The Cave Divers [Paperback]

Robert F. Burgess (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 29, 1999

Cave divers are the elite, and this is their story--a story of pushing the limits of technology and human endurance.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Interesting mix of adventure and archaeology that probes one of the earth’s last frontiers. -- Publishers Weekly

It’s an amazing world and you can journey into it through the pages and photos of The Cave Divers. -- The Pike County Citizen

Masterfully guides the reader through tales of history that cavers and non-cavers will enjoy. -- Immersed, The International Technical Diving Magazine

Takes the reader on a fascinating journey. -- California Diving News

From the Publisher

This book is a new edition of the author's 1975 classic also titled The Cave Divers. All chapters have been revised and 9 new chapters have been added as well as 51 color photographs.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Aqua Quest Publications (June 29, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1881652114
• ISBN-13: 978-1881652113
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,396,688 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Captivating...even for the armchair diver!, June 8, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Cave Divers (Paperback)

As if you're wearing weight-belts too, the author draws you down to join the feerless few who dare the hidden underwater depths. Very entertaining, but equally educational, which is helpful to us landlubbers who have only dreamt of clenching down on a regulator mouthpiece. The book covers the early days of aqua-spelunking right up through the present, touching on the evolving equipment and techniques, including a piece on the challenges and tricks of underwater photography. Great pictures and diagrams, and the stories are arranged such that it isn't necessary to read front to back. The reader can dive in anywhere and not get lost...which is more than can be said for some of the chapters' subjects. Either way, you'll enjoy reading every page. But beware of the bends!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Well Written and Accurate Portrayal of Cave Diving., January 14, 2001

By 

Ned Middleton (British professional underwater photo-journalist & author) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Cave Divers (Paperback)

The Cave Divers arrived through my letter box just as I was departing for a long-haul flight - always a good opportunity for some fairly uninterrupted reading. It proved to be an excellent choice of book.

The Cave Divers traces the history of Cave Diving from the earliest beginnings - where explorers held their breath and plunged into freezing waters deep inside hitherto unexplored cave systems, through the era of tremendous discovery made possible by Scuba Diving equipment and right up to the advent of modern Rebreather systems.

Combining his personal experience of over 50 years of diving with a very easy style of writing, the author has created a fascinating and readable account of the successes and failures that has made the sport of Cave Diving exactly what it is - one of the most advanced, technical and adventurous forms of diving available today.

The book commences with various accounts of early adventurers such as; Count Begouen who discovered artefacts made by prehistoric man in the dry caves of the Pyres in 1913, Casteret who, in 1932, risked life and limb to plunge almost naked into a dark and icy abyss to make one of the most unique finds in the annals of discovery and exploration - and with nothing more than a candle and a box of matches, the very first attempts to explore the caves of Somerset in 1934 and a detailed account of how both Cousteau and Dumas came very close to death in the Fountain of Vaucluse in 1946.

Chapter by chapter this book visits the important cave systems of the Bahamas, Europe, UK, USA and Venezuela as it explains many of the individual accomplishments made by the men and women who pioneered, expanded and continue to develop the sport of Cave Diving. In this way, the Author brings the reader through each significant milestone, contribution and innovation right up to the very latest in Rebreather systems before finally concluding with his own view of what the future holds.

This book will be of interest to Cave Diver and non-Cave Diver alike - and invaluable for those contemplating taking up the sport. My only criticism is that it contains no mention whatsoever of the late Rob Palmer - who's own contribution was far from insignificant

NM

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Diving to the max., September 26, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Cave Divers (Paperback)

This is THE book for anyone who has any interest at all in the sport of SCUBA diving or just interested in reading about extreme high adverture.It is one of the most interesting, enjoyable and captivating books I have read in quite awhile. It puts you right there in the caves, sinks and sumps with some of the worlds best and most experienced cave divers(and some who were'nt) and lets you get a feel for what it is like to explore worlds that few will ever see. From Florida's famous Wakulla Spring Survey Project and the remains of early man found at Warm Mineral/Little Salt Springs to the HUGE underwater labyrinthss of the Yucatan Peninsula and Huautla cavern system in Mexico, each chapter is a detailed account of these adventures including maps, drawings and photos. I highly recommend this book.