Interviews with Authors and Diving Book Reviews

1 April 2024
At SCUBA Travel we not only review diving books, we seek out and interview the best diving authors.


Book Reviews

Nudibranchs and Sea-slugs
Nudibranchs and Sea-slugs
by Tim Nicholson. With 171 exquisite photographs of nudibranchs and other sea-slugs, this is not only a beautiful identification guide but also offers a broad introduction to the world of nudibranchs.
Secret Seas - Discover Oman's unique underwater world
Secret Seas - Discover Oman's unique underwater world
by Paul Flandinette and Michel Claereboudt. A beautiful book which not only has gorgeous pictures but is awash with information on Oman, its seas and underwater life.
Confessions of a Divemaster
Confessions of a Divemaster
by Kris Mears. A good insight into the life of a Divemaster and into the some of the world's greatest diving, you might want to read it before you plan your next diving adventure!
The Darkness Beckons
The Darkness Beckons
5 Star Rating: Recommended
by Martyn Farr. The definitive cave diving book since its first issue in 1980, this year author Martynn Farr has brought The Darkness Beckons bang up-to-date. He covers the earliest origins of cave diving right up to the most recent discoveries.
Reef Fishes of Oman
Reef Fishes of Oman
5 Star Rating: Recommended
by Richard Field. Photographic reference guide which aims to help divers and snorkellers identify the most frequently seen reef fishes in the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. Although the title only mentions Oman, it is also useful if you are diving in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). New - Get the 2017 app free with our code!

Ocean of Life
Ocean of Life
5 Star Rating: Recommended
by Callum Roberts. Ocean of Life details threats posed by the cosmetic industry, fishing, noise, rising sea-levels, global warming, acidification, fish farming and so on. Callum Roberts succeeds in presenting his case in a way that is open to everyone, and gives simple solutions to save life in the oceans.
Great British Marine Animals
Great British Marine Animals
5 Star Rating: Recommended
by Paul Naylor.
Organised as an identification guide, what makes this book so special is the commentary on the behaviour of the animals featured. And, of course, the 350 delightful photographs.

Neutral Buoyancy
Neutral Buoyancy - adventures in a liquid world
5 Star Rating: Recommended
by Tim Ecott.
An entertaining history of diving minutely researched with interviews with many of the diving pioneers.


War II wrecks of Truk Lagoon
World War II Wrecks of Truk Lagoon
5 Star Rating: Recommended
by Dan E Bailey.
The definitive guide to diving the wrecks of Truk Lagoon.


Diver
DIVER
4 Star Rating: Recommended
Tony Groom recounts his underwater experiences as a Royal Navy Mine Clearance and a commercial diver.




Northern Red Sea Wrecks and Reefs: Dive Guide and Logbook
Read about the dive sites you are likely to encounter on a Northern Egyptian liveaboard.




Red Sea Wrecks of Northern Egypt
Guide and logbook of the Northern Red Sea wrecks, including the Thistlegorm and Rosalie Moller.




Ghosts of Rosevear and the Wreck of the Nancy Packet
by Todd Stevens and Edward Cumming.
Tale of Scilly ghosts and wrecks.



Cool Waters, Emerald Seas: Diving in Temperate Waters
by John Collins.
Share John Collins' enthusiasm for cool water diving with this handsome coffee table book.

Fire in the Turtle House
Fire in the Turtle House - The Green Sea Turtle and the Fate of the Ocean
4 Star Rating: Recommended
by Osha Gray Davidson.
Deals with the incredible pressures faced by the green sea turtle throughout the world. The book gathers pace from the first discovery of a debilitating turtle disease into a race-against-time; becoming increasingly difficult to put down.


The Enchanted Braid - Nature on the Coral Reef
The Enchanted Braid - Coming to Terms with Nature on the Coral Reef
4 Star Rating: Recommended
by Osha Gray Davidson.
A blend of aesthetic appreciation, scientific enquiry and environmental manifesto.



A divers' guide to Underwater Malaysia Macrolife
A divers' guide to Underwater Malaysia Macrolife
5 Star Rating: Recommended
by Andrea and Antonella Ferrari.
Photographic guide to small creatures in the Indo-Pacific. Beautifully illustrated with over 800 photographs.


The Blue Planet
The Blue Planet
5 Star Rating: Recommended
The Blue Planet series spectacularly captures life and behaviour in the oceans which was previously unobserved. From coral reefs, to arctic oceans, to the sometimes beautiful and sometimes grotesque deep sea creatures.



Diving the Calf of Man
Dive Sites and Marine Life of the Calf of Man and Neighbouring Area
5 Star Rating: Recommended
by Bill Sanderson, Bruce McGregor and Andrew Brierley.
The Isle of Man boasts some excellent diving and this book describes some of the best dive sites in the south of the island.



Diving the Calf of Man
Coral Reef Fishes, Indo-Pacific and Caribbean
5 Star Rating: Recommended
by Ewald Lieske and Robert Myers.
An excellent, comprehensive guide to reef fishes, which is small and light enough to pack regardless of amount of diving equipment.



Oceans
Oceans
5 Star Rating: Recommended
The book of the BBC series of television programmes that revealed the hidden stories of the sea



Rapture of the Deep
The Rapture of the Deep
5 Star Rating: Recommended
by Michael G Zinsley.
A collection of entertaining stories all with a diving backdrop.



Double Cross
Double Cross
by Patrick Woodrow.
An action novel with plenty of diving.




North Sea Divers - a Requiem
North Sea Divers - A Requiem
5 Star Rating: Recommended
by Jim Limbrick.
A tribute to the offshore divers of the North Sea.



Cozumel Dive Guide
Cozumel Dive Guide & Log Book
5 Star Rating: Recommended
Complete guide to the dive sites of Cozumel with excellent 3-D maps. Written by local instructors, boat captains, the Marine Park and the members of the Cozumel divers association.


Colossus
Wreck of the Colossus, The find of a lifetime
by Todd Stevens.
The story of the discovery of the historic shipwreck, Colossus.



Marine Animals of Britain
Marine Animals of the South West
5 Star Rating: Recommended
by Paul Naylor.
Filled with identification features and photographs showing fantastic behaviour of sea creatures.


Hurghada Dive Guide
Hurghada Dive Guide and Logbook
Located on Egypt's Red Sea coast, Hurghada offers vibrant coral gardens, exciting drift dives, diverse marine life and wrecks.



Dive Thailand
Dive Thailand
5 Star Rating: Recommended
by Paul Lees.
Filled with colour pictures, the book features sections on sea life, underwater photography and first aid. All dives are given a star rating and are well described. An essential purchase if you're planning to dive in Thailand.

Scapa Flow Dive Guide
Scapa Flow Dive Guide
5 Star Rating: Recommended
by Lawson Wood.
A comprehensive guide to diving the wrecks and reefs in Scapa Flow, Scotland.
The Essential Underwater Photography Manual
by Denise Nielson Tackett and Larry Tackett
Beautifully illustrated, practical guide to digital and film photography.

Diving Guide to the Red Sea Wrecks
5 Star Rating: Recommended
by Kurt Amsler and Andrea Ghisotti.
Packed with photographs, details 18 wrecks lying in the Red Sea. Each ship's story is told with fascinating detail.

The Simple Guide to Commercial Diving
The Simple Guide to Commercial Diving
5 Star Rating: Recommended
Barsky and Christensen's book covers the skills and attitudes needed by a successful commercial diver in a straight-forward and forthright way.

Karen Begelfer
Manta Rays and Margaritas: Tropical Travels to Dive the Oceans
by Karen Begelfer. Descriptive and charming, in this book Karen Begelfer tells of her diving travels from learning to dive, getting hooked and visiting both out-of-the-way and popular destinations.

Dive as Deep as you Dare
Dive as Deep as You Dare
4 Star Rating: Recommended
by Dave Blackmore.
An autobiographical account of Dave Blackmore's years as a BSAC diver from the 1970's to date. A reminder of what we used to do with very basic kit, a lot of enthusiasm and very high tolerance of cold water.
Vertical Descent
Vertical Descent
4 Star Rating: Recommended
by Steve Turle
A diving adventure novel ideal for holiday reading.

Dive
Dive - The Ultimate Guide to 60 of the World's Top Dive Locations
4 Star Rating: Recommended
by Monty Halls.
Classy-looking book which describes diving areas and the best dive sites you will find there.


Interviews with Diving Authors

Dive Atlas of the world
Paul Flandinette
Paul Flandinette wrote Secret Seas - a beautiful book which not only has gorgeous pictures but is awash with information on Oman, its seas and underwater life. We talk to Paul about his book and life in Oman..


Dive Atlas of the world
Jack Jackson
Author of many diving and travel books, including the best selling Dive Atlas of the World.


Diving the World
Beth Tierney
Along with her husband Shaun, Beth Tierney is co-author of the popular Diving the World, now in its third edition.


Neutral Buoyancy
Tim Ecott
Author of Neutral Buoyancy - Adventures in a Liquid World.
Tim Ecott - journalist, travel writer and diver - shares his motivation for writing Neutral Buoyancy and tells us of his pleasure at meeting WWII veteran Dickie Greenland, Hans and Lotte Hass and Dottie Frazier (the USA's first female diving instructor).

Reef Fishes of Oman
Richard Field
Author of photographic sealife identification guides, including the recent Reef Fishes of Oman.
Great British Marine Animals
Paul Naylor
Author of Great British Marine Animals.
Paul Naylor discusses his fascination for sea creatures and his desire to tell people their stories. Paul is both a marine biologist and a renowned underwater photographer.

Diving the World War II wrecks of Truk Lagoon
Dan E Bailey
Author of World War II Wrecks of Truk Lagoon, the definitive guide to one of the best wreck diving areas in the world.

Careers in Scuba Diving
Kenneth Tuttle Wilhelm
Author of Careers in Scuba Diving, the only book of its kind. "There really has never been a written resource for someone thinking about a dive career. No written resource that addresses the questions that are of importance to the success and happiness for someone considering employment within our industry."

Diver
Tony Groom
We talk to Tony Groom, ex-Royal Navy Mine Clearance and commercial diver, about his book Diver.




Diving the Calf of Man
Bill Sanderson
Author of Dive Sites and Marine Life of the Calf of Man and Neighbouring Area.
The Isle of Man boasts some excellent diving and Bill's book describes some of the best dive sites in the south of the island. Our interview investigates why Bill decided to write the book, and what distinguishes it from other dive guides.

Dive as Deep as you Dare
Dave Blackmore
Author of Dive as Deep as you Dare.



Dark Water Dive Underwater Investigation
Kathy Brandt
Kathy Brandt is the author of the Underwater Investigation series featuring SCUBA diver and underwater crime scene investigator, Hannah Sampson. These include Swimming with the Dead, Dark Water Dive and Dangerous Depths.

Best Dives of the Caribbean
Joyce Huber
Author of travel guides for divers, including Best Dives of the Caribbean. This was the result of 20 years of dive travel and note taking.


Diving the Seamount
Tom Rapko
Author of Diving the Seamount and Corcovado.
Diving the Seamount is the product of Tom Rapko's love for both scuba diving and perhaps one of the finest diving destinations in the world: Baja California.

Diving Baja California
Susan Speck
Author of Diving Baja California.
Susan Speck tells us about her book and her love of diving unexplored places.