5 comments about Snorkel Kauai: guide to the beaches and snorkeling of Hawaii (2nd Edition).

1. If snorkeling is your thing, this book will provide a complete guide as to equipment recommendations, locations, getting to the right location, safety issues, as well as many beautiful photos which identify a number of fish available when you snorkel. I have these authors' book on Maui snorkeling which is quite good. This one is even better and more complete. A must buy for the avid Hawaiian snorkeler!



2. Item was as described and arrived quickly. Have not used it yet so cannot comment on the quality of the information.



3. I'm so excited to go to Kauai now, with my snorkel gear in tow. The book has all the information anyone could need if you're going to Kauai for the first time, or if you've been there many times.



4. Good guide for snorkeling in Kauai
   Helped us find places to go snorkeling. We visited several of the beaches. This book helped us make the best of our time in Kauai.



5. I wanted a book on the best places to Snorkel in Kauai. What I got was a bloated book that includes large color photo's and descriptions of beaches NOT recommended for snorkeling!! (There is even one that lists no way to access it only wishes that they could). Not only am stuck hauling this big book in my luggage, but having to wade through tons of pages of useless information.
   Final Recommendation: Buy it, rip out all the page for the recommended snorkel spots, staple, and voila -you are left with a precise and now wonderful guide to the snorkeling beaches.

1 comments about NAUI Scuba Diver Textbook.

1. This book is very basic and does a good job of introducing the sport of scuba. I think this is a great beginners book and is a must for anyone who is truly interested in diving. You learn all about the gear, the science, plus the do's and dont's of scuba.
   
   This book is an easy read and an overall great buy.

5 comments about Bermuda Schwartz.

1. The author weaves a tale of murder and greed in the third entry of this series. It feels easy and confident in the execution and bodes well for the future. A great travel preview for those who haven't been to Bermuda.



2. Even though this novel deals with murder and violence, it's still a very light entertaining read. I haven't read the former two books in this series and there is no problem following the storyline if you haven't done so either. This story kind of reminded me of Harlan Coben's Myron Bolitar character series, Deal Breaker is the first of those novels if you've never checked them out. Like Coben's Bolitar, Morris' Zack Chasteen is a wise cracking in the face of guys pointing guns at him, laid back fun guy who also is an ex professional athlete. Sure not the most believable novel in the world but it sure is a fun read!
   
   In Bermuda Schwartz, Zack Chasteen (along with his mate Boggy) go to Bermuda at the request of his girlfriend to help her rich Aunt out with her 70th Birthday celebrations by providing and planting palm trees on her estate. What seems like it will be a cruisey time turns to be anything but when Zack discovers an eyeless corpse washed up on the beach. When Zack goes to visit his millions stashed away in a local bank he discovers someone has making withdrawals and there's pretty much nothing left. Zack has no intention of letting his money go, only problem is the guy who stole it no longer has it but does have mob guys who want his head.



3. Bob Morris falls a bit flat in this third of the Zack Chasteen series. Missing are the bits of local history and culture that give a tropic mystery its flavor, and in its place is a frenetic pacing (there must have been a dozen chapters of two pages or less) along a workmanlike plot (the villain is obvious halfway through the book) that still leaves some final questions unanswered. Morris seems to have run out of ways to develop Zack and Boggy as characters, substituting Zack's cynical put downs of Boggy's mysticism for any real development of their relationship. In summary, a decent read on the beach or in the airport, but a weaker cousin of the first two books, which had the energy and novelty of a really promising new franchise. Hopefully No. 4 in the series will recapture the magic of No. 1.



4. Let Bob Morris and his Bermuda breezes sweep you along in this murder mystery that will make you want to hop on the next plane to find your own treasure. His tight writing style and humor are addictive. This story, written in the present tense, grabs you and doesn't let go!



5. It's an innocuous birthday celebration that brings former Miami Dolphin Zack Chasteen to Bermuda. But once there he soon becomes involved in the investigation of the grisly murder of Ned McHugh, an Australian scuba diver. As the complex narrative unfolds, Chasteen and the reader learn that McHugh's death is only the latest twist in a 500 year old shaggy dog story that involves a holy relic, an ancient shipwreck and the Portuguese mafia.
   
   Chasteen is an appealing protagonist. Tough and take charge when he has to be, but sensitive and self-deprecating the rest of the time.
   
   The problem with Bermuda Schwartz lies in the plotting. In order to keep the reader from anticipating the solution to the crime, author Bob Morris introduces an over abundance of characters, many of whom relate to each other in some rather implausible ways. While widening the list of suspects, this device ultimately makes the storyline needlessly complex and less than believable.
   
   Bottom line: Despite its idyllic locale and its tie in to early Christian history, Bermuda Schwartz is a very average read. Not nearly as engaging as Bahamarama, Bob Morris' debut novel.

5 comments about The Certified Diver's Handbook: The Complete Guide to Your Own Underwater Adventures.

1. This handbook is delightfully written by a diver who is both savvy and informative. It's an easy read. He give's helpful tips on equipment, tips on where, when, who.... great money-saving tips. Hope you enjoy it as much as we have! It's already helped us to make some good decisions on buying certain types of gear! worth every penny.



2. Good book. I read it and decided right away that diving was not for me.
   
   It saved me a lot of money



3. I really like this book and have a feeling I will take it on a lot of dive trips. It provides great information on anything from actual diving to buying gear and gear tips, how to plan dive trips, marine animals, and much more. It's a great collection of information every newly certified diver should read.
   
   The only thing that's too bad is that there is no Kindle version of this book, which would make it much easier to bring it with you on trips.



4. This is a very practical overview of diving. Quickly readable and clearly gets points made in a nicely organized fashion. Well done and well worth the money for the new diver or the old diver getting back in the water.



5. Diving is something I hope to never give up. I look forward to diving even in my 60's as long as its a boat dive. I found this book to be a quick read and indispensible when you want to explore or revisit diving concepts. I believe anyone considering a sport diving certification should also read it in order to gain a realistic understanding of the dive adventures that await her. I'm compelled to load up the dive gear, grab my dive buddy by the hair (if only he had some) and drag him to the nearest body of water. At last, a practical SCUBA how-to book that makes sense to the average diver and is fun to read. A real confidence builder. Coleman thoroughly reviews the important basics as well as includes information from real life experiences that can change a mediocre into a memorable one . It's like sitting oceanside with an expert diver and having most dive related questions you can think of answered in simplistic and understandable terms. Although this book is mostly geared toward the a diver with a certification.

5 comments about Diving into Darkness: A True Story of Death and Survival.

1. It is inevitable that comparisons will always be made between great books within the same genre. Such is the fate of Phillip Finch's "Diving Into Darkness". This engaging book concerning the the rarefied world of deep diving will forever be compared to the ever-popular "Shadow Divers" by Robert Kurson. In both sagas the story unfolds at unimaginable depths where even the slightest mishap/mistake can and does cascade into a fatal event.
   
   Notwithstanding further comparisons, "Diving Into Darkness" is a about a diver (David Shaw) who in the span of only 5 years went from a "rank beginner(diver) to one of the most accomplished and ambitious divers" in the history of sports diving. The depths to which Shaw achieved (700 ft to 900 ft) were often record dives on a non rebreather apparatus; "more men have walked on the moon."
   
   In June 2004, during a cave dive at Bushman's Hole Shaw descended to an astounding depth of almost 900 feet. What he inadvertently discovered was the body of a young cave diver lost to a diving mishap some 10 years earlier. Though the author makes little note of the fact that Shaw is deeply religious and that Shaw had a previous dream envisioning that he would discover this body, Shaw felt that God has guided him to the body so that he can retrieve it for the still grieving parents of the young diver. All this would be little known to the world except for the fact that the mainstream media picked up the story; a story in which the media (newspapers, magazines, radio, television and a video team) intended to document this Herculean effort to retrieve the body at the bottom of a 900 ft deep cave. This is diving at the extreme!
   
   Unfortunately all does not go as planned and as a result, the media and the reader witnesses a tragedy in the making. Phillip Finch documents this in a manner where the reader is aware of the inescapable tragedy but can't stop reading the next page, much like witnessing a train you know is going to crash but you can't stop looking at it.
   
   As is common with all great extreme adventure stories where human boundaries are tested, this story involves the elements of courage vs. calculated recklessness, altruistic goals vs potentially deadly practicalities and perhaps foreseeable tragedy vs. almost averted tragedy (sadly, "what could have been").
   
   For those of us who are scuba divers, and even those of you who are not, this is certainly a book worthy of read. Is it better than Shadow Divers? You tell me.
   
   Lastly, I must add that I read this story as it was originally titled : Phillip Finch's "Raising The Dead" An Australian Story of Death and Survival. While the title is slightly different the novel is exactly the same ("word for word") but is a different edition of the same book.



2. This book is a fantastic piece written about David Shaw's diving accomplishments. It is impossible to put down and can be read within a few days. The book can easily be read by anyone with any interest in diving. There is no need for a technical knowledge base prior to reading the book.
   
   I give it a strong 5 out of 5 stars. Well done, Phillip Finch.



3. This book does an excellent job of telling the story, presenting the perfect level of technical information for non or beginning level divers, and conveying the personal passion people develop for any sport truly they love. And as with any activity, there are always risks involved. (I am a trimix certified technical diver (good to 220') working on my next level of certification.)



4. Diving Into Darkness is a page turner! All divers should read as a reminder of the thrill and danger of the sport.



5. I'm an avid diver, with almost 400 dives under my weight belt, yet I still haven't got my Advanced. I started diving at the age of 48. Dave Shaw was doing extremely dangerous dives very soon after he started diving: going to extreme depths around his fiftieth dive, etc. In spite of this, he may have survived on that body-recovery dive in a sinkhole in Sth Africa if literally everything hadn't gone wrong. This is a suspenseful story, well-written and definitely of great interest to anyone into diving and the potential for disaster while diving (it's a morbid curiosity of mine to imagine all the things that could possibly go wrong whilst diving).

5 comments about Hawaii The Big Island Trailblazer: Where to hike, snorkel, surf, bike, drive.

1. This book was not all that helpful The directions were confusing and caused frustration. The locals all have and use the "Hawaii; The Big Island Revealed"



2. Another Trailblazer guide we really enjoyed. Whoever named this place the BIG island sure got it right. And so did the authors of this book. It's clear they know their stuff, there are so many outings described inside.
   
   This guide is arranged geographically so that no matter where you are you have the details on what there is to do and pictures showing what it looks like. What surprised us the most is that the book wasn't just about hiking, snorkeling (the best) and biking (wish we had our mountain bikes along), but it is also a great book for driving around and covers the neat little towns.
   
   We bought this book at the last minute and are glad we did. If you are spending all the money it takes to get to Hawaii, it is a smart choice to pony up a few more bucks and drop it in your carry-on. We also like the big maps and the way the book is written -- lots of interesting details.
   
   We will have to go back to see it all. The volcano area was truly wonderous!!



3. At least the 2 weeks that we were there the snorkeling conditions were outstanding and this guide made finding the locations simple. I'm not sure what we would have done without it. The Trailblazer also introduced us to all the hiking trails. Getting to some of the secluded beaches required their telling us exactly where to turn off according to the highway mile markers. To see the long expanse of sand and blue water sans resort hotel was worth the bumpy road ride down.
   
   The trail down to Pololu Beach and up and over the next ridge was a challenge and thanks to their descriptions and directions we knew what we were getting into. The less traveled route to the Captain Cook monument is also included, one of the best because at the end you reach a snorkeling place with the best visibility, coral heads and abundance of colorful fish. Primo places like Kua Bay, Iki Crater and lava tubes, Hilo lagoon swimming, it's all inside with pictures. Hawaii Island will take another visit or two to see it all. We can unequivocally say our experience using this book was a complete lifesaver.



4. Our favorite guides are the Trailblazers for alot of reasons. The first one that comes to mind is the depth of information geared for independent travelers such as us. They rule when it comes to exact directions for out of the way places. The only paid tour we took was to the highest dormant volcano (we didn't rent an expensive four wheel drive vehicle). Other than that we were blissfully on our own all the time dipping in and out of roads that led to beautiful turquoise snorkeling waters.
   
   We ran out of time and didn't see all of the island since its land mass is awesome, but thanks to the book we cherry picked our way around from Kona to Hilo and to Waipio Valley. For easy access to the trails, this is it and they add a little culture and history to make it really interesting.
   
   Lastly is the layout, same style in both books we had which made for comfortable navigating. The maps precede each section and the outings are numbered accordingly. In a quiet way, it's all there, no hype, they've done the digging and for a good price have published a worth having travel companion.



5. Well researched, intelligent, and best of all, useful and well organized. This guidebook does not disappoint. Instead, it provided us with places we never dreamed we'd see. This guide is written by travel writers who live part time in Hawaii and roam all the islands looking for unique hiking trails and tucked away beaches. We profited by all their research and dearly loved the way they clearly laid out their information: geographically. Their maps made travelling so easy.
   
   Driving around, especially since the island is so enormous, you need good directions. They navigate you around using the mile markers on the highway that dot the side of the highway and are easy to spot. We saved so much money by getting good mileage, never got lost once and knew just where to turn even when there were no signs. In fact, that's how we found our favourite white sand beach off by itself.
   
   Their stunning photos guided us to plenty of good trails in Volcano National Park. Visit the Thurston Lava Tube, it's spooky. Hilo had wonderful safe swimming access, you just need to know where the parks are since they're located away from town. You will want to prepare yourself for seeing Mauna Kea by reading their driving advice and preparing for cold weather. A highlight of our trip.
   
   This guide prepared us for everything and sure made for one great Big Island visit.

5 comments about Reef Fish Identification - Tropical Pacific.

1. This book helped me to identify virtually every fish I have seen on several diving trips to five different Pacific Islands. This includes North and South Pacific, Western and Central Pacific.



2. This book helped me to identify virtually every fish I have seen on several diving trips to five different Pacific Islands. This includes North and South Pacific, Western and Central Pacific.



3. Best one we've seen during our numerous diving trips, even the rare fishes are in there with good picture.
   must have if you like to identify the fishes you see. small enough to carry on trips.



4. I have several reference books for marine reef fish but this one takes the biscuit!! It covers the most species with high quality photographs. A real must have!



5. I have borrowed this book many times while diving Southeast Asia and it's about time I bought my own copy. I have always thought it was the best fish guide but didn't want to pack one more thing. I'll exchange all those unnecessary clothes for this in my suitcase.

5 comments about Diver Down: Real-World SCUBA Accidents and How to Avoid Them.

1. Ange's book is a series of short stories relating to diving accidents. It is an extremely readable series of short account that provides examples of the things which most often go wrong. The first couple of stories have happy endings, which may lull some into a false sense of security, but that comfort blanket is rudely stripped away for the rest of the book.
   
   Each story is no more than 3 or 4 pages, making the book easy to pick up and put down. Interposed between the stories are a number of other side bars that explain various things relevant to an adjacent story. That helps make the book much more readable, as it explains new concepts to less experienced divers, but allows others to skip across bits that they know and get back to the meat. Across the scope of the book the sidebars cover almost every aspect of equipment and training, and really do a good job of illustrating the purposes of most of the safety equipment and training in diving.
   
   Altogether a very well put together book with a great deal of diving wisdom available in readily digestible format.



2. One thing about diving accidents is that they can happen to anyone at anytime, no matter how much experience you have.
   
   You forget to do something one day, or worse, begin to think it is okay to ignore the rules a bit, then things can go awry quickly.
   
   This book has real life incidents that are worth reading over now and again as a refresher, even if you are experienced.



3. I have re-read this book several times now, and find value each time I do. Each chapter of the book describes a unique (and real) diving accident, most of which end in fatalities. It provides a "post-mortem" analysis of each event, and each chapter ends with practical "lessons learned" from each of the incidents that one can apply to those specific (or even general) diving situations. The reviewer who said they learned all of this from reading "Shadow Divers" and "Deep Descent" is a moron, or at least not a diver.



4. EXCELLENT BOOK! I am a safe diver, but this book put me on edge to be so VERY much more conscious on overlooked errors. Not to the point of paranoia but I now question everyone I dive with and their gear & skill set, the dive masters. as well as my own. My set of dive partners is very small now. If ever there was a required reading text for divers of any school or level this would be my choice! - Desiree



5. It is well written and concise. I wish I had read this book earlier as it would have saved me from some close calls. After each accident report, there is a section detailing the lessons learned from the mishap, and often a box adding information about a relevant topic (caves, wrecks, rebreathers, safety devices). The accidents range from absolutely reckless behavior (a teenager attempts a solo bounce dive to 125 ft while his friend distracts the instructor during a safety stop) to cases where seemingly well-prepared divers all of a sudden find themselves in trouble (in a strong current). I found it useful to ask myself after each chapter: Could this happen to me? If yes, what should I change in my diving procedures? When was the last time I checked my safety equipment? Am I sure that I am not pushing the limits in this or that respect? This is an extremely useful book, both for the actual diving knowledge it contains as well as a reminder how things can go wrong and how catastrophic that can be. I think of myself as an experienced about 200 dives..., skilled, and mostly pretty careful scuba diver. This book made me seriously reevaluate my diving practices. The book contains a number of accident descriptions with scenarios ranging from novice divers running out of air, divers taking unnecessary risks to poorly maintained equipment causing serious accidents. In some of the accidents, the protagonists survive with a serious scare and some hypothermia, in others they get seriously injured or pay with their lives. The book is written in a clear, sober and non-sensationalist style, but nevertheless the fact that the accidents are described with a focus on the individual human beings involved sent chills down my spine. It is psychologically so much more powerful to read "Jason tried to breathe from his regulator, but his tank was empty. He could not see his buddy." than to read the general advice to regularly monitor your air consumption and stay close to your dive partner.

5 comments about Manual of Freediving: Underwater on a Single Breath.

1. As a dive industry professional I feel obligated to say that this is the best book you can find on any type of diving, especially freediving. It covers History, Technique, Safety, Rescue, Dry-Land Training, Water Training, Weight Training, Physiology, Diet, Bio-Mechanics, everything you need to know to go from an occasional snorkeler to a serious professional freediver is in this book. I own two copies, one of which is wrapped in waterproof duct-tape so it can be left on the dock during training sessions in the water. If I ran the world, this book would be required reading for all boat captains, life guards, SCUBA instructors, and surfers. Excellent source of information and improvement. It will ad at least 20% to your personal best.



2. I discovered freediving few months ago and being a complete novice I was looking for some advice. I was skeptical about finding such manual but it turned out there is one. When it arrived and I opened it I got blown away. This is not a manual of freediving - this is every freediver's bible. This book describes not only techniques and training programs but touches every single aspect of freediving including uhman anatomy and biological functions as well as mental preparation needed for this sport. If you are serious about freediving you need to have this book.



3. A great book that every freediver new or experienced must have.
   It will teach you new things or make you reconsider those that you already know.
   It provides all the information you need to know and also has a lot of exercises, with very good pictures, of how to improve your apnea times and techniques.



4. I am new at free diving and wanted a "beginners book". In my opinion, the is for intermediate divers as half the book was over my head with quite a bit of mathematics.
   
   ( I returned the book with no problem).



5. This Freedive Manual is a complete examination of freediving. Definitely recommend it for all levels of divers but especially for those wanting to (safely) increase their time spent under the surface.

5 comments about Fifty Places to Dive Before You Die: Diving Experts Share the World's Greatest Destinations.

1. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and read it cover to cover within 2 days. It's a fast read. Each dive site gets about a 2 and 1/2 page description (some destinations get slightly more) with a dive expert giving a brief vignette on some of the highlights they have encountered at the site. The sites range from novice-friendly to much more complicated (for example, the first site listed is in Antarctica... not exactly luxury warm weather diving!!), but there is enough here to entertain divers of all levels.
   
   If you are looking for an in depth analysis of a dive site, this probably isnt the right book for you. The descriptions are just too brief to use the book for that purpose. But if you're just looking for ideas... or if you have a particular large sea creature you are dying to sea (i.e. mola molas, humpbacks, various shark species), the book does a good job of pointing out places where you are more-likely to encounter them. It also hits on dive spots where the macro life is the highlight.
   
   In response to one other's reviewers comments about not having a Red Sea or a Cuba destination, that comment is inaccurate. The Red Sea destination mentioned is Sha'ab Rumi, a location off the coast of Sudan. The author recommends a live aboard boat for this trip. For Cuba, the author recommends Jardines de la Reina, though he cautions US citizens who travel there that they do so at their own risk.
   
   All in all, a fun book to read on a chilly winter day with a cup of coffee and a tired dog asleep at your feet (at least that's how I did it!).



2. I am enjoying reading about places I have been and places I want to dive. Great compilation of dive reviews from around the world.



3. I love this book. It has some wonderful details not normally found in dive books, such as suggested dive operators and little bits of information that you normally wouldn't know about unless you'd traveled to that spot previously. Great photography! Of the places I've been that are in the book, I found the information the book provided to be accurate as well. Nice coffee-table book. Everyone who visits picks it up and has to read a few pages.



4. my son seemed to like it- i am not a diver. he actually re-gited it to his dad (my ex), hoping his dad will take him to some of these places.



5. Nice book with a fair number of pictures. The book can't decide if it is a travel advisory book or a coffee table book, and so misses on being great in either category. To be truly outstanding coffee table book, it would need more full page high quality photos. To be a truly outstanding travel advisory, it need more text and more opportunities for contact of dive operations/activities at each location. In the end, I found it to be a better coffee table book than a travel guide as many locations (that I have been to) had numerous omissions of services and local activities.