Product Description
The beautiful locales, exotic plant and sea life, and relaxing environs of dive locations are even more peaceful when you are armed with the expertise and skill to stay safe in any situation.

With self-rescues, buddy rescues, open-water resuscitation, and towing techniques, Scuba Diving Safety will become your most valuable diving companion. Covering a full range of underwater environments, as well as dangerous marine life, entanglements, and equipment failures, this vital resource is an essential reference for every underwater enthusiast.

Do not rely on someone else--or chance--to keep you safe. Let Scuba Diving Safety help you prepare for the unexpected and provide the confidence to enjoy your underwater adventures to the fullest. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Informational and Educational
Another good book from Human kinetics, covers area of like PADI Rescue course matherials, but with more details and real-life expiriences. If you want to enrich your knowledge and you are an inexpiriences (new) diving proffessional, this is the right book for you.

Great Book
This was a great review of safety practices while diving. If you have been certified for awhile and have not attended training for a few years this is a great book to get you back up to speed.

It says Survival Guide - It really is...
It does say on the cover that it is the survival guide - it really is. I readquite a few rescue diver manuals, but this completes it. From the planning to the equipment to the environment to the first aid, everything is technically covered. There are some sections that provide some tips on diving skills, and dive professionals should pay attentions to them as those little things can save a lot of your time and your students' in the class while you actually are passing important dive safety tips down to them.

Some sections, especially rescue technique sections, were visually explained so that a reader can visualize the body positions also.

Orr's Safety Stop section was added touch to the book as it is based on the real story and experience. Some of them made me think of what I would do if I were in his position so that a rescue would be conducted safely.

As certified dive equipment repair technician, I seriously appreciated Equipment section of the book. It is easy to forget that we carry life-support equipment while having fun underwater, and this book not only took it seriously but pointed out the basic facts that are easily forgotten by divers in professional manner.

Overall, I'd recommend this book to all divers as this is easy to read comparing to other dive safety books out there that make my head scratch, but I'd highly recommend to all rescue-level divers that want to extend their knowledge in overall dive safety, and instructors should definitely use this book as a reference and addition to your dive safety related courses and encourage your students to obtain a copy. They say that the knowledge is a power, but it really is. ... Read more

Product Description
SCUBA Scoop answers more than 115 of the most frequently asked questions regarding recreational SCUBA diving.SCUBA Scoop contains more than 120 black and white images related to diving, a list of certifying agencies, certification cost and open water equipment check lists, and the best places for the novice to dive world wide.SCUBA Scoop also contains, a survey of 499 U.S. dive shops as to the best dive sites in the U.S. by state, a reference section including SCUBA periodicals, a diving etiquette section, a short history of SCUBA, an extensive glossary of terms, and an index.SCUBA Scoop is not a training manual.It answers questions. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Informative and fun to read
This book answers a lot of questions for those comtemplating taking a scuba course and reminds experienced divers of a lot of things they have forgotten.Authors humor makes book more entertaining and easier to read.

An invaluable introduction to scuba diving for fun & sport.
Scuba Scoop is a "user friendly" compendium of answers to themore than 115 most frequently asked questions by novice divers regardingthe recreational sport of scuba diving. Gary Shumway's straightforward textis enhanced with more than 120 black and white images related to diving, alist of certifying agencies, certification costs, open water equipmentcheck lists, and the best places for the beginner to dive world wide. Asurvey of 499 U.S. dive shops, organized by state is also provided as are areference section of scuba diving periodicals, a section on divingetiquette, a short history of scuba diving, an extensive glossary of terms,and an index. Scuba Scoop is not an instruction manual on the sport, butrather a handy, reliable, comprehensive reference for questions on andabout the sport of scuba diving, especially designed for the newcomer toone of the most fun forms of athletic recreation and exploration availabletoday. ... Read more

Product Description
The complete source book for the sport diver:

-Covers basic equipment and accessories: how to evaluate, use, and maintain them
-Lists and describes certifying organizations, training programs, and publications
-Introduces the reader to specialty diving: cave, ice, and wreck diving; diving at night for gold or for archaeological purposes
-A special chapter on underwater photography: schools and labs; cameras and camera housings; care and maintenance; tricks of the trade
-First-person accounts by famous divers
-A section on fish and marine mammals: identification aids; collecting tropicals; avoiding dangerous species
-The travelling diver: dive areas around the world; adapting equipment
-Boats for divers: inflatables; charter boat diving; basic boating safety

Profusely illustrated with 75 line drawings and 275 photographs, The Sport Diving Catalog is written so that the reader can open it to any page and begin reading, as the text consists of short, self-contained articles. A unique reference book no diver, amateur or professional, should be without.
... Read more

Product Description
FOR USE IN SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES ONLY. ... Read more

Product Description
This all-inclusive guide covers almost 100 dive sites on the islands, pinnacles and banks off the California coast from Point Conception to the Mexican border. From the placid kelp beds of San Clemente in summer to the ocean-fed pinnacles at San Miguel in fall, diving offshore California has special rewards unparalleled in the diving world. This volume covers it all – history, marine life, accommodations, transportation, maps and a host of practical information that will make your offshore California dive trip a successful and memorable one. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Expertly written
The word "California" conjures up all manner of images from sun-drenched beaches to Hollywood - rarely making one think of the offshore islands that have so very much to offer the visiting Scuba Diver.

"Diving Offshore California" 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 thus ensuring every page has the right mix of written information and visually informative colour photographs or maps. Commencing with an overview of the past and the present, the book then goes on to include all that useful information required by any potential visitor - weather, access boat diving, preservation, visibility, photography, currents and much more besides. We are then treated to a map of California showing the location of the offshore islands roughly situated between Santa Barbara and San Diego. The next 13 chapters are then dedicated to each of the featured islands - and one of them even includes diving around oil-rig platforms. A total of over 90 individual dive sites are included and each of these contains all the information the potential visitor will wish to know.

With a final chapter devoted to Marine Life, the book then concludes with a number of Appendices containing that all-important emergency information and useful numbers such as Charter Boats and Dive Centres.

Altogether, this book contains all the information the potential visitor will require for contemplating such a trip. My only criticism is reserved for a couple of the photographs which are not quite sharp enough and might be replaced at the next re-printing stage.

NM

... Read more

Product Description
An authoritative and encouraging guide to SCUBA diving for the beginner or intermediate enthusiast, this book contains expert advice and step-by-step illustrations on how to perfect key skills, how to buy and maintain equipment, what the different diving options are, and where to find classic dive sites around the world. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Scuba Diving book
Very easy to find the book I was searching for, great service from the book provider. Book was received in a timely manner, so all-in-all, I would be likely to order more books in the future.

Excellent Book
Very current, wide range of topics (equipment, techniques, dive sites, marine life, etc.), lots of great color photos, well written, nicely organized, and it's the perfect size.

If you're only going to have one book on diving, this should be it.

Give this book as a present to a SCUBA diver or a diver-to-be!
There are many books on SCUBA diving.And there are many books on a variety of topics published by DK.There is only a single book on SCUBA diving published by DK!Diving makes a superb topic for a publishing company like DK, with the high-quality color photos, the mix of photos, diagrams, and texts, and the use of no-nonsense models to feature equipment and techniques.

This book focused on the history of diving, diving fundamentals, diving physiology, equipment, techniques, natural history, and diving sites.It did all these things pretty well.There was great detail in some things, like how wet suits work to keep you warm, and less in others, such as specifics of great dive sites of the world.

I did enjoy this book.My favorite dive sites were not featured but I didn't feel slighted.I did want more details of the featured sites, such as California's kelp forests off Monterey.I guess I'll look elsewhere for some information to help plan this particular dive.Another omission that I thought this book really needed was a copy of dive tables and instructions on how to use them.Why wasn't this fundamental and important issue discussed?Liability?Potential revisions of future dive tables?

Finally, I noticed that there was a reference that sea turtles withdraw their flippers into their shells if threatened.Not for sea turtles!Extra shell is just extra weight and drag for swimming sea turtles, and natural selection has encouraged a modification of the strategy common in land turtles.Also, those bigger sea turtle muscles really fill up the space between the carapace and the plastron (upper and lower shell, respectively).

This book is an excellent gift for the new, the novice, and the experienced diver.

Beautifully designed and illustrated guide to diving
Eyewitness Companions: Scuba Diving is one in a whole series of "Eyewitness" books, each of which describes all aspects of a hobby or passion. I initially hesitated buying it because it is fairly expensive and seemed to cover the same scuba diving basics -- equipment, physics, physiology, navigating, marine life, different types of diving, photography and video, places to go and so on -- as various other scuba intro books. Yet, I found myself picking it up again and again in the bookstore because it is different from any other diving book. And eventually I bought it.

What sets Eyewitness Companions: Scuba Diving apart is its presentation. For starters, it's sort of a hybrid between hardcover and paperback with some genuine innovations. For example, the front and back covers have three inch flaps that double as a quick and handy table of contents and also as a built-in bookmark. Very clever. The second big difference compared to many other diving books -- many of which are a bit bare-bones -- is the gorgeous layout and design. Here, again, Eyewitness is a hybrid, one between a book and a magazine. Virtually every two page spread has at least three superb photographs, illustrating and explaining the topic at hand. And photos are not just printed as plain rectangles in a box. No, they are pathed, they fade in and out, the are combined, overlayed and neatly labeled and described. Typography and organization are first rate, all geared towards providing information clearly and concisely, but also in an interesting, appealing way.

As a result, while the narrative and explanations are simple and straightforward, you simply get more in this book. Instead of a brief chapter on a topic, you get a thoughtfully subdivided and excellently edited version that describes all aspects, has beautiful photos, several illustrations, how-tos, equipment close-ups, and often sidebars, graphs and charts. The section on freediving, for example, not only describes the sport and shows excellent pictures, it also has a clever graph that illustrates diving depths as they relate to the Statue of Liberty and Big Ben. All of it is professional quality. Yet, whereas magazines are often all style and little substance, Eyewitness Comnpanions: Scuba Diving skillfully uses all those visuals to merge information and illustrations into a polished, informative publication that's as close to multimedia as a printed book can get.

Travelers will enjoy the over 60 description of popular dive locations, sorted by continent. Each, of course, with pictures, statistics, and relevant information. Sections on underwater life are equally interesting, with great pictures and many interesting facts and tidbits.

This is a unique book that is really much more than the sum of its parts. It's an excellent example how an almost magazine-style approach to book design can result in something that is both informative and a real pleasure to read. ... Read more

Product Description
SCUBA diving is thriving in the New York Area. The diving up here is much more challenging than warm water destinations due to our local conditions of cold temperatures, low visibility and currents. Written for both the diver and the non-diver, this book draws the reader into the exciting world of Northeast Technical SCUBA Diving. The book opens with an 'Introduction to SCUBA Diving' that explains the equipment, local conditions and dangers of diving to those new to the sport.Consisting of over 70 true stories of local dives this book has the reader descending with the author on numerous local shipwrecks such as the USS San Diego and ocean liner Oregon, both over 500 feet long and sunk in the Atlantic off of Long Island.The book also contains a number of dive site maps.The stories, chronicle the author's diving adventures and what it feels like to dive locally both exploring the wrecks and from popular shore diving sites .A site/equipment index allows the reader to also use the book to experience specific wrecks and sites. Let's say you have never dove the USS San Diego, a naval Armored Cruiser that sank in 1918 off of Fire Island. You can easily find all the stories about dives on her in order of increasing difficulty. Or you are considering getting an underwater scooter. You can locate all the stories where a scooter was an important part. Perhaps you want to understand how a reel helps keep a diver from getting lost inside a wreck or what its like to be entangled by a line of reel inside a wreck. Interested in finding out more of the dangers of technical decompression diving? It's all here in this book. This book takes you diving.. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

wonderful read
This book was a great read. The author is a great person and he inspired me to go out and wreck dive too. He also cares about his fans because he answered my email. He also indirectly inspired me to get into the IT field. There were several funny moments in his book so I go a few laughs and raised eyebrows. So if you are into wreck diving too and want a little laughs and inspiration on the side, this book is for you. I would recommend it to anyone, even if they aren't into what the book is about.

Scuba diving The Wrecks And Shorers Of Long Island, NY
I have been Scuba Diving off of the NJ coast for over 20 years.I found this book very entertaining, and suprisingly informative.David describes his exploits in an easy to understanding manner, even for the non diver.But within his narrative are many helpful hints, even for the experienced diver.I looked forward to reading it every night till completed.I hope David has another bunch of stories to tell in the future.I will surely be a customer again.Thanks.

A wonderful personal diary and chronological account of Long Island diving!
Long Island New York is one of the best training grounds for Technical Wreck diving in the USA. Some consider the northeast a cold and treacherous environment that makes words like dive, and fun, sound absurd in the same sentence. But not wreck divers! David Rosenthal's book, Scuba Diving the Wrecks and Shores of Long Island NY, consists of over 70 of David's own personal adventures taken directly from his diving logs. Well written, this book is informative and truly an "eye opener" in regard to the wondrous world waiting to be discovered amongst New York's local shipwrecks and popular diving sites.

The stories are written more as a personal diary and chronological account of his day to day diving activities and the result is one of those rare reads that you just cannot put down. What a refreshing break from the norm of most diving books out there, that are full of facts and dates but don't allow you to live the moment. David puts you in the dive gear, splashes you in the water, and invites you to dive with him!

Every chapter makes you feel like you are a character in an adventure novel. One minute you're diving one of the 500 foot plus wrecks like the USS San Diego or the Oregon ocean liner. The next you are zooming up and down local beaches at the East Rockaway Inlet trying to beat the tides and the changing currents on your underwater scooter. Then it's off to catch a dive at Ponquogue Bridge, or maybe wrestling the waves on dive charters like the Lockness or Eagle's Nest; not to mention the seasickness, the marine life, lessons about the bends, and even now and again, a little wry humor that only David can pull off.Each chapter introduces you to a new location and another journey taken right from his past experiences. If you have never been diving in Long Island, you will feel as you have after reading Scuba Diving the Wrecks and Shores of Long Island NY!

David takes you below the water with him and he shows you the rest of the story that encompasses a diver's life. Things like packing gear the night before and setting the alarm clock for 3 am to catch the early morning dive boat trip to finding time to squeeze in a shore dive just before work in the morning and knowing the perfectlocal cafe to enjoy the best pre-dive egg sandwich and coffee in town. This book takes you diving!

Whether you are the most dedicated technical diver, a new wreck diver, or just want to know more about the history in the waters off of Long Island, Scuba Diving the Wrecks and Shores of Long Island NY deserves a place in your library. It's a journey diver and non-divers will enjoy.

Highly Recommended for Divers and Non Diver Alike
This book is a very interesting, entertaining, and enlightening narrative of the author's adventures SCUBA diving in the Long Island area. The author skillfully combines the suspense and challenge of his escapades with wry humor and fascinating historical anecdotes surrounding the sunken vessels he explores. As a diver myself, I found the tips and suggestions highly valuable, but you don't have to be a diver to enjoy this gem.

Excellent
I am not a SCUBA diver. I had to read this book for my job, and I was pleasantly surprised. It is not very often when I want to hurry up and finish my day and get home to continue reading a story. And these are true stories. It reads like an adventure, and reminded me of adventure books I read in my youth. I also found myself laughing out loud, like when the author was taken over by currents and finds himself in the middle of the Rockaways on an island with Firemen trainees geared up in his dive suit post 9/11 and exclaims as they are running towards him, "this isn't France!". Some of these wreck dives the author went on sound downright scary and dangerous, yet their is a coziness about them. You can feel the pain of the early morning cold minimized by the sheer love of adventure, (and warmed up by an egg sandwich and cup of coffee). There is also a sense of history, and many interesting details. Yes, read this book, and live something you wouldn't ordinarily live. ... Read more

Product Description

Comprising some 40 islands and cays in the northeast corner of the Caribbean, the British Virgin Islands are low-key and uncommercial. Topside, they offer lush subtropical forests and endless pristine beaches. Underwater, divers and snorkelers delight in coral-covered pinnacles, caverns, walls and shipwrecks, including the famed 19th-century RMS Rhone. Once a notorious pirate hideaway, today's British Virgin Islands continue to be a sailors' paradise and are counted among the Caribbean's premier yachting destinations. This book describes 63 of the British Virgin Islands' best dive sites, with full-color photos throughout.

You'll get specific information on:

• depth range, access and conditions
• Common and hazardous marine life
• Topside activities and attractions
• Diving services, live-aboards and yacht charters
• 8 easy-to-read maps

Customer Reviews (2)

An essential guide to BVI diving and snorkeling
This book picks out the twenty-one best diving sites in the British VirginIslands and gives a page or two of descriptive text about each.Each divesite has one or more pictures to show the reader what to expect.Each divesite also has some general descriptions such as the typical depth, thecurrent condidtions, how to access the site, and what expertise isrequired.There is a map on which all of the sites are located.There isa rating system the book uses to inform the diver whether a place issuitable for a beginner or an expert.The book also serves as a generalguide to the BVI, including history, food, culture, lodging, and touristinformation.The book includes some helpful tips on diving in the BVI andwarns about the dangers underwater.

Very comprehensive
Our group used this guide in doing dives from our yacht in the BVI.I found it to be comprehensive enough to help us to find the dive sites fairly well without asking too many questions of the locals.There wereonly one or two sites which we wanted to dive which we didn't find.

Iliked the ratings of the dives from beginner to expert but I think adding a'star' rating would help people to determine what particular dive to choosewhen there are many choices.Also helpful would be to include a map of thedive site (some other dive books do this) which would help in planning thedive.These are the only reasons I didn't give this book a 5 star rating.

This book was also valuable in explaining potential problems with divessuch as currents or choppy seas.It also provided the maximum and minimumdepths and these were pretty much on target.The book was definitely avaluable asset on our trip. ... Read more

Product Description
Jesse Hamilton loves deeply; she loves her husband Tommy, their simple life on the island and their successful dive resort. She wants nothing more than to ride out their lives in this tranquil existence. Seth Warren loves nothing, his heart damaged and scarred years ago. And he wants it all; women, wealth and a life free of commitments and complications. When their lives collide, mysteries of the past force the pair on a quest in search of ancient treasure, self-forgiveness and the opportunity for a second chance. Will she be able to protect herself from becoming another victim in his wake? ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Heaven"s Edge
This is the best of two story's that she has written. Treasure was my first and it was very good. This book is great!

Great scuba escape novel
If you love scuba diving or traveling to the tropics mixed with adventure and romance, then this is a perfect read for you. Jesse's world is turned upside down when she gets approached by a corporate negotiator that wants to buy her little dive resort in Roatan, Honduras. The story has vivid underwater scenes, a search for ancient artifacts and a feel of the tropics. As I read, I wished I could hang out at the bar in the clubhouse with the characters. I really enjoyed immersing myself in the imagery, a pacifier until my next dive trip. ... Read more

Product Description
A DRM free book.

* The Scuba Diving Handbook
o Diver Training
o Diving Safely
o Learning How to Breath
o Diving Equipment
o Diving Preparation
o Handling Dive Emergencies
o Physiological Concepts
o Adapting to Diving
o Planning Your Dive
o Environment
o Diving As a Career
o What is Skin Diving?
o Tips to Conserve Air
o About Night Diving
o Top Diving Locations

... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Reduntant, poorly written and lacking depth
This book is not very helpful at all. It is very poorly written -full of poor grammar and redundant information. It also gives very little real information that can be useful to people with any dive experience.

If you know nothing about diving, a little web research and a conversation with your local (or hotel) dive instructor will provide better information than this book does.If you have some experience and are looking for a book to brush up on core concepts or guide you in your next steps in diving, this book will simply be of no help at all.

At least the book is quite inexpensive, but I still think that $3 is too much for this poorly written, information-light pamphlet. ... Read more

Product Description
The world's second-longest barrier reef, three of the Western Hemisphere's four coral atolls, more than 400 fish species and a host of invertebrates sheltering in warm Caribbean waters make Belize an irresistable destination for divers and snorkelers alike. This guide will introduce you to the wonders both underwater and topside that have earnt the country its reputation as an ecotourism hotspot.

In This Guide:

Detailed dive information to 82 sites
Full-color photos throughout
Easy-to-read maps of dive regions
Guide to marine life
Travel logistics and topside attractions
... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Diving Belize
Handy little book to have when planning a trip to the area. Nice compact size, so easy take along as a reference guide. Lonely Planet guide books are known for thier attention to detail in all categories of a trip using 4or5 contributors. Missing from this one are details on accomadations and dining. For me a dining section is not the most important, but listing details on hotels and the like gives travelers a useful heads up, also the purpose of the guide book. Lonely Planet strayed from their signature format, I'm afraid, by being very informative for the diver while he's under water, but then leavoing him high and dry on the surface. All in all they did a yeomans job, but if I go to Belize, I'll need to surf the net for necessary info on where to stay inthe former British Honduras, Belize.

Usefull Book for Divemasters
With this book, you get a overview on the Belizean Dive Sites.
Because Belize has so many cayes and each of them has so many dive sites, its nearly impossible to cover them all. This Book is a nice try and worth to read it. The only way to know more about the dive sites in Belize, is just jump in to the water and dive.

Not reallly about snorkeling..
The pictures are great.. but the book is not really about snorkeling. We went where the divemaster took us (Hol Chan, Shark Ray Alley, Mexican Hat) on our snorkeling trips and book didn't really add to the experience. I wish I'd had a picture book with some more information about the fish/corals/crustaceans and their behavior.

Great book lots of pics
I like this book because it is right on with the dives we went on.Very Accurate.They don't chum the blue hole anymore though, thank god.

Scuba & Snorkeling in Belize
This book has great information, but be aware that it doesn't even begin to cover 1/2 the Cayes in Belize.In fact it only mentioned one that we visited while sailing for 7 days.Use this guide as an accompaniment to other info. ... Read more

Product Description

Blessed with two lengthy and very different coastlines, the Baja Peninsula has a virtually unmatched range of underwater environments. Off its Pacific shores, divers and snorkelers can explore thriving kelp forests and observe cool-water marine life. The Sea of Cortez offers prolific temperate and tropical marine life, colonies of playful sea lions, historical shipwrecks and even a coral reef. The sourthern Cortez and the Revillagigedos attract divers who come to experience close-up encounters with hammerhead sharks and manta rays. This book describes 53 of Baja California's best dive sites, with full colour photos throughout.

• Dive site depth range and water conditions
• marine life descriptions and behaviour
• driving directions and advice for independent divers
• comprehensive dive services listings
• 19 easy-to-read maps

Customer Reviews (5)

Good information
Both snorkeling and diving locations were mapped out and described. Travel tips seemed relevant and useful as did the safety tips.

Don't Leave Home Without It!
I found LP's Diving & Snorkeling Baja California indispensable. By far, it is the most handy guide book offered about scuba diving on the peninsula.The combination of accurate maps, superb photos, and excellent dive site descriptions make this book a winner.What I also particularly enjoyed was the appendix of marine life found in Baja.Although not complete in every detail (this book would be a LOT heavier!) for a dive foray down onto the peninsula it is perfect.This book wasn't written to be a tome; its strength lies in its ability to accurately project experiences a diver may encounter at each of the sites to include marine biology, underwater geology, and level of difficulty.The two sections of the book that I found most valuable were 1) the description of El Bajo, the shallow underwater volcano you can dive on pg. 105 (for a REALLY thorough description read "Diving The Seamount") and the section on the mysterious Islas de Revillagigedo dive sites several hundred miles south of Cabo beginning on pg. 124.As an added bonus, the major dive operators, hotels, recompression chambers (you never know!) are listed in various sections of this guide.Well done!

Good introduction to Baja diving
This book describes many of the major diving areas in Baja.Unfortunately, it really doesn't get specific about many of the dive sites.It's a good introduction, and will help you ask informative questions, but if you are looking at diving sites on your own, this book falls short.The book gives a nice overview of Baja topside and also contains a nice marine life identification section.If you are trying to get an idea of where you'd like to go and what you can expect to see, this book fits the bill....

Great Information on Baja.
I used this book for a trip to baja two summers ago. It was a great reference for finding good dive sites. The pictures are wonderful and the maps are very helpful. If you are planning to go to Baja to dive then be sure to pick up this book and plan to spend some quality time in La Paz!

Complete Baja Dive Book!
I really enjoyed this book and have used it extensively.It gives a brief summary of many of the dive sites all over north and south Baja with great color pictures and contact names.A must have for the diver in Baja. ... Read more

Product Description

In the former cradle of the Mayan empire, Belize is one of the world's top ecotourism destinations. Topside, tropical rainforests are populated by exotic birds, monkeys and wild cats, while offshore lie the world's second-largest barrier reef and three of the Western Hemisphere's four coral atolls. Shallow reefs ring the more than 450 cayes and islets, while towering walls plunge into the sea. More than 400 fish species and a host of corals and invertebrates shelter in the warm Caribbean waters. This book explores 66 of the best dive sites off Belize, with full-color photos throughout.

You’ll get specific information on:

• dive site topography and access
• common and hazardous marine life
• diving services on the mainland, cayes and atolls
• travel logistics and topside attractions
• 10 easy-to-read maps

Customer Reviews (5)

Misleading names
It is a good overview book, but when we got to Belize realized that a lot of the sites that are listed are not called by the same name at all - so hard to determine what sites we had really dived compared to the book.Also it covers a lot of area in Belize (if you are going to Ambergris Caye then maybe 1/2 or 2/3 of the book is useful).

Not so informative...
This is a fair book, but loads of sites are missing (from this edition at least) and much of the information I expected to find was not in it - particularly the prices and quality of the various diving shops. It is a mere overview of what you find under the sea, with little on how to actually get to that point.

Better than nothing.
While I agree with the previous 2 reviewers.I did find the book helpful as a brief and very general overview of what was available and what there was to see in those dive areas.It put the areas in geographical perspective for me and was a nice addition to the dive briefing.After the dive, the fish ID part was a nice memory jogger for doing my logbook entries.

However, it does not help with planning a dive or a dive trip.You can get more info on that free from websites, magazines and dive tour specialists.

Overall better than nothing if you're into filling out your logbook.

Pointless
This book has no discernible value to anyone planning a dive trip to Belize. First, it does not tell you which dive sites are good and which are worth skipping. This makes it difficult to plan your trip, assuming you have limited time and money to spend. The book does not even contain a list of top 5 or 10 recommended sites in the country.

Second, the book has no information on costs or other logistical aspects of a dive trip. For example, it mentions that Dangriga is the departure point for diving certain reefs, but doesn't tell you that there are no dive shops in Dangriga: to do any diving around there, you have to go thru an out-of-town resort, which is highly inconvenient.

Third, the capsule descriptions of 66 specific dive sites -- the heart of the book -- don't tell you anything meaningful and are irrelevant anyway because dive shops, not customers, choose which sites are visited. (Customers can choose which area they want to go to, but the dive shops select the specific sites within that area.)

Finally, although the book was updated in June 2002, it ignores the fact that in October 2001, Hurricane Iris devastated the sourthern diving hub of Placencia. The reefs in this area are heavily damaged and therefore not worth visiting. The failure to update the book to account for this major development can only be explained by bad faith on the part of Lonely Planet, which should be ashamed to have put such a lousy product on the market.

Save your money
This book is not worth buying.It provides very little information on specific dive sites. I did not use the book once to make a dive choice during two weeks in Southern Belize. A good dive book for Belize is really needed - it was difficult to locate good dive operators for some areas...but this book was of no value.

It does have some nice pictures and a very basic fish/coral guide in the back. ... Read more

Product Description

Countless reefs, walls and pinnacles painted in a patchwork of soft corals earned Fiji its reputation as the soft-coral capital of the world. The 332-island archipelago offers remote, pristine sites, thrilling drift dives and more than 1,000 tropical fish species. Feed hungry reef sharks at the Supermarket, pay a dental visit to cleaner shrimp or seek sanctuary in the sun-dappled Alacrity Rocks. From the snowy slopes of Great White Wall to the teeming depths of the E6 seamount, this book highlights 74 of Fiji's best sites, with full-color photos throughout. You'll get specific information on:

• Dive site topography and depth range
• Typical diving conditions
• Common and hazardous marine life
• Topside information, from dive resorts and live-aboards to Fijian culture and customs
• 16 easy-to-read maps

Customer Reviews (7)

No Coordinates
I am afraid I was sorely dissapointed by this book. I brought the book hoping for not only a list of dive sites but also the exact latitudes and longitudes of the dive sites. The book only had very vague maps that were lucky to get you within 2 miles of the dive site.

Whats the point of giving you all that information on a dive site except how to get there!!! All the information in the book (except the coordinates of the dive sites) is just as easily obtained from the local dive companies, so I simply dont see the point in purchasing the book.

About the only good thing was it allows you to plan dives before you even get to Fiji. The book only had 3 dive sites listed for the Yasawa Islands - which have lots of good dive sites.

Given the book was published in 2000 and I was in Fiji in 2009 I guess the book is basically getting quite dated now.

Dive sites like Gotham City, which got its name after the Bat fish that live there, no longer seem to have any Bat fish. Sad but possibly a factor of the age of the book and locals who have been eating the bat fish?

Forget Snorkeling Info
I bought this book primarily because I am going to Fiji in two months and wanted info on snorkeling.Boy was I surprised to find only half a page devoted to snorkeling.The rest of the book is a brief description of various dive sites.

The book does have nice pictures and basic information regarding the more popular dive sites in Fiji.But as a snorkeling reference, it is worthless.

For Scuba Divers Only
This is an attractive book which the scuba diver will want to order. It maps and describes 74 of Fiji's top dive sites and the color photography is excellent. Despite the title, however, those interested in beach-based snorkeling will find little of use here as almost all of the sites included are accessible by boat only. Even the new Waitabu Marine Park off Taveuni is mentioned only in passing. There's virtually no practical resort or restaurant information, and the first quarter of the book is devoted to brochure-style hype you can read on almost any Fiji website. Critical reviews of dive facilities are strikingly absent, so this book is of no help in selecting a specific scuba operator. Five pages of listings in the back of the book provide basic contact information, but even this is out of date as all Fiji telephone numbers have increased from six to seven digits since the book was published. Most of the email addresses are also wrong, so substitute @connect.com.fj whenever you see @is.com.fj. Nevertheless, when one considers the cost of a scuba tour to the South Pacific and the lack of any alternative Fiji dive guide, all of the above criticisms are mute and serious divers will click this title straight into their shopping carts.

Lacking basic information
This book is seemingly a compilation of dive locations frequented by dive resorts, with little independent research or reviews of specific dive outfitters.The book lacks basic information on water temperatures, currents, winds and seasonal influences.The independent traveller primarily interested in snorkeling will also be disappointed in the lack of practical information on the best sections of the main islands for shoreline snorkeling.

a must buy for Fiji
Simple no-nonsense guide to diving in Fiji ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (1)

scuba carribbean
A good book about different options for scuba adventures in the Caribbean.Good overview guide with some specifics. Will serve as a resource book for all levels. ... Read more

Product Description
This updated edition describes diving and snorkelling sites in the Upper, Middle and Lower Keys of Florida. Shallow diving, deep diving, swim-through caves, black coral, seven-foot barracudas and the lure of sunken treasure are some of the attractions the area offers. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Excellent for a diving library. Good book
We really like this book, and used it as a reference source for some of the information in our website (see email address). It has nice photographs, detailed descriptions of the bigger reefs, and is written witha fun, interesting tone. Definitely recommended. ... Read more