Product Description
This profusely illustrated book, written by one of Britain's leading cave divers, is a spectacular introduction to the world's most dangerous sport.

The Darkness Beckons describes the techniques and fascinating history of cave diving from the first known cave dive in 1878 with the familiar globe shaped helmet, heavy boots, and sturdy air lines fed by surface pumps, to the sophisticated rebreather systems used by divers today. This internationally comprehensive book includes stories from the United States, France, Switzerland, The West Indies, Mexico, South Africa, UK, and Australia.

This new book includes both historical anecdotes and accounts of the most interesting recent dives. It is a chronicle of outstanding sporting endeavor, as yet little known outside an elite specialist world, but sure to inspire anyone with a taste for adventure. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Nice description of cave diving history
Nice description of cave diving history, 2 thirds of the books related to Great Britain cave systems.

Best book on the subject
Martin Farr's book is by far the best book on the subject of history and development of cave diving. It is really exciting as you follow the development of the sport over the years from before the war to the latest trimix dives,scooter etc... Geographically it concentrates on the UK (about 1/3 of the book) and then Europe, USA and the rest of the world.Mandatory for anyone involved in cave diving and recommended for all interested in adventure stories.

A very interesting and well written book about cave diving
Farr tells the complete story of cave diving in England's caves (often sumps), and then describes all major explorations worldwide (up until the beginning of the nineties). The book is not centered on Florida's caves so american cave divers might be somewhat disappointed. There are manypictures and drawings, the account is always accurate and detailed. It is avery interesting lecture and reference for any cave diver, not very much sofor an open water diver. Cave divers are explorers that always pursue theextreme: deeper or longer into a cave; this will probably fascinate mostadventure seeking people. ... Read more

Product Description
Cave diving has been called the "most dangerous participatory sport" in the world. It doesn't have to be. With proper training, experience, and guidance, you can be a skilled cave diver, and enjoy this challenging and rewarding activity, for a lifetime. With decades of technical diving experience, including world record cave dives, and paradigm changing underwater exploration, Woman Divers Hall of Fame member Jill Heinerth, has created this full-color contemporary guidebook.Generously illustrated, "The Essentials of Cave Diving" contains practical, 21st century underwater knowledge, including sidemount techniques and the latest rebreather technology.Encompassing all levels of cave diving, from entry-level to expert, this manual is an essential tool; appropriate and relevant to all cave training disciplines. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

An Insightful Book for Both Student and Full Cave Divers
Ms. Heinerth is an incredible author who knows how to work just enough humor in this treatise to make the reading enjoyable and very informing. As a diver working towards his Full Cave Certification, I would heartily recommend this book to anyone even considering moving into this incredible an dangerous world of Cave Diving!

A welcome new training tool

The Essentials of Cave Diving is a must for the student cave diver and a refreshing tool for those of us who teach the discipline. I am retired from teaching but wish that Jill's book had been available for my students when I was teaching. . It is an excellent tool and damn good fun for us old troglodytes. The generous use of photos and graphics make it both more readable and inspiring. While I do not teach anymore I still explore caves and enjoy keeping up with my colleagues around the world. I see that Jill included some of them in photos. What is important with this book is that it is written by an experienced, very capable cave diver/explorer who lives what she writes about.

Jim Bowden
Founder and leader
Proyecto de Buceo Espeleologico Mexico y America Central

a carelessly written book by an expert
The Essentials of Cave Diving. Jill Heinerth. Heinerth Productions, High Springs, Florida; 2010. ISBN 978-0-9798789-4-7. 7 by 10 inches, 200 pages, softbound. $49.95.

Jill Heinerth is a cave diver with worldwide experience, known especially for photography and rebreather use and training. This introductory book is heavily illustrated with many of her color photographs. It covers pretty much all the things one would expect, but there's a lot of variation in the depth of coverage. For example, there is quite a bit about oxygen toxicity, with several tables, but relatively little about decompression; perhaps it is assumed that everybody these days uses a dive computer that figures that out for you. There is a lot of rather scattered information about the use of closed-circuit rebreathers in cave diving, but if you don't already know what they are and how they work, it will be mysterious. A special section addresses women's issues, including, to my surprise, how they might use pee valves in dry suits.

I didn't notice any errors that might get somebody killed, but then I'm no expert. On the other hand, there are a lot of niggling little things that sap the reader's confidence. For example, kernmantle is a material (page 81). Two views of the same piece of gear are labeled as two different things (page 77). The Cave Diving Group of Great Britain was formed in 1935 (page 21) and 1946 (page 34). The extensive glossary defines a lot of terms that I don't think appear elsewhere in the book, but leaves some things undefined. I still haven't deciphered DSV (page 129). Some jargon may be familiar only to those who don't need the book. What is a guideline placement? Why do cave divers use "reference" as a verb?

There isn't as much text as the size of the book suggests, because there are sidebars and wide margins. Some of the material is quite advanced, but still the overall style of the writing and the graphic design of the book make it look like it's intended for someone younger or dumber than any diver would want for a partner. I recommend it only for someone who has just a casual interest in what cave diving is all about and a high tolerance for bad grammar and punctuation.--Bill Mixon

Not Your Average Diving Guide
Filled with very useful and practical knowledge, this cave diving guidebook is also filled with Jill Heinerth's stunning underwater photographs. It is well designed, much more like a sophisticated magazine than a drab manual, and most techniques and procedures are illustrated with very high quality photos, filling a much-needed niche in the technical diving world. The author, acknowledged as one of the top cave divers in the world, has taken an extremely technical subject (cave diving) and presented it in a conversational, easy-to-understand format. Highly recommended for scuba divers at any level. ... Read more

Product Description
Cave divers are a breed apart and this is their story – a story of pushing the limits of technology and human endurance. In 24 chapters Burgess takes you on an exciting and often harrowing journey from the earliest pioneering expeditions into submerged prehistoric caves in Europe to the most recent record-setting expeditions. You’ll read about archaeological finds, including a 10,000-year-old skull in Florida’s Warm Mineral Springs; the underwater passages feeding Bahama’s blue holes; record depth and horizontal penetrations in Mexico and Florida; and explorations in France, the United Kingdom and elsewhere. You will feel the lure of the labyrinth and learn of the thoughts and struggles of divers lost but to God. You’ll go on body recovery dives and thrill when a team dispatched across continents beats the odds. And of course you’ll read about the divers: Dr. George Benjamin, Eugenie Clark, Carl Clausen, Jacques Cousteau, Sheck Exley, Steve Gerrard, Lamar Hires,! Woody Jasper, Jon Lindbergh, Mike Madden, William Royal, Gary Salsman, Wes Skiles, Bill Stone, Edward Thompson and many more. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

First half great, second half not great
The book is a good description of the history of the sport.Combined with the Master Exley's "Caverns Measureless to Man", one has a good set of stories on the origins of the sport and some of the scary stories.
The second half unfortunately seems a little anecdotal and turns into something that only the die-hard archeology enthusiast would want to get further into.While entranced in the first few chapters, I got pretty bored with the rest.If you want horror stories from caving, read also Exley's Basic Cave Diving - A Blueprint for Survival.It's a hand-typed, thin pamphlet of a book, but it's one of those essential reads, even if you don't intend to do the sport - like me.

The Cave Divers
Burgess's recount of these various cave diving episodes makes a good read. It is not very detailed on technical aspects, nor pretends to be a comprehensive re-tracing of the cave diving history. It does however weave in suspense filled short stories the beginnings of cave diving, its major players and their accomplishments. Without the boring list type of dry dates, names and events. Will interest the few passionate about the sport, as well as all adrenaline rush and adventure seekers. To me, it gave a backdrop, a character and a soul to many of those names I looked up to when I started venturing deeper and longer in the underwater realm.

The Cave Divers
Burgess's recount of these various cave diving episodes makes a good read. It is not very detailed on technical aspects, nor pretends to be a comprehensive re-tracing of the cave diving history. It does however weave in suspense filled short stories the beginnings of cave diving, its major players and their accomplishments. Without the boring list type of dry dates, names and events. Will interest the few passionate about the sport, as well as all adrenaline rush and adventure seekers. To me, it gave a backdrop, a character and a soul to many of those names I looked up to when I started venturing deeper and longer in the underwater realm.

got down and hooked
New to technical diving, I found this historical perspective very interesting. Being French, I was most impressed by Burgess' firsts stories about early dives by pioneers. Each chapter recounts a Cave diving exploration history, and can be read independently. It is also well written, in an entertaining style and does not try to play it too "tekkie". The focus is on exploration. I spent a straight week nights on it, and loved it all the way down. You gonna be hooked.

A Delightful, Entertaining and an Easy Read
'Robert Burgess succeeds in conveying the excitement, eloquently painting pictures of the sights and describing the intellectual challenges and satisfactions, masterfully mixing adventure with history, sociology, archaeology and some hard-learned lessons in physics. There are chapters with unexpectedly happy endings and others detailing tragic mistakes made in this unforgiving environment... it is easy to see why this book earned a 'Book of the Year' award from Forward Magazine... As a photographer, Burgess is able to add another dimension to this book... Burgess' photos cover many decades and many caves... Overall, the book is a delight, entertaining and an easy read. It's a great vacation book, full of adventure, divided into chapters that can easily stand alone or mesh together...[Burgess] masterfully glides the reader through tales of history that cavers and non-cavers will enjoy.' Susan Brillhart Book Review IMMERSED. The International Technical Diving Magazine ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

This is the book that started it all
Anyone who knows anything about cave diving, will know the name "Sheck Exley". This little book was the first I know of that documented the absolute "Must Do's" for anyone wanting to safely conduct cave diving. Built an Exley's vast and extra-ordinary experience in cave diving. I highly recommend every cave diver have a copy, it's small enough to fit in a dive or travel bag. Although it was first published a while ago, it's still extremely relevant.

Stay Safe Everyone

A must read classic manual for Cave Diving
Many years have passed since the first edition still this basic manual is a must read for any Cave Diver.

An all-time classic
This booklet is the first cave diving manual and although decades old it is amazingly contemporary and still extremely useful to all technical/overhead divers. A must have book for every serious divers' library.

Great introduction to cave diving by one of the best.
The "brand new fifth edition" of Basic Dave Diving is last copyrighted 1986.I'm intrigued by cave diving, but am not yet a cave diver, so I don't know for sure, but question if some of the equipment discussed in absolutely up-to-date.The addresses for instructors and phone numbers for Florida recompression facilities may also be in question.I'm trusting, though, that the National Speleological Society (NSS) is not continuing to print something that promotes dangerous, discredited, technique.Moreoever, I've seen this book in the dive shops in north central Florida, and it still seems to be in use for cave diving instruction.

First, for those who judge value in the book by the quality of printing, note that this booklet is a typewritten, photocopied, booklet, copied on 8-1/2-x-11 in paper and folded in half with a cardstock cover.I just mention this so someone expecting more is not disappointed.

The book is divided into 10 short chapters, each 3 to 8 pages long, and the book can be easily read in its entirety in one evening.Each chapter begins with an actual accident report and an accident analysis leading into the subject of the chapter, whether it be silt, lights, guidline, air supply planning, etc..Each chapter focusses on one aspect of proper cave diving, and thus the book divides techniques into small, easily digestible, pieces.Each chapter tells you what it needs to without adding extraneous information to complicate your understanding.

Note that the book focusses on cave diving technique in Florida, and warns the reader that different techniques may be appropriate in other locations.

I think that this book is a good, inexpensive, introduction to cave diving for someone with a curiosity about this sport, whether or not you plan to pursue it.The book is also written by the probably best-known person in the field of Cave Diving.(Don't let the fact that Sheck Exley died cave diving cause you discredit the information in this book - he balanced the risks with the rewards and willingly chose to push the limits of cave diving.)

It would be irresponsible of me to conclude this review without a warning.An open water diver armed with the this book might think that they know enough to safely cave dive, but PLEASE do not attempt cave diving without training from an appropriate agency.I am an open water divemaster, and do not feel that I yet have the experience to even begin cave diving training.Before beginning cave or cavern diving training, a diver requires extensive open water experience, must be thoroughly comfortable in the water, must be able to handle emergency situations without panicking, and must be physically fit.

Cave diving accident analysis. Learn from fatal errors
Very important mind forming book about cave diving. Accident analysis covering the firsts statistical reasons people get killed in cave diving. s.Exley was among the most important people to learn from. All cave diversneed this to play "What if..." ... Read more

Amazon.com Review
If you were to travel to the Amazon, say, or the source of the Nile, youwould likely find the people there wearing corporate logo-branded T-shirtsand listening to the latest pop hits on the radio. Using a GPS device orsatellite photos, you can track your location just about anywhere on theface of the planet. Given globalism and the ease of travel to once-remoteplaces, where is a would-be flag-planting adventurer to go these days?

The answer, writes Michael Ray Taylor in this intriguing book, is inward:inside the earth by way of the millions of caves that pierce its surface.Following an international team of fellow cavers--men and women in peakphysical form and apparently without fear--his narrative takes us deepwithin the ice caves of Greenland; a vast underground labyrinth of riversand chambers in Mexico's Yucatan; a cave on a cliff wall overlooking theColorado River near the Grand Canyon, one that no human had ever beforeentered; and other great caverns of North America. High-quality (andsometimes astounding) full-color images accompany the text, offering viewsthat usher us into a world of blind snakes, bats, strange geologicalformations, and uncanny sights that few surface-dwellers have beenprivileged to see.

Caving is not merely adventure for its own sake, Taylor notes. "Over thepast decade," he observes, "scientists have been surprised to learn that inthe deepest recesses of the Earth are repositories of exotic microbes ...far more varied in types of species and their individual strategies forsurvival than all the plants of an equatorial rain forest." Some of thesemicrobes, he suggests, may deliver chemicals for fighting disease;they also deliver important evidence about the history of life on theplanet.

But, all that said, caving offers plenty of thrills, and Taylor's book doesa superb job of capturing both the science and the adventure of a journeyto the center of the earth. --Gregory McNamee ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Great Book!
My husband and I sent this to a friend who really loved the book. A great gift success.

Great for getting biology students excited
I used this book, and the related IMAX video, as part of a cave biology experience for undergraduate biology majors this year.Both the book and the video are fantastic; I challenge anyone to consider biology boring after reading/viewing them.To prepare for a spring break "wild cave tour," our students read Taylor's book, watched the video, then had a presentation on caving by Taylor.He also accompanied us on the caving trip. (It doesn't hurt that both of us teach at the same university....)The students loved it all. They asked for, and received, permission to sample for microbes in the cave, and have grown up their bugs.We don't expect to find anything earthshaking, as human contamination even in lightly used caves is apparently ubiquitous, but this really got students excited.I enthusiastically recommend the book and the video combined, and following it up even with a trip to a developed cave would be a great experience for students.

Where no large-format camera has gone before...
CAVES: EXPLORING HIDDEN REALMS by Michael Ray Taylor (0792279042, $35.00) provides some outstanding cave shots from caving experiences around the world. The book accompanies a new film 'Journey Into Amazing Caves' which was released in March 2001: many of the hundred-plus photos are from the film and highlight places no large-format camera has gone before.

How would you like to explore the mysteries of caves?
Many of us have probably been very fascinated with caves since we were small children. However, we probably never had the actual experience of exploring caves nor will we ever undertake such a voyage to many of our planet's uncharted regions.

Perhaps, the wisest and safest way to satisfy our curiosity pertaining to the study of caves, or as it is called, Speleology, is to seek out a good reference text. National Geographic Society's coffee-table book entitled CAVES: EXPLORING HIDDEN REALMS, authored by Michael Ray Taylor, would certainly meet the criteria as being one of the most outstanding introductions to the mysteries of the underground.

The tome is the companion text to the McGillivray Freeman Imax film by the same title.
Taylor separates the book into three distinct sections, ice, water and earth in order that we have a general understanding as to where caves are to be located as well as their respective formations. As the author states: "the skin of the world hides many caves. All are profoundly shaped by, and profoundly affect, the nature of the land overhead. Caves are to a surface landscape as veins and capillaries are to a human face-the hidden structure of an inseparable whole."

The ice section introduces us to the caves of the heartland of Greenland where glossy photos provide us with fantastic visual entertainment that convey to us the beauty of these caves as well as the danger constantly prevalent within. Moreover, we are also clued in to the many animal creatures found within these subterranean enclaves such as the tardigrade. It is to be noted that the study of life in caves is known as biospeleology.

Our adventure moves onto to some of the caves discovered beneath the Yucatan or the section dealing with water. One only has to stare at the introductory photos to this chapter and we can appreciate the utterances of the cavers when they assert: "we are amid the wildest scenery we had yet found in Yucatan; and, besides the deep and exciting interest of the ruins themselves, we had around us what we wanted at all other places, the magnificence of nature."

The final stop on our journey delivers us to the caves of the earth where we explore the deepest one in the United States, Lechuguilla located in New Mexico. We also venture into the caves of Tennessee, Alabama and Georgia or as they are termed the TAG region. The spectacular photo of the Lechuguilla certainly reaffirms the statement that "a picture is worth a thousand words."

Enhancing the usefulness of the book are the many articles pertaining to the study of caves that have been contributed by several well-known experts. These short essays also include those of the author, Michael Ray Taylor, who has explored more than 600 caves in expeditions that have taken him around the world.

Bon voyage on your next expedition into the world of caves where all you will need is a good chair and Michael Ray Taylor's brilliant book.

Norm Goldman Editor of Bookpleasures.com

Where in the world to cave
I am always left breatheless at the majestic beauty of every cave I am blessed to enter. This book gives wonderful descriptions of caves and the pictures in this coffeesque style bookare the icing on the cake. ... Read more

Product Description
Contributors: T. H. Cook, E. DeLoach, S. Exley, M. Fahning-Brooks, etc. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Very good for beginning cavern divers, bad for cave divers!
If you are a person that wants to get started with cavern diving, this is the book. If you are an experienced cave diver, there is no need to get this because everything is so basic and it talks ALOT about cavern. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Methodically and carefully written diving manual
Let me preface my review: I am not a cave diver.I came across this book when I was doing an advanced wreck diving course.However, in the words of my instructor, all the technical diving manuals for wrecks are rubbish - although cave diving and wreck diving are not the same, he recommended this book for covering line handling, signals, lights, and various other matters.

He was right - the book was excellent.In fact it was so well written, I ended up reading it cover to cover just for all the information that flowed from it.I found it hugely useful and engrossing.And I am not even a cave diver.
... Read more

Product Description
Chapters: Cave Diving. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 87. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: Cave diving is a type of technical diving in which specialized SCUBA equipment is used to enable the exploration of natural or artificial caves which are at least partially filled with water. It is an extension of the more common sport of caving, but is much more rarely practised because of the skills and equipment required, and because of the high potential risks. Despite these risks, water-filled caves attract cavers and speleologists due to their often unexplored nature, and present divers with a technical diving challenge. Caves often have a wide range of unique physical features, such as stalactites and stalagmites, and can contain unique flora and fauna not found elsewhere. Cave diving is one of the most challenging and potentially dangerous kinds of diving and presents many diving hazards. Cave diving is a form of penetration diving, meaning that in an emergency a diver cannot ascend directly to the surface due to the cave's ceilings, and instead may have to swim horizontally. The underwater navigation through the cave system may be difficult and exit routes may be at considerable distance, requiring the diver to have sufficient breathing gas to make the journey. The dive may also be deep, resulting in potential deep diving risks. Visibility can be low, or non-existent. While a less-intensive kind of diving called cavern diving does not take divers beyond the outermost part of the cave reached by natural light, true cave diving can involve penetrations of many thousands of feet, well beyond the reach of sunlight. The level of darkness experienced creates an environment impossible to see in without an artificial form of light. Caves often contain sand, mud, clay, silt, or other sedime...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=291811 ... Read more

Product Description
Guide to the best cave diving sites in the east of France, from the Cote d'Or & Haute Marne in the north-east, through the Doubs & Jura, the Ardeche then on to the south-east. Includes a special section on the best dives in Switzerland. ... Read more

Product Description
High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Caving?also known as spelunking in the United States?is the recreational sport of exploring caves. In contrast, speleology is the scientific study of caves and the cave environment. ... Read more