Customer Reviews (1)

US cave-diving manual
The National Speleological Society Cave Diving Section's earlier "NSS Cave Diving Manual" was published in 1992 and getting pretty long in the tooth. This new book, with fifty-six chapters by thirty-five authors, goes a long way toward filling the need for an update. As the title suggests, a few of the chapters ramble or are more essays than articles, but it all adds up to something close to the comprehensive guide promised in the subtitle. The area most conspicuously missing is communication by hand or light signals among team members. There is some redundancy; two chapters on biology are very similar, and two chapters cover the same five safety principles resulting from accident analyses. Side-mount diving, mixed-gas diving, rebreathers, and sump diving have all become a lot more common in the last fifteen years, and this new book covers these new developments extensively. Especially notable is a nice article by Joe Kaffl on sump diving, a topic Florida cave divers seldom thought about years ago. (Florida-type cave divers hope the underwater passage is long and deep. Sump divers hope is it short and shallow and leads to more dry cave, but sometimes it is neither short nor shallow, and generally it is unpleasant.)

In many places a drawing or purpose-made photograph would have helped to clarify things. With no useful illustration, I'm completely befuddled by Jason Richards's detailed description of his side-mount rig. There are some helpful illustrations in Kaffl's sump-diving article, but most of the black-and-white photos that are present elsewhere appear intended mainly to decorate the pages, and many are too dark. The copyright page contains misleading information about the identity of the publisher. The inadequate margins could have been fixed without adding pages by using slightly less immense type. The index proved useful when I checked back to confirm that "helictite" was indeed misspelled, but what is one supposed to make of a list of seven pages under "woman," followed by a list of nine under "women"? There are scores of distractingly ungrammatical uses of "they" and "their" as singular pronouns. That so many authors did that makes me wonder whether they've been embarrassed by an editor. The author of the geology chapter seems to think that sandstone dissolves less readily than limestone because quartz is physically harder than calcite.

But all that fussing is just part of my continuing campaign to encourage excellence in cavers' publications. Most of you will have figured out by now that I'm a lot fussier than you are. I recommend this book, warts and all, as an interesting and informative read, even for someone who has never taken a breath out of a tank in his life and doesn't plan to, like me.--Bill Mixon ... Read more

Product Description
A SCOUTING APPROACH TO WILD CAVES The NSS has long wished it had a good video introduction to caving. Well, the Scouts have beaten them to it! This very thorough production looks at everything from caving equipment and techniques, to cavern genesis, to vertical work and self-rescue. And it's all neatly packaged into 10-minute chapters. This program is very professional and won a Merit Award at the 1999 Video Salon. ... Read more

Product Description
Caverns Measureless to Man is the story of the passion of an extraordinary individual who spent his life exploring underwater caves. For nearly 30 years Sheck Exley was the leader. He set records, he developed the techniques, and he maintained the highest standards of excellence. Sheck lived a life of adventure, danger, and excitement of a degree that few people can ever dream of, or, if they do, those dreams are nightmares. If you participate on the highest level, you know that some of your best friends are going to die. If you continue to push yourself and your equipment to the limits--if you persist in being a world class diver as Sheck was--the chances are very high that you, too, will die.

This book may terrify you, but it will unquestionably fascinate you, and in the end, Sheck Exley will convince you that his death came to him in the midst of the incredibly intense joy he took in diving into the depths of the earth. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

Red in 3 days
This was a great book.. I started my cave diving train last Nov. and it was suggested by me instructor that I read this book.Since then I have a few other book also suggest that I read this book.So finally last week I got the book.I am not a big read but was already reading a book so this one set on the shelf a few days.When I finally started reading it I was hook and finishedit in 3 days.

It is amazing the things these guys did with this early equipment.It is surprising that they didn't all die at a very young age.This is a must read for every cave diver and strong suggestion for all other divers.Or those that have any idea about becoming a cave diver.

Caverns Measureless to Man
Long out of print and very hard to obtain, it was great to see this book re-issued and available through Amazon.

This is an excellent book, well written and a great 'read'. It is an autobiographical account of the cave diving exploits of Sheck Exley, but also comprises a very good history of beginning cave diving in Florida, Mexico and some other areas. The extensive descriptions of the many Florida and Mexico caves was most appreciated - especially in light of what can be read now on various internet diving forums.

The only thing missing from the book was any mention of the WKPP (Woodville Karst Plain Project).

If you enjoy reading books about SCUBA diving, and especially about cave diving, then this book should be on your bookshelf.

-R

For those interested in the more Technical side of SCUBA
I always thought that I wouldn't like cave diving, until I read this book.It is well written and flows well.A nice well rounded story of cave diving.Enough to pull you in if you have even the inkling of interest in the topic.

The Best book on cave diving!
This is an absolute must for every technical/overhead diver but also an intriguing super enjoyable book for all divers and non-divers alike. Exley was not only the best cave diver ever but a great writer too. You will not put it down!

A Must Read for Folks Interested in Cave Diving
Hard to put down. It's an exhilarating ride for an autobiography. The history of cave diving is the history of Sheck Exley. He pioneered many of the cave diving protocols and risked his life testing the theories. All divers owe Sheck our gratitude.

Highly recommended. ... Read more

Product Description
During the fall of 1987 a team of some 20 explorers and scientists from the United States, Great Britain, and Mexico gathered at Wakulla Spring, Florida, for ten weeks to work on an unusual project. There were three principal objectives:1. To explore and map Wakulla Spring to the limit of existing technology.2. To test an experimental computer controlled diving system that held promise to extend significantly the capability, and to enhance the safety of explorers and scientists working underwater.3. To conduct a comprehensive study of the hydrology, geology, and biology of Wakulla Spring, and the artesian aquifier that feeds it. ... Read more

Product Description
Diving on a budget; Diving for Treasure; Underwater Hunting; Cave Diving; Killer Fishes; Ten Best Diving Areas; Underwater Photography ... Read more