin seas around the world, this book gives a detailed and interesting look at fishing practices including long line fishing, trapping, and trawling. The startling decline of the world's fisheries is discussed with much detail including many examples which were somewhat repetitive. The author also gives hope of reestablishing healthy fisheries by citing many recent changes in nation's policies regarding fishing. This is a well written book that reflects the author's efforts and research. It was written to educate people on the conditions of the oceans. The author also gives a refreshing look at conservation by not simply criticizing the state of the oceans, but by providing a plan that may help reverse the effects of hundreds of years of over-fishing. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in gaining a greater understanding of the history of the world's fisheries.

This is a MUST READ if you are interested in the ocean environment. This book is staggeringly comprehensive in its coverage of the many centuries of fishing as they developed and how they resulted in the ocean destruction that exists today.

Unfortunately it was, to me, so verrrryyyy dry that I really had to work hard to finish. If you like endless excerpts from the old salts journals (with old language styles and the accompanying mispellings), you may have a more favorable reaction.

The facts and statistics of over-fishing will blow you away! It should serve as a clarion call for us to get busy and take measures to focus some attention on this critical ocean world.

This review refers to the paperback version, 2007, Gaia thinking.

The author builds a very extensive window on the condition of all marine life over the past 1000 years. His research is based on ancient texts, skipper logbooks, diaries of explorers and in more recent times more comprehensive fishery data and scientific articles. The book is full with citations from all these sources which give the reader a close look on the experiences of those who where amazed by the marine life.

The bounty he describes in the seas from the past are at times hard to imagine. Sturgeons as big as cows in European rivers, fish shoals who push the river water upwards, uncountable numbers of whales in their breeding bay in California. Although it is clear that the author is passionate about marine life, he presents the facts without bias and the book has an extensive reference list at the end.

The book focusses on the central theme of over-fishing and its detrimental impact on the state of all marine life. As the book advances (into time) fishing effort increases and marine life gradually deteriorates. Reading chapter after chapter makes you sad, helpless and angry to see in what dire state we pushed all the seas of the world.

However, the book ends with three fairly brief chapters to restore the balance. The changes in fishery management that the author proposes are quiet surprising but on the same time elegant and more reasonable to achieve compared to current practices. The final chapter is a documented call for extensive world marine reserves. The abundance he describes in some present day reserves is fuelling hope for better times.

If you love the sea, if you love fish or fishing, please read this book.

Only minor point is fairly few pictures in the book, although the old photographs with huge fish caught make up for most of it.

Read it, be shocked and spread the word, so we can fix what was broken.

The problem with the oceans is that you can't see what's going on down there. Foresters can count trees, birdwatchers have "life lists", but fishery managers can only weigh a catch and guesstimate the numbers. That's the fish that are landed - those and other life caught in nets or hooks disappear uncounted and unreported. "Counting" fish has been a problem since ancient times and the sea has remained a realm of mystery right up to the present. Ironically, as Callum Roberts points out in this informative study, it's those who have harvested sea life - often in immeasurable quantities, who have helped reveal something of what goes on beneath the waves.

Roberts understands the need for fishers. Sea life is a substantial form of protein, particularly when land animals are expensive or unattainable. Men have fished from shore, from coast-hugging boats and from ships drawing a wide variety of gear through the water seeking dinner for demanding thousands. Anyone casting into the nearest river or lake will describe fish as "fickle", unresponsive to the most adroitly placed lure. Ocean fishers, however, trailing extended nets or other gear have the same complaint for other reasons. Where have the fish gone? Roberts points out that human fishing of the seas has undergone three revolutions - trawl nets in the 14th Century, steam power, and deep ocean fishing in the 20th Century. Each of these revolutions was a step in finding the missing fish. Each has proven a way to exhaust the ocean's bounty in a short time. The fish have disappeared.

As he tours through time and place, the author portrays the greed and unreflecting view of fishers, government and even science. There's a great irony in this story in the person of Thomas Henry Huxley, Darwin's champion in expanding recognition of the theory of natural selection. Huxley, in a British government enquiry into how "beam trawls" affected fishing, firmly declared that stirring up the bottom with weighted nets actually brought up nutrients for the fish. Their numbers would increase from the practice, not diminish! Such was the state of knowledge of the seas only a century and a half past. Knowledge has improved but little in the ensuing time period, and what has been learned has been even more detrimental to the fish. Powerful ships, huge, heavy nets and sonar have given fishers valuable tools in locating shoals. Yet, the number of fish available is clearly diminishing. Why is that?

The chief reason is failure to understand the ecology of the seas. Counting catch methods tend to focus on single, usually prime species. The effect of removing large numbers of these is too poorly known. It has long been assumed that removing the larger individuals allows more opportunity for the younger fish to feed and breed. Is that a valid belief? In Canada, over a decade after a "moratorium" on cod fishing, the stocks have not recovered. One reason seems to be that older fish, knowing the spawning sites for their group - and each site apparently has its own group - aren't there to show the youngsters the way. Other fisheries have depleted the cod's prey species, keeping the existing fish small and resource deprived. Similar circumstances occur in other locations. The dredging of sea bottoms has turned food chain foundations into oceanic deserts. This seems particularly true around seamounts, which Roberts terms "refuelling stops" for large predator species such as tuna. In effect, present fishing methods are eliminating parts of the food chain - from bottom-feeders to the very top - which includes this reviewer and his readers, you. Modern fishing techniques also produce immense amount of "bycatch", undesired species, along with other animals such as turtles and sea birds such as the albatross. Are there solutions to prevent the elimination of many forms of ocean life and restore those links in the food chain?

Roberts' last three chapters deserve the closest study by fishers, international agencies and everybody who eats fish. The numbers he presents are appalling: three-tenths of one per cent of fish stocks estimated for only a couple of centuries ago. Species counts list one "collapse" after another, and bottom trawling has decimated huge areas. There is, however, a cure in the offing. Diving in various areas, the author has seen what can be accomplished by ocean reserves. Originally founded in some cases by researchers experimenting in selected sites, these areas were banned for fishing, in some cases actually fenced off to intruders. The rebounding of stocks, plus the time granted them to grow to substantial size, shows how effective the reserve can be. Projecting from some suggested proposals, Roberts concludes that ocean reserves be established over 30% or more of the seas. That preserved area, in collaboration with seven proposals for new fisheries management could lead to a fully sustainable recovery of fish stocks. It's a formula that requires immediate attention and implementation. Is your government strong enough to assist in this seas-saving project? [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

I confess that I'm a fan of Carlos Eyles. This is the first of his several books that I've read. His writing is simple yet engaging. And his accounts are amazing. He writes of freediving with schooling hammerheads, leapfrogging among the territories of various sharks with each coming to "greet" him, and of the adventures in simply sailing to and from the Sea of Cortez where much of this book is set. Perhaps equally importantly, this book is set in the not so distant, but very different past. I read this book before heading to the Sea of Cortez and was struck by the impact upon the life which we've wrought. Put simply, but sadly, this is not an account which could be written today, or by anyone other than Mr. Eyles.

Carlos Eyles is a master of relaying the underwater world to divers and land-dwellers alike, and reveals his experiences, his thoughts and soul in his writing. On a single breath, he truly becomes part of the underwater seascape and -- to me -- makes the ocean seem a better place by having HIM in it. His stewardship of conservation, his unflynching narrative of his own life and his interactions with denizens of the deep make him and exceptional storyteller, author and teacher. I would give this book TEN stars out of five.

In a book that falls under the radar of anyone that cares about the natural world because of its diving subject matter, Carlos Eyles' "The Blue Edge" is one of the most important books of this generation for numerous reasons. First of which is that Carlos is one hell of a writer. His snappy, clear yet deeply descriptive writing echoes John Steinbeck at his best.

It is, on first glance, a first rate adventure, but like many works of art that survive through the generations, it is multi-layered and multi-faceted. Woven into the main narrative is the parallel story of Carlos life. This is where the heart of the book lies, for in these biographical sections, we learn that Carlos through trail and error, but especially with great introspection, came to realize simple truths that lie dormant within us all buried in the mire of fear, noise and the seductions of the material world.

Like famed marine biologist/philosopher and pal of John Steinbeck, Ed Ricketts, Carlos lacks the excess baggage of high-falutin' university degree in science, and because of this finds much greater profound truths than any marine biologist and for that matter, psychologist or philosopher could.

Now for something different. This is a breath-hold diver recollection book and one where scuba doesn't always looks so good. It's as different from the stack of northeastern wreck diving books I've recently read as is possible, and so is the author, Carlos Eyles. Eyles was born in Hawaii where he began his love affair with the sea, then relocated to Southern California where he never was quite happy. Born in 1941, Eyles' life meandered here and there, with far more extreme undulations than most. He was a family man on a career path, a dedicated spearfisherman, a near-drifter living on a small craft in a marina, went back to a successful career and the conventional American dream, dabbled in Timothy Leary-like explorations, gave it all up again to live in and on the sea, sailed and explored for years in hermit-like fashion, lived on a beach in the Fiji islands, returned, got married again and sort of settled into a career as a writer and underwater photographer. Whew.

The Blue Edge chronicles his life in an interesting fashion. Presented as a day-by-day diary of a two-month journey in the mid 1990s through the Sea of Cortez, the wild waters between Mexico and the Baha California, and the island of San Benedicto Eyles uses the trip as a framework for reflections on everything he experienced, everything he saw and felt and believes in. Much revolves around his lifelong fascination with breath-hold diving and spearfishing. We witness his development as a man, never quite finding himself, or finding undue obstacles in his way, like dwindling funds, friends and partners who do not understand, and, perhaps most cruelly, a near-fatal fish poisoning that leaves him permanently limited and unable to ever eat seafood again. An ironic fate indeed for a man who hunts and lives off the sea. Eyles also presents a disconcerting account of how commercial fishing and other activities by men have ravaged and nearly eliminated the once teeming variety of nature found under the sea. The wilderness he had witnessed in his early days vanishes before his very eyes, and he is angered and deeply concerned.

Scuba diving readers will find in Eyles a man completely dedicated to breath-hold diving, one convinced that this is the only way to become one with nature and truely experience it all. Scuba is just another excess of technology, one that slows us, separates us from nature, and squelches our natural instincts and senses. In that sense, The Blue Edge reminds of Cousteau's constant praise of the freedom and weighlessness the "aqualung" provides over the clumsy, ponderous gear that weighs down helmet divers. Only this time it's scuba equipment that is robbing the diver of freedom. Depth gauges and such, bah, humbug.

The shark is a constant theme in The Blue Edge. Eyles fears them as a child, and only gradually overcomes the fear, never being comfortable with sharks. That is, of course, in part due to the spearfisherman's very difference experience with sharks. When you battle a bleeding fish, sharks will come; you're practically bait. So Eyles tells us a lot of sharks, what they do, how they move. And unlike most scuba books that describe sharks as a non-issue as long as you behave properly, Eyles relates many dangerous and potentially fatal encounters, even without bleeding fish. Yet, he seeks them out, even becomes "one of the pack" in beautifully described sequences of encounters with hammerheads.

The Blue Edge is interesting reading. There's adventure, wonderful description of sealife (mantas, whales, sharks, numerous others), different species and their behavior, the essence of spearfishing, and, always, the philosophy behind it all. It's tempting to view Eyles as a man of the 60s, a hippy who never quite got over it, but that's not it. What he describes is simply the life of a man hopelessly dedicated to the sea, and his struggles to be one with it, regardless of the cost which, at times, is high. There is a good degree of mystical elaborations, but it never takes over. There is much bitterness over the commercialization of once pristine lands and seas, and especially the shortsighted exploitation that threatens to leave the oceans barren, lifeless dumps. But that, too, never completely takes over and certainly never mars the enjoyment of this remarkable book that is both the diary of a diving trip and a diary of a lifetime. -- C. H. Blickenstorfer, scubadiverinfo.com

I have a bias towards this book: I have met Carlos Eyles and taken his free dive class in Hawaii. Relating to a book is different once you have met the author.

For this review, I'll assume there are three categories of readers who may find this type of book worthwhile: ocean adventurers, armchair explorers, and environmentalists.

The ocean adventurers will be inspired by this book to go deeper into their ocean forays, that is, to challenge themselves by pushing their comfort zones. The armchair explorers will enjoy the ride, vicariously experiencing the thrills, chills and amazing insights Carlos shares along his journey. The environmentalists may be moved to take action to help protect the sea when they read about the mindless destruction some humans have caused (and are still causing) and what this portends for the ocean ecosystem.

As for the writing, it mirrors the author's moods based on what he's sharing with the reader during any particular passage: the story drags during the parts where Carlos himself dragged on his journey, and it shines when Carlos himself was inspired and living on the edge, literally and metaphorically. He's not an experienced writer, but his storytelling can be compelling.

To own the book for the last section, which chronicles the author's explorations around San Benedicto Island, is reason enough. In that section his descriptions of sea life encounters (sharks, dolphins, mantas, etc.) are so vivid that the reader cannot help but be gripped, transported, and enlightened in the process.

Carlos is a unique person, a true pilgrim. This book is a gift from a "life artist" who has gone places and done things that few humans have. And if you as a reader fall into one of the three categories mentioned above, it's a gift well worth receiving.

It is really hard to find a good and well written book on diving. This is a great book. I couldn't set it down. Felt like it was there and in the moment. Made me want to postpone diving the Doria to dive the Empress. Exelent Book. If you like this book then you should check out Fatal Depth, and Deep Descent. Both also great books.

Beautifully written! McMurray shares with us his passion for the Empress and all of her history. He shares with us her majestic beauty above the sea, as well as beneath the sea. I never knew of the Empress of Ireland until reading this book, and I will visit her site one day. McMurray not only writes about the Empress and the divers that love her, but he makes the reader want to be included in that world, too. Thank you Mr. McMurray for writing such a touching story.

A good book, a great book, actually. Although I'm more impressed with The Last Attempt, The true Story of Freediving Champion Audrey Mestre and the Mystery of her death" by Carlos Serra.

That book gave me goose bumps, especially on the way the whole story develops and the twist in the end. Expect something like The Sixth Sense with Bruce Willis, because the final point about Audrey's death is in your face throughout the narrative but hard to see until it's told by the author. Amazing book The Last Attempt!

Make no mistake, this is as complete a work on the ship "Empress of Ireland" as one might wish to find. The story of the tragedy itself is told in fascinating detail and the individual accounts of personal loss, survival and even the death of a professional salvage diver in the days following the demise of this once great ship reveal a level of research which is both thorough and complete.

It all happened in 1914, only two years after the loss of the Titanic but also only a few months before Europe would be plunged into a conflict which would become known as the Great War, or the War to end all Wars. How curious, therefore, that the story of the Titanic lives on - and on, and that that of the Empress of Ireland seems to have become lost alongside the wreck itself.

Anyone wanting to know anything at all about the Empress of Ireland need hardly look further than this book - which is, indeed a job well done. My only criticism is reserved for the standard of reproduced photographs - some of which are no bigger than postage stamps and many of which are not clear.

First class reference material for historians, anyone with an interest and, especially, those contemplating diving the wreck itself. Read the book first, you might just change your mind.

NM

While the book reads quickly, it is no page-turner. Unlike Shadow Divers or The Last Dive, the descriptions of the dives were not gripping. I did find the local politics of controlling the dive site to be interesting, but only a diver would.

The reason the book is not a page-turner is that there is no spine to the story. True, there is a central theme to the book, namely, the Empress of Ireland, but that is a ship, not a person. Stories about objects simply can't evoke much emotion from readers unless the object is anthropromorphized (think Pinocchio). Hollywood has made a number of movies about cars, guns, hotel rooms, and other things that pass from one person to another and what happens to those people while in possession of the thing, and those movies all suffer from the same problem: they are episodic in nature. There is nothing inherently bad about being episodic, but a book of short stories usually can't sustain your interest in the same way as a novel can.

So Dark Descent is good reportage of a series of incidents involving the Empress of Ireland, but I think it of interest mainly to divers. I wouldn't recommend it to a friend unless the friend was a diver or an armchair technical diver.