Underwater (sub-aqua) swimming Books

Book SynopsisDiving the Thistlegorm is a unique in-depth look at one of the world's best-loved shipwrecks, the World War II British Merchant Navy steamship, featuring award-winning underwater photography. In this highly visual guide, cutting edge photographic methods enable views of the famous wreck and its fascinating cargo which were previously impossible. Diving the Thistlegorm is the culmination of decades of experience, archaeological and photographic expertise, many hours underwater, months of computer processing time, and days spent researching and verifying the history of the ship and its cargo. For the first time, this book brings the rich and complex contents of the wreck together, identifying individual items and illustrating where they can be found. As the expert team behind the underwater photography, reconstructions and explanations take you through the Thistlegorm in incredible detail, you will discover not only what has been learned but also what mysteries are still to be solved.Trade Review'Goes further than any previous guidebook in detailing the current condition of the wreck and its incredible cargo of wartime artefacts, from rifles to railway engines... There's so much to admire here - the complementary use of traditional photography alongside the large scale models and orthophotos afford the reader a way of looking at a wreck that could barely be imagined a decade ago... I recommend this superb book to anyone with an interest on the subject.'- SCUBA magazine.; 'A brilliant in depth guide to the wreck and all it's facets, all illustrated by superb photos and graphics.'-Scubaverse.com; 'Other books have been written about the Thistlegorm, but as befits the wreck this one is probably the most visually arresting ever to go to print... a remarkable achievement, and clearly a labour of love by a group of professionals smitten by this wreck... stunning colour image after stunning colour image leaps out from every page'- BritishDiver.co.uk; 'A detailed, thorough book with excellent images both stills and 3D photogrammetry. It is a really good read'--Divelog Australia; 'The most comprehensive guide to one of the world's greatest shipwrecks'- Emad Khalil, Alexandria University (from the Foreword)Table of ContentsFOREWORD by Emad Khalil, Alexandria University. INTRODUCTION - About the wreck; Wreck under threat; About this guide. HISTORY - Construction and build; Journey and sinking; Rediscovery and contemporary details. GUIDE - Bow to Midships; Upper Deck Holds; Hold No. 1 - Upper Deck; Hold No. 2 - Upper Deck; Lower Deck Holds; Hold No. 1 - Lower Deck; Hold No. 2 - Lower Deck; Shared Entrance to Hold No. 2 and Hold No. 3; Remains of Hold No. 4; Hold No. 5; Stern; Surrounding Seabed; Marine Life. DOCUMENTING THE WRECK - Photographing the Thistlegorm; Photographing the Vehicles; Big Vistas; Photogrammetry; 360 Degree Video; Wrecks at Risk - Future Work. Glossary. About the Authors. Index.

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Book SynopsisWhat does it take to dive Titanic's sister ship? This huge vessel from a bygone golden age of ocean travel lies at over 100 metres (330') below the surface. It is not a dive for the faint-hearted. Requiring meticulous planning, precise execution and good conditions, only the most capable technical divers will ever experience it. Even then, tragically some do not make it back to the surface. Expedition Britannic is the story of the May 2019 mission to dive the Olympic-class liner-turned-hospital ship, HMHS Britannic. Sunk near the Greek island of Kea during World War I, she will only be ticked off the bucket list of relatively few of the most dedicated deep divers. Steeped in history, the opportunity to see a largely intact near-replica of the world's most famous ocean liner makes it an ultimate dive to aspire to. Deep wreck photography specialist Rick Ayrton is one such diver. Assisted by expedition leader Scott Roberts, he takes us through the planning, logistics and preparation essential for scaling one of the pinnacles of wreck diving. Then we explore the wreck with him - going deeper than most divers will in their lifetimes to photograph this once great ship - and make new discoveries.Trade Review'A cracking book that will be of interest to any diver, and many others. From my perspective, if I need to persuade anyone why I love deep diving then I’ll simply hand them a copy and wait for them to ask how they can sign up.'— SCUBA magazine; 'Expedition Britannic brings armchair divers closer than we’ve ever been to this magnificent wreck and perhaps will inspire one or two to get out of their armchair and experience it for themselves.'— Encyclopaedia Titanica; 'Done extremely well... The writing is crisp, well-organised and doesn't get bogged down in needless detail.... it is readily accessible to any level of diver... [and] the photography from depth is way beyond what we usually expect'-- Diver magazine; 'Expedition Britannic will appeal to recreational divers who look up (or rather, down) in awe at our technical cousins; it will appeal to technical divers wishing to see how it was done; and it will certainly appeal to White Star line aficionados who want a fresh look at how Britannic appears today.'- British Diver; 'Incredible... the images are stunning. But the really impressive achievement is to make it accessible for non-technical divers whilst also having all the detail that more experienced ones will want'- Dominic Robinson, Officer in Charge Joint Service Sub Aqua Diving Centre / BSAC Technical Chief Examiner; 'Rick Ayrton's photography is a marvellous way to help visualise one of the great diving treasures and archaeological monuments lying at the bottom of the Kea Channel, effectively helping to make the Britannic accessible to the host of divers and maritime historians who may never have the privilege of experiencing the thrill or excitement of visiting the wreck in person. Hand in hand with a revealing narration of what it actually takes to get there in the first place, along with details of the day-to-day problems and hazards which can so easily occur, it can only help to prepare any dive team contemplating their own visit to the 'Mount Everest' of technical diving.'- Simon Mills, maritime historian, owner of HMHS Britannic; 'Rick's scooter driven photographic epic is a fresh take on a wreck that many of us are familiar with, but are also distant from. You see things from a new viewpoint, the whole fore deck, the propellers from below, a new angle showing there is plenty of life left in "the old girl". Nice one!'-- Kieran Hatton, www.divingindepth.co.uk; 'I will never forget Rick's photographs. It was what we were waiting for every day, after every dive'- Yannis Tzavelakos (from the Foreword).Table of ContentsForeword; Introduction; A Brief History. PART 1 - PREPARATION: Build Up; Arrival; SS Burdigala; Dive Planning. PART 2 - THE BIG DIVE: Britannic; Stern; Midships; Time in the Blue; Final Dive. Epilogue. Appendix 1 - Expedition Standard Operating Procedures; Appendix 2 - Underwater Photography; Glossary; Acknowledgements.

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Book SynopsisAction Camera Underwater Video Basics shows how to capture fantastic video and turn it into engaging sequences. The book focusses on small action cameras - the format which includes devices made by GoPro, SeaLife and others - all of which have more depth to them than one might first imagine. Award-winning underwater cameraman Jeff Goodman shows how versatile they can be and how to get the best out of them. Every one of the 200+ images in the book was shot with an action camera. The book looks at important camera features and cuts through the dizzying array of equipment choices. Homing in on what is useful for underwater videoing, Jeff then provides the vital background knowledge key to achieving great results, time after time, whatever device you use: How to avoid the typical mistakes made by many budding underwater filmmakers; Capture better shots and turn them into engaging sequences; An introduction to the editing process - simple techniques to make the best videos; Jeff also explains how to use action cameras to take better underwater stills, both in the water and later from the video which has been shot. The book concludes with two exercises that put the theory into practice. Although technology moves on at a pace, some things will always remain true. Nowadays shooting exclusively with tiny action cameras, Jeff shares a lifetime of essential underwater video know-how in one handy book.Trade Review'A proper hands-on manual that can, and should accompany the diver on their trips as a constant source of reference. If you have an action camera you really should have this book too.'-- Scubaverse.com; 'The essential guide to impressive underwater video'-- BritishDiver.co.uk; 'Great read, great tips for use of the cameras and for shooting and editing. Worth the read and your time!' - Ellen Cuylaerts, ocean advocate, underwater & wildlife photographer, Fellow International in the Explorers Club, public speaker, Women Divers Hall of Fame; 'A great book for anyone planning to get underwater with their action camera. As an expert in underwater video, Jeff makes it easy to get good results with your action camera beneath the surface' - Sven Harms, VP SeaLife Underwater Imaging & Lighting; ''What really impresses me is how Jeff can take a complex topic and break it into simple, easy to understand terms. Following his instruction in this beautifully written, graphic rich publication will allow camera users, no matter what environment they are diving in, to get those shots that they dreamed of.'-- Paul V Toomer, President, RAID Diver Training Agency; 'Armed with this book, some creativity and the, now ubiquitous, small action cameras you can achieve some very impressive results.' - Andy Torbet, underwater explorer, cave diver, freediver, skydiver, climber, outdoorsman and TV presenter; 'The perfect roadmap to help divers of any skill level learn to shoot video in the sea' - Kip Evans, professional photographer and underwater explorer (from the Foreword).Table of ContentsIntroduction; Responsible Filming; Equipment; Theory; Maintenance and Prep; Shoot Planning; Sequence Structure; Techniques; Editing; Stills; Confined Water Exercise; Open Water Exercise. Glossary. Index.

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Book SynopsisGo beyond the guidebook with Diving Gozo & Comino, your ultimate companion to exploring Malta's stunning underwater world. Local expert Richard Salter shares his in-depth knowledge with detailed maps, photos and dive site descriptions for a whopping 72 locations.

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Book SynopsisThe popular image of sharks is of a dorsal fin cleaving the surface as it rushes to its next kill, but this is a limited caricature. There are over 500 species to choose from, most of whom are far more frightened of humans than vice versa. In this beautiful book, diving veteran John Bantin recounts many tales of his diving with several species of sharks and other marine animals over the last 4 decades. Accompanied by his own stunning photography, the captivating, spectacular and sometimes shocking encounters show the reader what it is like to get up close and personal to these bizarre and beautiful creatures. The sharks covered range from the great whale sharks to the small blacktip reef shark, in locations extending to all corners of the globe.Trade Review“John’s memory for detail is impressive, and he brings many a scene to life with subtle flashes of colour that many writers in this genre are not capable of summoning. I’d recommend Shark Bytes to anyone with an interest in sharks and diving.” (Scuba Magazine) “Along with his “wow” close-up photographs on nearly every page, Bantin describes his encounters with many sharks”. (Undercurrent Magazine) “Shark Bytes is a wonderful collection of first-hand encounters with sharks by diving verteran John Bantin, accompanied by his compelling imagery”. (Dive Magazine) “Accompanied by compelling imagery, this beautifully written book draws you deep into his underwater world: shocking, inspiring and certainly exciting adventures come to life as the words surround your imagination… Overall, Bantin knows how to tell a story, his thoughts organized, his descriptions detailed, and both a fantastic sense of humour and compassion carries his narrative. Shark Bytes takes the reader on a magical journey to discover the wonderous diversity of the underwater world. This is a must have book!” (Scuba & H2O Adventures Magazine, March 2019)Table of ContentsIntroduction; 1: The Great Hammerhead; 2: Early Experiences in the Bahamas; 3: Whitetip Reef Sharks; 4: The French Connection; 5: Grey Reef Sharks of the Indo-Pacific; 6: Beveridge Reef; 7: Hammerhead Madness; 8: Dirty Rock, Cocos Island; 9: Nurses and Leopards; 10: The Oceanic Whitetip; 11: Photographing Oceanic Whitetips; 12: Bottlenose Dolphin; 13: Silky Sharks and Dolphins; 14: Whale Sharks; 15: Tagging Whale Sharks; 16: Whale Sharks and the Thruster; 17: Safari or Circus?; 18: Bull Sharks; 19: Tiger, Tiger; 20: The Tasselled Wobbegong; 21: Shark Diving in the Golden Triangle; 22: The Sha’ab Rumi Shark Club; 23: Panic at Gordon Rocks; 24: Australian Rules; 25: A Dive on the Wild Side; 26: Maldives After Dark; 27: Manta Mania; 28: Dugongs: Mermaids of Years Gone By; 29: British Sharks; 30: What Eats Sharks?; 31: Shark Feeding: Right or Wrong?; 32: Is the Only Good Shark a Dead Shark?; Tailpiece: Sharks Keep Messing With My Wallet

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Book SynopsisThe warm tropical waters and coral reefs teeming with fish mean that Seychelles is a hugely popular diving destination. The waters that surround Seychelles are home to over 1,000 species of fish and 300 species of coral. The islands are visited by giant Whale Sharks and manta rays, and are home to the critically endangered Hawksbill and Green Sea Turtles. Divided into three parts, the book provides a general introduction to diving and snorkelling in Seychelles including what to expect and where to base yourself; a guide to the best sites for diving and snorkelling; and a photographic identification to 280 of the most common species of marine life covering fish, invertebrates, corals and megafauna. For all those who plan to spend time in or on the waters of the inner islands of Seychelles, this is the perfect, pocket-sized guide. The taxonomy of some fish species has been updated for the second edition.

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Book SynopsisA photographic identification guide to the reef fishes of Seychelles aimed at divers, snorkelers, scientists, students and general fish enthusiasts. To date nearly 900 species of fish have been recorded from coral reefs and their associated habitats within Seychelles Exclusive Economic Zone. With over 550 species and almost 700 photographs all captured in situ, this book represents the most comprehensive field guide to the reef fishes of Seychelles currently available. The general introduction discusses Seychelles' geography and coral reefs, followed by the taxonomy, classification and nomenclature of the species, fish diversity in Seychelles, endemic and endangered fishes, and fish anatomy. The species descriptions cover identifying features, size, biology and distribution.

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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