Scuba Books

Fifty Places to Dive Before You Die: Diving Experts Share the World's Greatest Destinations

Chris Santella

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Editorial Review:

The earth’s oceans hold many wondrous surprises—be they the small, colorful “critters” off the coast of Papua New Guinea, opportunistic red demon squids in the Sea of Cortes, or naval wrecks in the lagoon of Bikini Atoll. In Fifty Places to Dive Before You Die Chris Santella has invited diving experts from around the world to share some of their favorite destinations, so ardent divers can experience these underwater wonders for themselves—either on location in their SCUBA gear, or at home in their armchair.

The fifth in Santella’s bestselling “Fifty Places” series, the book takes divers from hot-spot destinations like Raja Ampat (off the coast of West Guinea) to old Caribbean favorites like Grand Cayman Isles. Readers will swim among whale sharks off Myanmar, befriend wolf eels off the coast of Maine, and marvel at the giant mola mola of Lembognan, Indonesia. These wonderful creatures—plus the brilliant coral reefs that often provide their backdrop—are captured in 40 gorgeous color photos from the world’s greatest underwater photographers. And for readers who want to travel to these breathtaking locales, Santella provides complete “If You Go” suggestions to help you plan your trip.

Hawaii The Big Island Trailblazer: Where to hike, snorkel, surf, bike, drive

Jerry Sprout, Janine Sprout

Amazon Price: $11.53 List Price: $16.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Wilderness Press Amazon Marketplace: 33 new & used starting at $5.06

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 41 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

A guide for families and outdoor adventurers alike, the new and completely revised 2007 Trailblazer takes you to all of the Big Island's famous attractions, as well as its hidden spots. Nearly twice the size of the rest of Hawaii combined, the Big Island presents a challenge to adventure travelers with limited time. Trailblazer comes to the rescue with its trademark organization and clear directions for . . .

156 hikes and strolls: the peaks of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa, the shores of Waipio Valley and Kealakekua Bay, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, rain forests and tropical gardens, waterfalls, petroglyph fields, and the Kona Coast
75 snorkeling and swimming spots including remote hike-to specials
39 surfing spots: boards, bodyboarding, and body surfing
24 bike trails for adventure cyclists: mountain, coastal, forest, pasture
25 campgrounds and rustic cabin hideaways

Hawaii the Big Island Trailblazer also includes . . .

9 maps and more than 200 photographs
A Trailblazer Kids section for adventuring famiies
A Best Of section that lets you pick the right activity for the right day
Resource Links with hand-picked accommodations and restaurants,recreational outfitters, transportation, and visitor information
Hawaiian culture and history
Museums, attractions and shopping
Driving tours to the Parker Ranch and Kohala Coast, Hilo and the Heritage Coast, and Kona coffee country
Safety tips and trip-planning advice

Diver Down

Michael R. Ange

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 26 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

One diver, after a seemingly brief period below the surface, discovers that his gas supply has run perilously low. Another, paralyzed, bobs helplessly on the surface, and when a poorly trained divemaster attempts rescue, things go from bad to worse. Two other divers, fascinated by the bountiful undersea life of the Caribbean, fail to notice that a powerful current is sweeping them rapidly away from their unattended boat.

These are just a few of the true stories you’ll find in Diver Down, most of them involving diver error and resulting in serious injury or death. Each of these tales is accompanied by an in-depth analysis of what went wrong and how you can recognize, avoid, and respond to similar underwater calamities. This unique survival guide explores the gamut of diving situations, including cave and wreck diving, deep-water dives, river and drift diving, decompression sickness, and much more. It shows you how to prevent tragic mishaps through:

• Inspection and maintenance of primary and secondary diving gear
• Learning and following established safety protocols
• Confirming the training and credentials of diving professionals
• Practicing emergency responses under real-world conditions

Reef Fish Identification - Tropical Pacific

Gerald Allen, Roger Steene, Paul Humann, Ned DeLoach

Amazon Price: $29.70 List Price: $45.00 Usually ships in 24 hours By: New World Publications Amazon Marketplace: 31 new & used starting at $25.96

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 13 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

An ambitious work 4 out of 5 stars.
5 of 5 people found this review helpful.

This is a very ambitious work - the number of Indo-Pacific fish species illustrated is simply staggering, often showing regional variations and juvenile forms. On the other side, image quality and reproduction are often disappointing, and the minimal texts limit its scope somewhat. It will make an unbeatable identification and learning combo when paired with the equally interesting but infinitely better illustrated A Diver's Guide to Reef Life and A Diver's Guide to Underwater Malaysia Macrolife by Andrea and Antonella Ferrari - both featuring excellent written texts, exquisite color photographs and - in the case of the latter - hundreds of entries for cephalopods, crustaceans, nudibranchs and various other invertebrates. With these three field guides in your library almost no Indo-Pacific fish or critter will be able to escape identification!

Editorial Review:

Finally, a comprehensive fish identification guide covering the fish-rich reefs of the Pacific. It contains 2,500 underwater photographs of 2,000 species from four of the best marine life authors/photographers in the business. Their collaboration makes it possible for underwater naturalists to identify fishes from Thailand to Tahiti with a single, compact, easy-to-use, no-nonsense reference. 108 fish families are presented in one of 20 Identification groups based on a family's related visual or behavioural characteristics, such as Large Oval / Colourful or Sand/Burrow Dwellers. Likewise, every effort has been made to group similar appearing species together.

Diving into Darkness: A True Story of Death and Survival

Phillip Finch

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 3 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

On New Year's Day, 2005, David Shaw traveled halfway around the world on a journey that took him to a steep crater in the Kalahari Desert of South Africa, a site known as Bushman's Hole. His destination was nearly 900 feet below the surface.
On January 8th he descended into the water. About fifteen feet below the surface was a fissure in the bottom of the basin, barely wide enough to admit him. He slipped through the opening and disappeared from sight, leaving behind the world of light and life.
Then, a second diver descended through the same crack in the stone. This was Don Shirley, Shaw's friend, and one of the few people in the world qualified to follow where Shaw was about to go. In the community of extreme diving, Don Shirley was a master among masters.
Twenty-five minutes later, one of the men was dead. The other was in mortal peril, and would spend the next 10 hours struggling to survive, existing literally from breath to breath.
What happened that day is the stuff of nightmarish drama, but it’s also a compelling human story of friendship, heroism, ambition, and of coming to terms with loss and tragedy.

Oahu Trailblazer: Where to Hike, Snorkel, Surf from Honolulu to the North Shore (Trailblazer)

Jerry Sprout; Janine Sprout

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 21 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Recommended 5 out of 5 stars.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.

This is the one with the most adventure outings and the one that is the most accurate. We went to Oahu with another couple and this guide provided all the fun.

Highly Recommended A++++ 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

We took two guidebooks to Oahu, this one and No Worries Hawaii planning guide. They made a good pair. The one in color (NW) clued us in how to plan our itinerary and decide which island we really wanted to visit first. Hotel decisions were made so much easier. My husband was inspired by the surfing, so Oahu won out.

The Oahu Trailblazer was very detailed and motivated us to explore a chunk day by day. They cover all the beaches and trails in a well thought out format. There are driving maps in each section which make it easy to skip through the pages and still know exactly where you are on the island. There are hundreds of photos so you can picture where you're going.

Surfing was as good as it gets. Put their walking tour of Honolulu on your agenda. The architecture and history and restaurants and museums were very interesting and we're glad we spent one whole day cruising around downtown and following it up with the Pearl Harbor tour.

Manual of Freediving: Underwater on a Single Breath (Freediving)

Umberto Pelizzari, Stefano Tovaglieri

Amazon Price: $26.07 List Price: $39.50 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Idelson Gnocchi Pub Amazon Marketplace: 21 new & used starting at $24.77

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 15 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Helpful Book 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

It's so helpful for beginner also semi-advanced freedivers. Thanks for to author. But a live excercise video cd can added the book.

Informative 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

I like the book. it's very informative and has tons of helpful stuff. Might have too many BIG words, but it still gets the point accross. I would reccomend it for people who are new to diving/spearfishing.

Awsome freedive material 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

This is quite possibly the most informative freediving material I have ever read. There are lots of good exercises and information you can use to improve your freedive skills.

i look better in a speedo than you... 4 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

great info on breathing techniques, very academic in presentation, a real snoozer at bedtime...interesting history info, lots of drawings of dudes wearing speedos helps to explain the techniques. worth it, no matter what type of diving you're into...

Editorial Review:

Is the first comprehensive manual that teaches how to hold the breath, stay underwater longer, and descend deeper into the blue. The book includes a history of freediving, and detailed drawings of underwater exercises, finning techniques and selected Yoga postures to enhance lung capacity. This book is highly recommended to Skin-divers, Scuba-Divers and Surfers. It teaches how to hold the breath longer under water.

Diving the World (Footprint - Activity Guides)

Beth Tierney, Shaun Tierney

Amazon Price: $19.77 List Price: $29.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Footprint Handbooks Amazon Marketplace: 34 new & used starting at $16.85

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 4 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Diving the world 5 out of 5 stars.
12 of 13 people found this review helpful.

My wife Sue & I have been very lucky to dive some of the best diving locations in the world, all of which are featured in this excellent and very readable book. First of all the descriptions are spot on and you can tell that the text is taken from the experience of actually doing the dive or visiting the area, not just researching it (unlike so many guides). The book is not just a travel or dive guide, it's more like a wish list to the best diving in the world. If you are lucky enough to be able to do this sort of diving then I think owning this book is about as important as owning a mask.

Editorial Review:

The newest addition to Footprint's burgeoning series of activity guides, Diving the World, takes the underwater adventurer on a magical tour of many of the world's top dives. Over 200 prime sites have been carefully selected, reviewed and photographed by experienced husband-and-wife team, Beth and Shaun Tierney. The guide also features personal opinions and anecdotes from both experts and other divers, as well as recommendations of what to do and see on dry land. Includes features on travelling as a diver - choosing, planning and costs; guide to airlines, baggage and packing; detailed health section written by renowned expert; information on climate and dive conditions; conservation issues and dive related topics explored and underwater photography explained

Complete Diving Manual

Jack Jackson

Amazon Price: $15.61 List Price: $22.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: International Marine/Ragged Mountain Press Amazon Marketplace: 27 new & used starting at $8.98

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 2 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Nicely illustrated comprehensive manual to scuba diving 4 out of 5 stars.
10 of 10 people found this review helpful.

Jackson's Complete Diving Manual is a large format paperback printed on glossy stock and full of color photographs and helpful illustrations and diagrams, ranging from concepts to technical drawings. It's not a picture book, just one that uses graphics and visuals very well to illustrate text. Jackson is an award-winning photographer and advanced diver, and the book also benefitted from input by Scuba Diving Magazine technical editor Michael R. Ange, author of "Diver Down."

The Complete Diving Manual is a great and pleasant way to get an idea what scuba diving is all about. It's a rather complete introduction to beginners and newcomers, but contains enough detail and useful reference diagrams that the book has its place in the library of any diver, all the way yo advanced and technical. To give an example: where most general introduction to diving may have brief description of, say, the second stage in a regulator, Jackson provides detailed drawings and diagrams that show and label every part. That way readers can, if they choose, figure out exactly how a piece of equipment works. This approach even extends to more advanced equipment, such as rebreathers. There are full diagrams how a regular scuba unit compares to a semiclosed rebreather and that from a closed-circuit rebreather (where each of 24 parts and systems is shown and labeled). Yet, it never gets dry as everything is accompanied by terific photographs as well.

In terms of overall content, Jackson covers all the basics. What diving is all about, equipment, physiology, training, planning, types of diving, technical diving, safety and dangers, travel, trips, and so on. Type is large and easy to read. It is also logically arranged, and, thankfully, omits the numerous (and often redundant) tips and tricks and bullet points you'd find in the "for Dummies" book on scuba diving that essentially covers all the same points. Jackson simply builds the information into the text itself. Also helpful: a very detailed glossary of diving terms and a listing of all the pertaining agencies and organizations.

The Complete Diving Manual is just that; it provides a total overview of scuba diving and what all it entails. It's all presented in a large format, colorful book that uses a variety of visuals to illustrate, entertain and explain. Want to see the conceptual difference in both basic and balanced diaphragm and piston first stage mechanisms? It's in there, shown in simple, logical graphics. Apart from the methodical and comprehensive description of all aspects of scuba, Jackson's ability to pick just the right visuals to illustrate and explain are the strongest parts of the Complete Diving Manual.

Editorial Review:

Explore the underwater world

From basic diving certification topics and techniques to advanced technical diving, Complete Diving Manual has everything you need—all in full, stunning color. Whether you're an experienced diver or haven't yet gotten your C-card, your passport to diving expeditions is here, including:

• Choosing, using, maintaining, and storing equipment
• Basic training, from pool to open water
• Diving physiology, including buoyancy, behavior of gases, the bends, and hypothermia
• Dive planning, including decompression dives
• Safety and first aid
• Diving reefs, wrecks, and caves; warm and cold water; boat diving, and more
• Diving for marine biology, archaeology, photography, and videography
• Prime locations for the best diving excursions worldwide

With the Complete Diving Manual, you can investigate every aspect of this great sport. Let the adventures begin.

Snorkel Kauai: guide to the beaches and snorkeling of Hawaii (2nd Edition)

Judy Malinowski, Mel Malinowski

Amazon Price: $15.63 List Price: $15.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Indigo Publications Amazon Marketplace: 9 new & used starting at $14.95

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 9 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Snorkel Kauai is the one and only guidebook exclusively devoted to snorkeling on Kauai. No other guide comes close to the level of snorkeling detail provided here. Take "Snorkel Kauai", along with a good general guidebook of your choice, and you'll have all the details you need for a great vacation! In this expanded and updated 2nd edition, Snorkel Kauai is even better, with full color maps, as well as beach and fish pictures. From a colorful cover to 41 accurate maps and details on 69 snorkeling sites, SK draws you into the fascinating underwater world that shouldn't be missed by anyone touring Kauai. As Dave Barry says: "When you finally see what goes on underwater, you realize that you've been missing the whole point of the ocean--it's like going to the circus and staring at the outside of the tent." An award-winning book designer contributed a sophisticated, yet readable style to the cover and interior. The dramatic cover features a green sea turtle being cleaned by yellow tangs. Snorkel Kauai is the third in a series of guidebooks that provide more detailed snorkeling information than ever before available for each of the Hawaiian islands in an attractive, easy to carry package. "Snorkel Hawaii: The Big Island" (2nd edition), also available from Amazon.com, provides the same detailed coverage of Hawaii's biggest island. "Snorkel Maui and Lanai" is the second edition of this popular guide, revised and enlarged. Our website, snorkelguides.com, provides detailed updates when available and more.