Scuba Diving Books

A welcome new volume for collectors of top-flight underwater photo books. And a wonderful pictorial introduction to undersea life for the future scuba diver. Amazing shots, representing countless hours of quiet stalking, interspersed with startling chance encounters captured on film.

I have the book. I was wowed by the bright colors and informed by the descriptions. I think that this book has tables all over the world with it's name on it.

Bright Waters is a wonderful resource to use when somebody asks - "What kind of things do you see when you are diving?
The book provides an insight into a beautiful and fascinating world that is so often misunderstood and feared. The pictures are clear and well crafted and the author has provided a wonderful window into the underwater world.

A wonderful coffee-table addition. The two hundred photos of fish, whales, shipwrecks, octopi, and other colorful sea creatures are a delight. Many of the pictures come with accompanying brief text that helps the reader to understand the photo. The book is even more impressive when one understands that the author/photographer is currently 78 years young and took many of these pictures at an age when many of us were just thinking about the La-Z Boy and the television. The book makes me want to get back to scuba diving.

"Bright Waters" is an incredible journey to the depths of the ocean that only a scant few ever witness.
From the darkest, most obscure places--lightened only by the color provided by the nature of the underwater species--the author and artist, Nancy Ferguson, shows an uncanny skill with her camera.
Highlights include the perception of an "angel" on the wing of a stingray, a scorpionfish "lollygagging" comfortably on his ocean "lawn," dazzling, living floral arrangements ready to retreat at any second if disturbed and the graceful eel that appears to have snowflakes--living snowflakes--brightening the moment.
This masterpiece has everything from cup corals and angelfish to fish that have put on their clown makeup to further amaze the senses.
You'll see undersea parrots, kissing fish and the bluest of blue on the banner fish.
And, yes, for you jazz fans, there is the unique trumpet fish...but this one looks like a clarinet!
It's an amazing 200 pages!
This creation...this work of art...this opus...deserves five stars...and more!

Paul Lees has a new book published more recently titled "Globetrotter Dive Guide: Thailand". I have not read either so I can't say definitively that this is an updated version, but it is by the same author. Search in Amazon for ISBN number 1859747043.

Hope this helps.

I just came back from a livaboard dive trip to southern Thailand. The boat I was on had a copy of this book and almost every place I went was well described. I'm ording a copy for myself to better document my past dives, and plan my future ones. I really appreciated having the book with me. The only thing missing was a map of each dive site.

This is the best book about dive sites in Thailand on the market right now. However, it is quite old already because now that new dive sites have been discovered and some old dive sites have been reserved. Still, 90% of this book works just fine!

As a novice diver, I found this guide amazingly easy to read. Sites are rated on a 5 star system for both diving and snorkeling separately. Information on approach and typical conditions are given. Typical things that will be seen are also given. Icons for quick reference on each site such as approach by boat or shore, skill level, and other information make finding suitable dive sites a cinch.

For the diver or tourist who is contemplating a visit to Thailands reefs this book is an absolute gem. Ideal for divers and snorkellers of all standards, it is well presented and extremely informative. The number and quality of the sites reviewed is very good and it must be noted that the information concerning other divers needs ie. accomodation, equipment hire, dive companies, photography and medical arrangements is equally commendable. A reference book that I can guarantee will be well thumbed for a good few years.

This is a very imformative work, although it could do with being updated. Probably the best reference book of BVI dive sites for professional and recreational divers alike.

If you want a realy good book for diving at the BVI then take this one. I got all of my informations out of this book and all dives where fine. The only thing i missed was a map with stations for tank refill.

Jim and Odile Scheiner have been photographing and diving the BVI since long before any Bush's were in the white house. Their diving expertise and professionaly crafted photgraphs will guide you to some of the best diving in this area. Don't travel to the BVI without this book if you're planning any diving! It's that good.

If you're planning a bareboat charter in the British Virgin Islands and would like to head off to dive sites on your own then this is the book you need. The book contains dive site locations, mooring locations, skill requirements, weather considerations, site layouts, suggested underwater routes, and dive descriptions. We arrived in the Virgin Islands with a bag of dive books and this is the one that we used over and over again!

We're divers who have visited BVI several times, and we think Jim Scheiner's bok is the best guide available for diving the islands. - Jim and his wife Odile are accomplished videographers and photographers with a shop at Baskin in the Sun's location in the Prospect Reef resort in Tortola, and they have extensive knowledge of the area- they're passing some of this knowledge on to visiting divers. - My only wish is they'd expand the book in its next edition, as there are so many interesting BVI dives sites!

My granddaughter is a scuba diver so I thought she would find this book interesting. The colorful cover caught my eye. After I bought it I read it and sent it to my granddaughter. I liked it so much I bought one for myself. There was a lot of helpful information about Cuba for non-divers. I had been in Cuba as a young man. I am impressed at the wealth of information, maps and charts that were in the book. The photos are fantastic.

I dive at a lot of different locations. I have always had a curiosity about Cuba. I loved the underwater photography as well as the shots of the country and the people. Amy has a way of making the book informative and entertaining. After reading the book I have put Cuba on my TO DO LIST for places to see. It would be great to dive in some of the places in the book that are still unspoiled. I liked the fact that the book was spiral bound and a manageble size to slip in with my dive gear.

I loved the gorgeous photos. The research was thorough. It was presented in "no nonsense" language. The charts and maps were easy to understand. I learned a lot about the Cuban culture and the country in addition to the dive information. I am not a diver, but it kept my attention. It was great to see Cuba from the perspective of someone that has acutally been there and experienced the culture. Amy Houghton has a flare for describing things in such a way, you want to go there to see it for yourself. It was great to finally read a book about Cuba that did not have a political agenda.

"Cuba Scuba is the first comprehensive guide to the Cuban diving scene. It is obvious Cuba Scuba offers not only a comprehensive listing of hotels, dive resorts and dive sites throughout the country, but also valuable information and insights for US Citizens who wish to experience Cuba legally and hassle free. I would recommend this book to any diver who is planning a visit to Cuba."

Cuba Scuba is a very comprehensive book about Cuba, not only the diving spots, but almost everything that pertains to Cuba.
I found myself lost in a world full of joy and excitement when I started reading the book. Through the eyes of Amy I was able to see what I did not see before and what a wonderful world we live in. I became very encouraged to take Scuba diving lessons to live the experience, and who knows I may join the scuba diving team one day!!
Everything in the book attracted me; the eloquent style and the live photos conveyed to me the nice reality of Cuba. Read it and enjoy it.

This novel integrates several different tools, each individually useful in understanding personality, into a powerful way to evaluate and grow a corporate culture. The organization that I am involved with is currently using the tools described in this novel to great results.

Island of Excellence is an insightful book that explains corporate culture in a truly insightful way. Mark Bodnarczuk breaks the mold of corporate literature with this unique novel. While Island of Excellence succinctly explains corporate culture and ways to tap into its creative power, it also speaks to the individual. It has helped me greatly in my personal, as well as professional life. The lessons I've learned have helped me form a new understanding about my relationships at work along with a better understanding of how I fit into the culture of my workplace. This book is a must read for anyone who wants to understand corporate culture and thrive in their workplace.

Island Of Excellence: 3 Powerful Strategies For Building Creative Organizations is a must read for any business executive or manager looking to gain a competitive edge to drive their organization to higher levels of performance. The author, Mark Bodnarczuk, combines the solitude of scuba diving the spectacular reefs of Papua New Guinea to explore the corporate and personal lives of nine characters attending a life altering dive workshop. This "Teaching Novel" has provided me insight on how to set free the creative thinking within our organization and allow individuals to find meaning and significance in their work. An eye-opening book that I highly recommend!

Using Fictional Characters relating to Jungian and Enneagram models, Mark Bodnarczuk, takes the reader on a journey exploring the inner self. In a unique approach to the "Corporate Book" Mark invites the reader to identify with one of the characters and discover their own internal conflicts that prevent them from fully experiencing their potential for excellence and success. Mark's book takes us a step beyond just identifying leadership traits and obstacles, to recognizing, understanding, and overcoming those obstacles to unleash our full potential. I am on my third read of Mark's book and discover new insights each time. His principles have helped me achieve greater success not only as a CEO, but also in my personal life.

This book was one of the best books I've read in recent memory. The writer, Mark Bodnarczuk, uniquely used fictional characters to make a very complex subject enjoyable to read and easy to retain. His insights into how personalities affect work performance and teamwork were especially helpful. I've applied his principles in my organization and found them to improve teammwork, employee morale and organizational productivity. I would recommend this book to anyone who desires an understanding of human personalities, how people's personalities impact teamwork and how understanding personalities improves business performance.

The book gifs an good overall view to the beginning, or more experienced doctor (or layman) in the physiology and pathophysiology of hyperbaric medicine. The book is rather complete and easy to read, it reads more as a novel than a scientific book. I use it as standard book for many questions in the field of diving or hyperbaric medicine. Besides this it gives a view at the treatment of diving disorders.

The book gifs an good overall view to the beginning, or more experienced doctor (or layman) in the physiology and pathophysiology of hyperbaric medicine. The book is rather complete and easy to read, it reads more as a novel than a scientific book. I use it as standard book for many questions in the field of diving or hyperbaric medicine. Besides this it gives a view at the treatment of diving disorders.

physiology and medicine of divin

This book is probably the standard work in the field of diving physiology. The contributers are the leaders in the field and this well referenced and thought out book is certainly a must for people who are involved in diving research and development.

The reason for only 4 out of 5 is that the book is probably too technical for the average person you need a reasonably good background in both physiology and hyperbaric medicine to get a true benefit from this book.

Otherwise a seminal text in the field

This is an in depth treatment of the physiology of diving. We use it as a reference at the UCLA Gonda Center for Wound Healing and Hyperbaric Medicine where we operate two large recompression chambers. The style is readable and useful, but I believe that interest in it will be limited to physicians, physiologists,and kinesiologists. For those interested in a less in-depth treatment consider the excellent U.S. Navy Diving Manual available on CD-ROM.
Another text more heavily weighted towards medicine is Diving Medicine by Bove. All three of these texts grace are shelves and are referred to regularly.
If the price puts you off, try lurking until a used one comes up.

Inspirational, Insightful, Intelligent, Educational, and Funny! These are just a few of the words I would use to describe this book. Having known Bill for 38 years, and having the honor of being one of his students, has changed my life. I was fortunate enough to be included in his final class, after he had "retired" from teaching. I became certified in January of 1987. After doing our open-water dives in Crystal River, Florida, and witnessing the mating and nursing of the manatee, I was hooked! Six months later, I had moved from central Ohio to Maui, Hawaii, and in the following years, continued my education up to instructor. I have since traveled to my own exotic places, and met incredible people along the way. Thanks Bill, for being such an inspiration, and a friend!

I thoroughly enjoyed reading "Taking the Plunge" by Bill McBride. I never thought I would want to breathe using a tank. Any apprehensions I had were easily dispelled upon reading the last chapter,"Is Scuba for you"? Bill is a very knowledgable, experienced diver and he writes in quite the entertaining fashion that motivates anyone who is even the least bit interested in scuba diving to want to take a class and explore the world, underwater.

I not only read the book but we have it for sale in our retail outlet. It appears to be only about scuba diving but in reality it has a lot of lives lessons and is a very entertaining book.

I would recommend it to any one that would like to read a "real" book from a "real" man, on his life in the diving industry.

I totally enjoyed reading this book. I am the "youngest daughter" that doesn't like to get in the water with living things, and found Dad's book totally captivating and enlightening. Before I read Dad's book, I had "taken the plunge" ,sorta, and snorkled in some tropical waters and found the ocean life fascinating! After reading this book, I am truly motivated to "taking the bigger plunge". I recommend this book to anyone who has even "thought" about diving.

After reading "Taking the Plunge" by Bill McBride I would like you to know my reaction to this extremely well written, informative book. The humerous stories Mr.McBride shared were priceless. I found his early experiences and how he could find humor in difficult and sometimes dangerous situations to be both facinating and funny. I also enjoyed reading about some of the people that accompanied him on various diving trips around the world. It is well written in a way that can be enjoyed by both scuba divers and non scuba divers. Please keep books of this quality on your list.

Cathy Dittmar Tucson, Az.

I was surprised to find out that the title did not tell the truth. The writers did not include half the world. The indian ocean for example is missing.

This book is a must for anyone who enjoys water activities. It is a terrific book for beginners and also for those who are advanced in snorkeling.

I love this guide. My dive vacations are strickly to take underwater photos and being able to plan ahead makes my life so much easier. It gives me the airlines, the resorts with prices, when I can expect good weather. It's like having a personal travel planner. I would not plan a Caribbean dive trip without consulting this trustworthy book.

While most travel guides give vague descriptions about snorkeling or send me to places with nothing to see, Best Dives Snorkeling Adventures gives complete vacation planning details with maps and directions to terrific places in each destination to snorkel off the beach, sign up for a boat trip. IT COVERS all the best Caribbean, Bahamas and Bermuda snorkeling sites, the dive shops that will take you on boat tours and resorts that are especially dive-friendly. Great for families, novice and experienced divers.

As I have already said in another review of this man's work, for those who knew the late Rob Palmer, as I once did, I think most would agree he was difficult to like but easy to respect for his work. In life he always sought to be different - and in many ways that was from where his great gift of being a diving pioneer came. Until his early death just a few short years ago (already!) Rob Palmer was the one man who knew more about true Blue Holes than any other person on earth.

In 1985 I was appointed Chief Diver for Operation Raleigh and Rob was one of the Diving Officer's responsible for a specific diving project out in the field. Because of his own particular skills and experience, I was aware that he at least "knew what he was doing."

Today, all divers who call themselves "Technical Diver" because of their use of mixed gases, Nitrox etc, owe something to the Rob Palmers of this world for their pioneering work in testing different gases to different extents - so that we who follow may dive ever deeper and ever further - in greater safety.

This book puts into perspective his work with regard to the Blue Holes over many years. It explains the successes, the disappointments and the excitement that went hand in glove with this particular sphere of exploration. It is well written and tells a very important story. Whether or not you personally get to dive the Blue Holes of the Caribbean - this is a book which every scuba diver should read.

Having personally "been there, done that and got the T-shirt" (Really!) I fully recommend the Blue Holes if only because they offer a different type of diving from anywhere else in the world. Should you feel the same way and want to learn more about these incredible phenomena - especially the Blue Holes of the Bahamas, then this book becomes essential reading.

NM

Palmer uses a fine documentative approach, weaving the evolution and aspects of technical diving with the biology and history of the Andros Island blue holes and caves. The challenging, sometimes fatal experiences of diving these beautiful caves is described in a smooth almost conversational style. A great read for divers, and anyone interested in the Caribbean.

I once had a copy of this book; sadly, no longer. I loaned it to a friend who moved to higher places and well, I never got my book back.

Although not a caver or a cave diver myself (I am too scared of tight little dark holes), this book is very appealing for that very fact - the "squeezes" that the divers go through to find the "ultimate" cave makes for terrific reading. So much so that it could (almost) make me take to cave diving. The book has numerous full colour plates showing the terrific underwater scenery of the Blue Holes (of Andros Island in the Bahamas). If you're into diving pictures, they alone are worth the book.

Rob Palmer is one of cave diving's greats. He's dived with pretty much the who's who in the world of cave and 'extreme' (depth) divers. While the book tells in detail hopw each dive is conquered, sobering thoughts jump to mind when a story relates how the divers turn a bend in the channel they think they are the first to discover, and find the body of a previous explorer who got lost and couldn't find his way out.....

Gripping stuff. Wish I still had my copy.

Deep Into Blue Holes is a great read if for nothing more than the adventure of going where no man had gone before. It is much more than that if the readers involve themselves in understanding the technology used in Palmer's efforts to explore deep and stay long. Cutting edge at the time and very expensive, it's now available to all cave divers. As an aside, Palmer, now deceased, is rolling over in his watery grave if he can see the ecological damage done (and still being done) to those beautiful Bahamian inner spaces. Having dived some of these myself and seen their mysterious beauty, cave divers and ecologists everywhere should unite in their efforts to prevent similar abuses to resources like these wherever they may be.

This is a great book for any diver, has lots of information not found elsewhere. I am currently working on my DiveMaster training and this is a super book for studying and preparing for the test taking.

After taking the PADI Open Water certification class, my dive buddy and myself still felt we had questions that weren't addressed in the beginner class. After looking at all of the available books, this one was the only one that sufficiently answered our questions. I think it would be appropriate for the beginner on up to the advanced.

This is an excellent source of information for the beginning or experienced diver. It covers all aspects of diving from equipment to diving physics. Each page is full of interesting and sometimes challenging multiple choice questions with the complete answers on the following page. It is a must have book for anyone who wants to know more about the sport.

For those who are in the beginning stage and would like to pursue a diving career, this book of 100 or more quizzes by Dennis Graver has it all, so to speak. I'd strongly recommend this book to all beginning until instructor level divers since it serves as an excellent reviewer of all the diving skills which you may have learned in class and/or experienced while doing actual diving. I'm impressed especially with the sections on Emergencies, Rescue, Near Drowning, and the like since they are not simply quizzes anymore but serve as guides on dealing with such situations. For all divers, this is the book for us!!!