COMPLETE WRECK DIVING GUIDE: A Guide to Diving Wrecks

COMPLETE WRECK DIVING GUIDE: A Guide to Diving Wrecks       By Hank Keatts & Brian Skerry 270 pages, 5-3/8x8-1/4 inches, papberback, 145 B&W photos, 44 illustrations, 8 maps, Bibliography     There is a wealth of information for both beginning and advanced wreck divers packed into this comprehensive volume. Some of the topics covered are types of ships and how they deteriorate; researching and finding shipwrecks; methods of actually searching for a wreck; specialized equipment and predive preparation; what to look for and expect in acharter boat; diving the wreck with special emphasis on hazards and navigation; clues to use for identifying a wreck; artifact recovery, conservation and legal considerations; special techniques of photographing wrecks. Also includes a section on the contribution wreck diving makes to our understanding of maritime history. Covered in the appendices are lists of research sources in the United States and overseas. Written in an engaging style with an ample use of the author's first hand experiences. Table of Contents Why Dive Wrecks Getting Started Research Finding Your Wreck The Physical Search Charter Boats Gearing up Diving the Wreck Shipwreck Identification Artifacts Sunken Ships and Salty Shutters About the Authors Henry Keatts is a retired Professor of Biology and Oceanography, Suffolk Community College, Long Island, NY. In addition to being widely published in his field, Keatts is the author of New England's Legacy of Shipwrecks and Field Guide to Sunken U-Boats, both published by the American Merchant Marine Museum Press (United States Merchant Marine Academy), and Guide to Shipwreck Diving: New York and New Jersey, published by Pisces Books. He is co-author of the Dive Into History series (U-boats, warships and U.S. submarines) published by Pisces Books. He is a "fellow" of the Explorers Club, an associate member of the Boston Sea Rovers and an honorary member of the Gillmen Club (Hartford, CT) and the Adirondack Underwater Explorers (Saratoga Springs, NY). He is president of the American Society of Oceanographers. His underwater photographs have been published in numerous books and magazines. Brian Skerry is an assignment photograper for National Geographic Magazine specializing in elusive underwater subject matter. Working in diverse environments, including the open ocean, beneath ice, inside caves and in saturation. Brian has photographed a wide variety of subjects. One of his primary subjects has been shipwrecks, having explored and photographed hundreds of wrecks such as the Andrea Doria, USS Monitor, the pirate ship Whydah, and the wrecks of the D-Day invasion off the coast of Normandy. His images have appeared in numerous magazines including People, Sports Illustrated, US News and World Report, Smithsonian, Esquire, Audubon, Outdor Life, Wildlife Conservation, Yankee, Maxim, and Men's Journal. Reviews "Keatts and Skerry brilliantly cover the spectrum of wreck diving with fascinating data and background material. The time is ripe for a fresh new book on exploring the depths for shipwrecks." -Clive Cussler, author