Book Description

Customer Reviews (8)

If you like Diving
Diving: The World's Best SitesI gave this to my husband for a Christmas gift.He loved it.I don't dive but he loves it.He just got certified last year and this book gives him a lot of ideas on where to go for good diving.This book is only useful to someone who dives.Not for a vacation guide.

Don't ask questions-just buy it....
Read it cover to cover Christmas day-and over and over since

Very nice pictures and summaries
This is a good book for divers.It lists all the pertinent info about each site (i.e. water temp, sites to see, best time to visit, etc).I would definitely recommend buying this book.The pictures are awesome!

a great book
A really good book with great pictures. A source of inspiration if you're planning a diving trip. Obviously written by someone who really enjoys diving and knows what he's talking about. A lot of practical advice too. Amust for divers!

very beautiful & great
i want to know what site for the best diving.because i just pass the diving license. ... Read more

Book Description
A dive instructor is the first person to assess the general health and medical fitness of a prospective diver before he or she enters the water. Whether the diver is a recreational scuba diver, commercial, military or research diver, the same evaluation of physical fitness will apply.

Internationally recognized authors, surgeons and researchers Bennett, Cronje and Campbell collaborated on this new book, "Assessment of Diving Medical Fitness for Scuba Divers and Instructors", to provide instructors and divers a clear and concise reference addressing the principles behind the necessary medical considerations and related decisions on diving fitness. It will help instructors and active divers determine when the input from a diving physician is mandatory and how to sensibly screen prospective divers for medical problems.

"Assessment of Diving: Medical Fitness for Scuba Divers and Instructors" is also an excellent reference for first-time divers and experienced divers who may have medical questions related to their personal health and fitness. It is designed to provide advice in relatively simple non-medical language.

In the final analysis, it is the personal responsibility of each diver to make a decision whether or not to dive, and Bennett, Cronje and Campbell compiled this laymen's guide for just that purpose. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Co-Author's Review
I jumped at the chance to write about medical fitness for divers and instructors when approached to do so by Peter Bennett. I've always admired Dr. Bennett's work and felt to be in great company with him and Frans Cronje.

Instructors are in the line of fire, so to speak, when deciding if a medical problem is germaine to the decision whether or not to dive. They should not be medically responsible, but certainly should know when and when not to ask for medical backup if a problem should arise with a diver. It is with this in mind that this book should be read and kept on the desktop for reference.

The book is easy to navigate, does not insult your intelligence by talking down but does speak in easily understood terms. I'm proud to have been a part of producing this needed addition to the scuba diver's library.

Ernest S Campbell, MD

Assessment of Diving Medical Fitness For Scuba Divers and Instructors is Excellent!
Assessment of Diving Medical Fitness For Scuba Divers and Instructors is an excellent book which should be read by all divers, scuba instructors, and diving physicians! It is filled with up to date information presented in a user friendly style but comprehensive enough to educate divers of all levels, both recreational and professional.I particularly like the emphasis that Dr. Bennett places on the need to evaluate each diver's individual medical, physical and psychological components of fitness and the fact that these components should be reassessed as the diver ages and/or progresses to more challenging levels of diving. As a thirty year veteran of diving, teaching SCUBA, EMS, and Dive Accident Management programs, I wish this book had been written a long time ago!"

Dr. Hillary Viders

... Read more

Book Description
Safety must be a priority for all divers. This begins with preparedness and proper techniques. This book was written to include most, if not all, commonly encountered problems a diver may be faced with, and how to deal with them. Medically related scuba diving conditions are thoroughly reviewed and the on-site treatment is outlined for each specific ailment. In addition, a detailed review is presented of ways to identify a problem in the water, search for a victim, in-water artificial ventilation, exiting with a victim, and a whole host of other specific emergency management protocols.

"On Site Management of Scuba Diving and Boating Emergencies" will help the rescuer tip the balance in favor of the victim. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Author's Review
'On-Site Management of Scuba Diving and Boating Emergencies' was specifically written for the average layman to use as a referrence while evaluating, managing or stabalizing a victim or eventuality during a scuba diving or boating emergency.It is presented in an 'easy to understand' format and covers needed equipment, management protocols, and important tips for divers, boaters, and travelers.This single source covers a library of information.A must for all divers and boaters.

Must Read for all divers
Excellent Text. Will help keep you and your dive buddy safe. If there is a problem you can be prepared.Easy to read for all divers.You need to read this so you can help yourself.Its a long boat ride to shore. ... Read more

Book Description
A long-awaited and much-needed title has just been released by BPC. "Technical Diving in Depth" by Bruce R. Wienke is the most complete and comprehensive reference work published to date on technical diving.

It contains a mixture of technical topics, with each one self-contained and developed in relationship to diving. The topics span many disciplines and focus on a number of technical arenas.

Topics Include:
Thermodynamics, pressure and density, mechanics, gas kinetics, free and dissolved phase transfer, energy and matter interactions, nucleation and cavitation, bubbles and surfactants, oxygen dose, gas mixtures, buoyancy, gauges and tanks, compressors and regulators, maladies and drugs, statistics, risk and probability, binomial distributions, waves, transport, currents, geology, oceanography, geophysics, solar energy and radiation. References and Appendix are also included.

Targeted Audience:
Technical diver, commercial diver, diving instructor, underwater researcher, doctors, hyperbaric technicians, physiologist, physicist, chemist, mathematician, engineer or biologist. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Sifting through a ton of ore for an ounce of gold
I just could not wait to get my hands on this book, which made the read all the more disappointing.Basically, Technical Diving in Depth is a poorly organized mishmash of Dr. Wienke's ground breaking published scientific work pulled together with a smattering of useful diving information to make a book.It also includes a lot of material almost completely irrelevant to diving such as a chapter on "Gravitation and Solar Radiation"; there is even a section on rotational precession, but the real gem is the section on stellar evolution.Yeah, I always ponder stellar evolution 80 feet down on a steep coral wall.Much of the material in the latter part of the book is a grab-bag of the basic knowledge one would acquire in the course of a obtaining a bachelors degree the physical sciences presented in Reader's Digest form.Is Dr. Wienke trying to impress us with equations, does he think he is writing a comprehensive physics book?He accomplishes neither.

Several previous reviewers have conjectured that they could not understand the material because it is too hard and Dr. Wieke is so much smarter than they are.No - the material is just presented badly.A good scientist can communicate complex ideas to any reasonably intelligent person if they try (e.g. Henry Bent's `The Second Law' and anything written by Richard Feynman).That is what a teacher does.

One of the most striking examples of the complete lack of organization of this book occurs right off the bat.There is a section on the First and Second Law of Thermodynamics but it comes after the presentation of the Ideal Gas Laws.WHAT?How could a physicist do this?Well easy, Dr. Wienke makes no effort to establish the relationship between the laws of thermodynamics and the gas laws which he should know are quite sequitur.He is just regurgitating material helter-skelter out of his old first year physics books.If the good reader wishes to learn basic physics, my old copy of Halliday and Resnick is a much better resource.And please do not try to learn any chemistry from this book, a couple of the equations are just plain wrong.But the sin of sins is that little of the technical material is ever related to practical aspects of scuba diving - there are few examples and no effort is spent on providing anyone who does not already know the science any sense of relevance.Gas Laws and indeed any of the concepts in this book would be easy to teach in the context of diving (even the equations) because all the available examples are practical, visual and relate directly to diving safety; you will find none of that here.

Dr. Wienke is responsible for much of the research leading to the algorithms used in dive computers to estimate the extent of tissue saturation of breathable gasses under pressure - extremely admirable and useful work.His work has changed diving much for the better.I bought the book looking for just this work (only to later find it all on the web).But even here, he does not come out and clearly explain the physical and biological problems or the mathematical approximations.The equations ramble about almost oblivious to each other and the reader.It made me wonder if the obfuscation was just careless writing or intentional.It also made me wonder if some of the previous reviewers were afraid to say that the emperor wears no cloths.In any event, I concluded that the book's editor had to be just too intimidated by the material to make any useful contribution to the final work.No one around Dr. Wienke knew enough about what he was trying to say to be able to tell him the book was a mess.

It appears that Dr. Wienke wrote this book as a text for a course in advanced technical diving.I suppose the book could serve that purpose but only to a very select group of students and much of the material would waste their time.

So this book has no real audience.The technical material is beyond anyone without the background in physics, chemistry or engineering that would give them access to the math and such technical folk will find much of the material a poor reflection of that which they are already familiar.Scientists should look for Dr. Wienke valuable contributions to diving science on the web and in the scientific literature.Non-technical folk should continue toward more advanced diving certification through approved courses.And I'm out 58 bucks plus shipping.

Way useful, rediculously academic

I've had this book for but a few weeks, already a terribly useful resource;terrible due to its textbook format.We're talking zero pictures, not a single pop-up paper puppet and mind-numbing, tri-colored graphs, only.That said, this tomb is a complete encyclopedia, full of enough information to build a deep water secret base, the kind James Bond infiltrates from time to time.Once again, however, extended bouts of research within its pages instigate memories of a psych course I once took, "Cognitive Analysis of a Harvard History Professor".

(I didn't go to Harvard).

do you have the education required to understand?
The book was owned by a fellow diver and I was able to read it during a drive to a distant dive site. I had plenty of distractions but was able to stay attached to most of the content. Aside from requiring an extensive background foundation in Science, Chemistry, Diving in general, and High-Level Math, I was able to comprehend most of the written material.
It is undoubtedly almost impossible for a person like Dr. Wienke to carry on an intelligent discussion when majority of the population has no common educational background to begin with. I'm sure that Albert Einstein had the same problem as our other scientific scholors do. My hat is off to Dr. Wienke and I admire an individual with such a diverse lifestyle and educational background. I only wish the cost of this book was more in line with the working class of divers out here like me who can't really afford a $60. book. I highly recommned this book, but beware, you must be more intellignet than a high school graduate to fully appreciate and comprehend this material. Four stars! A++++

Tech Diving Macro View
Wow, this is a great book.This has all the stuff and
background you can't find anywhere else.Details are provided
when and where needed, and the problems are right on.What's
also important is that the author is a real tech diver, not just
and academic PhD.And it shows in developments and topics.

Granted solar gravitation is not a central concern for divers,
but the earth linkage and impacts are interesting.And central
to life.

The sections on probabilistic dedompression and risk analysis
are especially well developed and applied simply.Clear
up many misconceptions I have had in the past.

Overall -- get this book as a standard reference if you are
a real tech diver.

what is this book about?
I am supposed to be one of the people this book is written for - a PhD chemist. I bought the book to learn about technical diving. However, if one was to take out all the extraneous material there would be maybe 150 pages left. I did not buy a book to read about cosmology, or gravitation, or Hubbles constant and that is what a whole lot of the book is like -unrelated material. Now, granted I think that a technical diver should be educated but these subjects are treated with such brevity that if you do not already know the material - forget it. Most people will NOT find partial differential equations to be "simple mathematical statements". I loved the Epochal Panoramas on page 236. You are told to look at Figures 12-14 and told the interplay, diversity, timescale, and complexity are boundless - period. Then follows the phosphate, carbon, nitogen , and sulfur cycles in the ocean depicted as diagrams -that's it!!
Page 103-104 (Table one) lists the densities of the elements one through 94 ...huh? Knowing Z, A, and delta for the lanthanides and actinides may enrich your life but it will not do anything for you knowledge on Technical Diving (by the way what happened to the rest of the elements???). By the way, my view that most physicists know little to no chemistry is futher substantiated by the erroneous equations on page 77. CO3 should be CO3(2-) and Na2 and K2 should be 2Na(+) and 2K(+). I will let you figure out what charge if any should be on O - an oxygen ATOM. ... Read more

Product Description
"In order to appreciate the Symphony of the Sea,
One must understand each of the Instruments of Nature."

SCUBA Dictionary is your underwater adventure guide. Each volume profiles 40 species of fish, corals, plants and invertebrates detailing their unique features and reinforcing these points with corresponding photographs. Divers are instructed on how to locate, conserve, and photograph the species profiled in order to better enjoy their dive. The book is completely waterproof and tear resistant, perfect for taking along on your next dive or just as something to read on your surface interval.

* 5 Year Warranty on the life of the book

* Waterproof + Tear Resistant (perfect for dive boats)

* At 3" x 4" it fits easily into your BC pocket or dive bag.

* Gives you 'something to do' while diving

* Helps connect new divers with the explosion of life around them

* Contains general tips to enhance divers skills

* Identifies highly poisonous marine species

* Covers 40 different species of fish, invertebrates, corals, and plants found in the Caribbean Sea

* Contains interesting facts about different behaviors and characteristics of marine species identified

* Gives instructions on where and how to find species profiled.

* Unique tips help to rejuvenate interest in divers who have 'seen it all before'
... Read more

Customer Reviews (18)

Great resource, clever idea!
Waterproof materials, GREAT photos, extremely useful information.I would recommend this clever reference guide to any diver.I can't wait for more scuba dic volumes!Retractable device a must, too.... places marine species identification literally at your fingertips.

Useful tool
I was skeptical at first when I saw this, but I was getting bored just knowing the names of the fish I came across.I thought this would turn out like Fish Flips(eg only names of fish listed for each pic), but it has a LOT more to offer.There are written descriptions for each pic, that don't just list facts, but also explain how to find & approach sea life (eg. Size, time of day, hiding spots/location, animals behavior, etc.), I found this really useful, because after tooling around with my camera, I was getting tired of only getting snapshots of fishtails.The book held up great UW; the pages just got sticky bc I didn't rinse it off initially, but I left it overnight in fresh water and there was no problem after that. Since i started taking along scuba dic for dives, it's been abused more times than tina turner, & its still in good shape....thus far. I do think it's better to get familiar with it on your surface interval vs trying to learn underwater. But all in all, it's a really good idea.

What a rip off
SCUBA dic is a rip off from Fish Flips and twice the price.The pages tore as soon as I opened it!
The corners are sharp and it's flimsy to use.The photo's are nice, but why would I want to look at photo's while I'm diving?

Take me under the sea!
Scuba Dic.: Caribbean Sea, Vol. 1

I picked up this book in my daughter's apartment.Although I have never been scuba diving, I lost myself in the wonderful photos.It made me anxious to study the names of all of the interesting sea creatures featured.Several of my friends go diving on their vacations and this will be the perfect gift for each of them!The fact that it is water proof makes it extra special and unique.

I have to start diving!
After many years of attempted convincing, a friend of mine sent me this book to motivate me to scuba dive.After one look at this book, all my hesitations for diving have vanished. I am ready to get certified! This clever, waterproof book is self explanatory and is an incredible learning tool for novice divers.The pictures are beautiful and it will help me navigate the deep blue sea! ... Read more

Book Description

Located off Mexico's Yucatan Peninsular in the warm, tropical waters of the western Caribbean, Cozumel Island, with its crystalline waters and colorful reefs, boasts some of the best diving in the world. From the grand coral canyons of Palancar Reef to the botanical wonderland of Chankanab, Cozumel continues to be a top destination for all levels of underwater exploration. This guidebook, illustrated with full-color photos, describes some of the most popular and interesting dive sites Cozumel has to offer.

• You'll get specific information on:
  
• depth and water condition
• suggested diving expertise
• insider safety tips
• common and hazardous marine life
• island dive operations
• top-side practicalities, from accommodations to weather and natural history

Book Description

On a dense, foggy, late July evening in 1956, the Italian-flagged cruise liner Andrea Doria, bound for New York, was struck broadside by another cruise ship. After an agonizing eleven hours, the relentless sea would drag her down, settling the Doria uneasily into the murky Atlantic ocean floor nearly two hundred and fifty feet below. AmazingIy, due to a daring and fevered rescue operation byher oceangoing brethren, only fifty-one of the more than 1,700 people on board both ships were killed in the collision. Years have passed since that tragedy, yet the Andrea Doria is still taking lives.

Deep Descent

Drawn by the sirens call of adventure, a small but fanatical group of extreme scuba divers has long challenged the Andrea Doria, pushing themselves far beyond the limits of recreational divers, up to the very limits of human endurance. Not all of them have succeeded. In Deep Descent, an author and frequent Doria diver Kevin McMurray takes you inside this elite club, offering an unsparing and unsentimental exploration ofthose men and women who dare to go deeper, farther, and closer to the edge than prudence or common sense might allow.

Considered the Mt. Everest of diving, the Andrea Doria is the ultimate deepwater wreck challenge -- lying in an area long known as the Bermuda Triangle of the Northeast, some fifty miles south of Nantucket Island and two hundred miles east of Sandy Hook, New Jersey. This region, no stranger to disaster, is fog-shrouded and prone to sudden changes of wind, weather, and tide. In addition to many shipping disasters, it has borne mute witness to such recent tragedies as the fatal crash of John F. Kennedy Jr.'s small plane and the mysterious downing of EgyptAir Flight 990. It is an area that guards its secrets well, only surrendering its treasures to the bravest ormost determined seekers.

Told with a vivid and startling clarity, Deep Descent is a story of courage and bravado, of the human spirit overcoming human frailty, and of fearsome risks traded for a hardwired adrenaline rush. With each page, McMurray draws us deeper into the cold heart of the unforgiving sea, giving us a powerful vision of a place to which few will ever have the skills or the daring to go. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (44)

Great read -- a real page-turner
After reading "Shadow Divers", I was drawn to read more about the people and about diving the Andrea Doria."Deep Descent" is a well-written account of the people and dangers of deep wreck diving on the Andrea Doria by an author who has personally dived the wreck several times and interviewed all of the significant players.Once I started, it was hard to put this book down.It is a great read for diver and non-diver alike.

The focus is on the personalities and the emotions driving those involved and how they were a factor in many of the deaths for this dangerous dive.It recounts interesting personalities of the dive boat captains and key Doria divers, their competition, and their concerns.It includes both sides of many issues whose schisms are clear in some of the other books.It is not a travelogue of the ship itself nor is it very technical -- neither detracts from the enjoyment of the book and allows it to retain its appeal for non-divers.He also talks about how advances in diving gases and equipment have made such deep dives safer and reachable for less experienced divers, yet divers continue to die for many of the same fundamental reasons -- driven to the limits of their abilities and beyond.

If you want a book on the technical aspects of deep wreck diving, or accounts of the scenery of the wreck, this is not your book.Otherwise, you will find this a very enjoyable read.

Not worth it
There are many other books about real - and harrowing - experiences diving that are much better written.A true disappointment - don't bother.

Very good diver's book
Kevin McMurray produced an exciting and revealing account of the men and women who dive the Andrea Doria. Its a very good book for people just getting into the sport, because it deals with the pioneers.

Gripping and well-written but was too terse at times
This was a great book from two standpoints. As a reader, I appreciated how well-organized the book was. The chapters are not broken down chronologically but rather by weaving important ideas into a coherent story about the history of diving the Doria. McMurray knows exactly how to turn possibly hundreds of hours of interviews into a suspenseful adventure for the reader. As someone who has just started diving, it was a great way to cement some of the lessons taught by my instructors regarding panic under water, narcosis, and equipment malfunctions/hazards. This is also a great book if you want to read about some legendary divers in the 80s and 90s. McMurray paints a detailed and honest picture of the book's characters, allowing the reader to step into their shoes and understand their motivations. Thankfully, he didn't seem to baby the reader when it came to explaining the science behind the risks of diving. As a diver himself, he kept the explanations short and simple for those who are not already familiar with the concepts. The only drawback of the book is McMurray's sometimes sparse recountings. Parts of the book were very matter-of-fact as if it were taken out of a newspaper article when I wished he could provide more detail. However, these parts didn't detract from the overall good quality of the writing.

All in all, a great read for anyone interested in the Andrea Doria, deep wreck diving, or a piece of diving history.

Disappointing
I read this book after reading Shadow Divers. Technically, this book cannot even begin to compete. I would not recommend it. ... Read more

Book Description
A scientific monograph on diving physics and associated math relationships. Topics are related to diving protocols and operational procedures. First basic principles are presented; this is followed by practical applications and detailed results. Designed for the commercial diver, instructor, hyperbaric technician, or underwater researcher searching for a contained reference and especially the doctor, physiologist, physicist, chemist, mathematician, engineer, or biologist. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Diving for the Physicist
This book may benefit a physicist but probably offers little benefit to a diver or dive instructor.It has been a while since my math and physics classes and I found this volume daunting.If elementary particel interacton, hydrodynamics or maxwell equations are of interest to you then get this book.If you looking for usefull dive information or explanations look elswhere.

boring but does the trick
This book isn't exactly a leisurely reading book, but if you're interested in knowing just how everything works it will do the job.

In-depth review of physics applied to diving
Obviously written for readers with a sound scientific background, this book presents a quasi exhaustive review of physical principles applied to diving. Mathematical data are fully presented. The problem, as usual withB.R. Wienke publications, is that the presentation is quite"dry", written in a very cursive, non pedagogical way. You willoften need to take your time and to read very slowly and carefully tofollow the author. Leaving that aspect aside, the book is a real sum ofwhat you need to know if you want to dive with mathematical awareness ... ... Read more

Product Description
Stunning color photos, each dive site description includes details on depth, visibility, temperature, currents, access, and expertise required. Paperback, 88 pages. ... Read more

Book Description
Nitrox has gained wide acceptance in the recreational scuba diving community over the past few decades.While it is widely used by the military as well as technical, commercial and scientific divers, the techniques, procedures, and tables have been refined to the point that with training, nitrox diving can be safe and enjoyable for the recreational open-circuit scuba diver.

This authoritative guide provides in-depth discussions of physics, physiology, oxygen toxicity and oxygen limits.It reviews the latest safeguards and procedures, equipment considerations, and guides the reader through easy-to-follow nitrox dive planning examples.Included are nitrox planning tables plus the latest NOAA oxygen limits.This book is a must for every certified or prospective nitrox diver. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Somebody messed up the MOD table (3-2, p37)
This is really a very good book which is unfortunately the victim of a flawed table that was not caught during the editing process.Three of the columns in the "Maximum Operating Depth" table (3-2 on page 37), corresponding to PO2 Max of 1.0, 1.1 and 1.2 list a depth of 130+ in every cell from EAN24 to EAN40.This is not only impossible, but fairly obviously so when noting that depth numbers for a given line should decrease moving right to left (less conservative to more conservative).One can create their own corrected MOD table by using the following equation:

MOD = 33*((PO2/FO)-1)

where:MOD is Maximum Operating Depth (in feet)
PO2 is Partial Pressure of Oxygen (i.e. 1.0, 1.1, 1.2 . . . 1.6)
FOis Fraction of Oxygen (i.e. 0.24, 0.26, 0.28 . . . 0.40)

The author uses standard rounding, but you can round down for a more conservative table if desired.But don't take my word for any of this.Every diver is ultimately responsible for themselves.Check your own gear, verify your own blend, derive the equation yourself so you can see where it comes from and don't take anything for granted.I'm not so surprised that the table is bad as I am that four people gave the book 5-star reviews, apparently without even noticing that fact.

Aside from the above issue, the book is well written and has a great deal of useful info.The photos and diagrams are clear and there is even a glossary of the terms and acronyms that were used.Overall the writing is concise and well organized and the calculation examples are simple and easy to follow.I recommend "Recreational Nitrox Diving", not as a substitute for a certification course in NITROX, but as a compact, handy reference on the subject.

Straight up
This book is great for a quick overview of nitrox diving.If you dont know to much much about nitrox diving this book will be great for you.It offers alot of information in a very understandable way.

Good nitrox info
This book is probably the best value for your money right now if you want to learn to dive with nitrox. I also read another online nitrox course booklet and attended a NAUI nitrox course, and this book was better than either one alone, though they did add new things to my understanding of nitrox and scuba diving in general.

Contains inaccuracies
I bought this book in preparation for diving Nitrox on a dive vacation.One of the tables simply did not make sense.I contacted the publisher, who, after at least 2 emails from me, provided me with corrections by .pdf file.I subsequently asked the publisher how it intended to address the clear inaccuracies in this book and received no response.Further, although the publisher includes errata for certain books on its website (www.bestpub.com), despite my notification of these errors, it has issued no similar errata for "Recreational Nitrox."In my opinion, anyone relying upon this book without inquiring into the validity of the information provided therein is misplacing their reliance.

GREAT LITTLE BOOK
Makes Nitrox really simple.
All you need to know.
Gave me enough info to pass my TDI cert. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Jack of all trades, master of none
I found that this book tries to cover really lot of things. It could be a good coverage (actually, it's not bad) but when I finished reading it, I didn't get much of it, except from it's good pictures.
Perhaps, it should take a more local look, not that global.

Great Book!
I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a new dive site or looking to find a new place to vacation. The book is VERY well illistrated like all books in the Discovery series. ... Read more

Book Description
Famous walls; incredibly clear, calm, warm waters; 58 dive sites including Klein Bonaire. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Terrific Book!
Very pleased with the content of this book!There are extensive details about the location, underwater terrain and marine life of 58 of Bonaire's dive sites.There is also a section on lodging, restaurants, dive centers, grocery shopping... right down to where to get the best local ice cream!We're diving Bonaire in April and I've already chosen some of those must-dive sites!

Information is too old to be useful
This book was published in 1991.Unfortunately in November 1999, Hurricane Lenny inflicted a massive underwater storm surge on Bonaire that destroyed many of the dive & snorkel sites referenced in this book.Many sites have nothing to look at until 30' depth.I also found this book to be lacking in local color.

The best book on Bonaire diving & snorkeling is "Shore Diving Made Easy" that you can buy for US$10 at the island dive shops. It is up to date with recommended entry/exit points and suggested landmarks while diving.

Good review of dive sites
I bought this book before going to Bonaire in the summer of 2002.Our group of 4 used it extensively during our stay there and found it very useful in describing the different dive sites.The book does a very good job of describing how to find the shore diving sites, where to park, how to enter the water and what to expect in the water.There is a good map and good broad overviews of the island, the culture, marine life, hotels and resturants.I would definitely recommend this book to anyone planning to go to Bonaire.

Not bad, but there are better guides available
I bought both this book and the Schnabel "Diving and Snorkeling Guide to Bonaire."This book was by far the better of the two, with more information (both diving and non-diving), excellent pictures, and just overall a better guide to diving on Bonaire.If you only take one guide, this should be it.

An excellent book from two experts.
Many people go to Bonaire for their vacation without visiting either Aruba or Curacao (the other two islands in the group known as the "ABC Islands"), so it is nice to see Bonaire as a separate Diving Guide and not included as an afterthought.

"Diving Bonaire" measures 10" x 7" and is another guide in the medium size format favoured by Aqua Quest. These particular publishers set high standards and demand all contributing authors/photographers maintain those standards at all times. This is, therefore, another worthy addition to the series.

The book is well laid out and includes a liberal sprinkling of high-quality photographs which bring colour to almost every page. Commencing with a brief history of Bonaire's past and present, the book then goes on to include all that useful information required by any potential visitor - currency, climate, getting there, entry & exit requirements, telephones, shopping, and time difference. Chapter 2 concentrates on accommodations and diving facilities and this is followed by a further chapter devoted to dining.

Chapter 4 is an overview of what the diver can expect to find underwater. This really sets the scene and includes such important information as temperature, visibility, depths, moorings, reefs, boat dives, shores dives, skill levels, equipment and more besides.

In chapter 6 we get down to specifics. This commences with a map of Bonaire and Klein Bonaire across two-pages on which are marked no fewer than 56 principle dive sites. Curiously, this is followed by brief notes on 58 sites and this gives rise to my one minor criticism - namely that Nos 57 and 58 (rated as being "For Professionals Only") are not shown on the map.

With a final chapter devoted to Marine Life, the book then concludes with a number of Appendices containing that all-important emergency information, useful numbers and a list of diving facilities.

Altogether, this book contains all the information the potential visitor to Bonaire will require when contemplating such a trip. As I said, only one minor criticism, but not enough to deprive these authors of a well-earned 5 star rating because they have used the word "guide" to the best possible effect. This is a first rate diving guide to Bonaire. All the information is there to allow you to consider carefully whether or not Bonaire will be your next diving destination. If you decide against visiting this splendid island, it will not be through any failing within this book.

NM

... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Limited and outdated information in a handy size.
As a master diver who has dived over 40 years and has visited many of Fiji's dive sites, I would advise any potential diving visitor to save their money here and buy the newer and much more complete Lonely Planet "Diving and Snorkeling Fiji" by renowned dive guides Casey Mahaney and Astrid Witte (also available on Amanzon). Just be aware- Fiji has so many and varied dive sites visited by day operations and liveaboards NO book can really do justice comprehensively. Nope, no connections with LP or Mahaney, I just want to save other divers the trouble... and if you love diving, you will LOVE Fiji diving!

Mediocre Basic Guide to Fiji Diving
This book gives limited information on approximately 20 dive sites in Fiji.The descriptions and photos are adequate, but are relatively brief.The book makes few recommendations, but provides a decent place to startrough planning of an independent dive vacation. ... Read more

Product Description
This book describes the gear, skills and concepts of scuba diving.It is a reference for all students taking the NAUI Scuba Diver certification course. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Scuba text
This book is very basic and does a good job of introducing the sport of scuba.I think this is a great beginners book and is a must for anyone who is truly interested in diving.You learn all about the gear, the science, plus the do's and dont's of scuba.

This book is an easy read and an overall great buy. ... Read more

Book Description
Everything one could possibly want to know about Great Lakes diving is contained on over 400 pages. Included are the locations and descriptions of over 900 dive sites -- about 800 of them shipwrecks, with each vessel's history and a description of its dramatic demise.

This diving guide covers the St. Lawrence River, all five of the Great Lakes (Lakes Ontario, Erie, Huron, Michigan and Superior), all inconnecting waterways and inland dive sites throughout the Great Lakes region, for all levels of divers from novice to technical diving.

Also in this book are features on "The Hunt for Great Lakes Shipwrecks," "Great Lakes Marine Conservation," "The History of the Zebra Mussel Invasion," as well as information about scuba dive shops and charter boats!

This massive book is a clearinghouse for Great Lakes scuba diving information which divers from all parts of the country are finding increasingly appealing for planning their dive trips.This fact-filled book is a must-have for anyone contemplating scuba diving in the Great Lakes. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

great wreck divers guide
This book has a ton of info on hundereds of dive sites in the great lakes! Primarily focuses on the fascinating wrecks that can be found in the lakes.
Major sites have a small blurb about the history of the wreck and a small black/white picture or map/drawing. LORAN location and lats and lons. Suggested dive profiles.
All sites have a depth and suggested experience level for the dive and a brief discription. Sites are grouped together by location and international borders are ignored - great for both US and Canadian divers! Some info about dive operators and accomodations to certain areas.
Overall, an excellent resource! I'll never be able to dive all the interesting sites in one lifetime. Provides enough info to spark a desire to explore the site but doesn't give too much away. ... Read more

Book Description
The Helldivers frequently dive past 200 feet into the murky salt wash of the Gulf of Mexico, through the sea-life-covered steel beams of a giant oil platform. Members of different scuba/fishing clubs get together annually to compete. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

A Great Book to Read While On A Diving Trip
If you like Hunter S. Thompson's brand of gonzo journalism you will like this book, although it is certainly milder than "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas", but the style is similar.I read it while on a liveaboard in the Caribbean, and it is definitely of interest to scuba divers.All in all, a most enjoyable read.

I couldn't put it down!!!
This is probably one of the most enjoyable books I have read in the last five years.The author and his cohorts are definitely brave, almost certainly missing a few screws and possibly suicidal, but they enjoy what they are doing so much that after a while the insanity of it all doesn't seem to matter.Stories about divers diving with football helmets so they don't get knocked out on the steel beams of the oil rig and the stalking of sharks (!!) in the opaque murk at the bottom of the sea floor would seem farcical or just stupid coming from almost anyone else, but when Fontova writes it is riveting, believable and also hilarious.

Fontova is often brutally honest about the risks that the rig-divers take.While his writing clearly expresses the enjoyment and thrill of this type of spear fishing, he does not try to glorify it or to imply that it is safe or easy or simple, because it is none of those things.

One of the best things about this book is also one of the most unexpected: it's not just about hunting, it's about everything else too.In between the stories about the dives, Fontova talks about south Louisiana culture, the workings and modification of spear guns, the theory of operation behind scuba gear, the rules for how deep and how long it is considered safe to dive (after which he talks about how the rig divers exceed all limits of safety or even common sense on their dives), the dynamics of the mixing of the Mississippi River water with the Gulf of Mexico water, a brief history of oil rigs, basic fish anatomy and the types and temperament of fish seen around the rigs, why Jacques Cousteau once gave a talk at a local dive shop, a first-person perspective on Che Guevera, and dozens of other things besides.

This is really an excellent book that I have recommended and will continue to recommend to family and friends.The only people who probably won't like it are anti-hunting activists and those that feel Prohibition should never have been repealed.Aside from them, it has something for everyone.

It takes guts
As a diver and avid spearfisherman I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book from start to finish.Humberto expertly illustrates the essence of what it takes to dive on an oil platform.This aspect of scuba diving is definitely not for the faint at heart.His light humor throughout the book as he describes his dive buddies, friends, and adventures keeps your attention and adds to the story.I've never dived on an oil platform or "rig" as they are called, but after reading the book and hearing about all the big fish lurking below, I'm looking into making a trip to good ole Louisiana.Although he describes hunting 100 lbs plus fish, I'd settle for the 30 pounders.His stories of murky waters, sharks, eels, and angry trigger fish make you think twice about actually diving in, but hey, that is what makes for great diving stories.My hat off to Humberto.I only wish his book had more stories...at 203 pages, my appetite was just getting wet. ... Read more