All Things Underwater
I recall when DIVER contributor Jeffrey Gallant confided in me that he was working on a book about which he could not reveal anything at the time except to say that upon publication, it would be unique in the diving world. That was in early 2006 and the volume he produced was the Diving Almanac & Yearbook, launched last fall at the Orlando, Florida, DEMA show. Now, a year later, the 2008 DAY, in acronym-ese, is off the press and it's fatter, filled with more facts, figures and fascinating stuff about our underwater world and is truly earning a place for itself on the shelf as an indispensable reference.
I make no claims to being a historian of our sport but I do enjoy books and I can say that in my day-to-day work editing this magazine, the Almanac has proven itself a trusty companion. In fairness though, it s an engaging read for anyone, diver or not, keen to know more about man-in-the-sea. A quick flip between its softbound covers immediately gets you in over your head.
There is a perception that this sort of reference isn t a real 'hunker down in your favourite chair' kind of reading experience. I concede this to be my view of many a reference but this one, focused as it is on a subject utterly captivating to me since I was about tank valve high, is an exception. One big reason is the Dive Chronicle 'year in review' section that details significant diving events around the world as they occurred month by month. It s a thoroughly engaging dive news summary wide-ranging in its scope of deep-sea and freshwater subject matter. The Chronicle was 18-pages in the inaugural DAY; 100 pages or 20 per cent of the 2008 book, a compelling reason to get a copy each year.
The new edition, at over 600 pages, offers a good deal more in its many other sections, too. Featured on its 100 added pages are 150 new personalities and 100 new records. New features include the DAY Blue Pages, a thorough listing of dive resorts, liveaboards, charters and dive centres around the world, listed by country. From at a glance statistical data, to equipment, diving professions, history, training, medicine, associations, personalities, the physical and biological water world, entertainment and more such as a new colour section on underwater artists this book is, hands down, the best one stop shopping text on the subject to have at arm s length. And it s a no-brainer to inform and entertain during those intermittent, usually brief, but essential visits to the smallest room on the premises.
Bulk of the volume is text, written with economy, and easy to read in a two-column format. General subject areas and sub categories are listed in the table of contents and on every page these topics are easily located thanks to high visibility headlines that flag each new subject and bold face type that highlights important identifying words, names, phrases etc. Topics are liberally illustrated with black and white photographs, maps and diagrams. The new edition features 72 full colour pages.
Of necessity, entries in this compendium on all things underwater are to the point. But because the content offers specifics the book is an excellent starting point for key search words that, mercifully, expedite more exhaustive internet-based detective work. If time is money, this alone makes DAY worth the price. --DIVER Magazine
Perhaps the best single reference book ever published for divers, this 470-page paperback provides capsule glimpses of virtually every diving topic, ranging from diving medicine (diving and women, flying after diving, among 11 sections), rebreathers, diving records (deepest dive on air, 519 feet), navigation, free diving, filmmaking, and bios of notables, oceanography for divers, diving history, absurd stories, even military diving. On top of that, plenty of hard data: population, water temps, vaccinations needed -- country by country. Essential for any serious diver's library. --Undercurrent Magazine
The Diving Almanac & Yearbook 2006 At first look, the 2007 Diving Almanac & Yearbook looks like a reference book for recreational divers looking for travel destinations. But it is much more - it begins with a Forward by Phil Nuytten which is worth a read in itself, and the editor, Jeffrey Gallant, has put together one of the most amazing reference books addressing much more than recreational diving. Not only is the nearly 500-page book full of diving statistics, training information, how-to-dive stuff, diving medicine, equipment, sections on commercial, free, and military diving, but it contains fascinating sections on diving history, underwater photography and video, marine biology, oceanography, publications and associations. Other entertaining sections include details on notable persons from the diving community and diving records and aquatic superlatives. Best of all, if you are looking for any fact or description of just about anything oceanographic, historical or biological, you will probably find it, including the contact information for nearly all oceanographic associations, aquariums, museums and media including publications, websites, books, movies, documentaries and more. It's informative and entertaining - keep this one close by! If you get only one reference book this year, make sure you get this one! --Ocean News Magazine
