Living and Working in the Sea [Hardcover]

James W. Miller (Author), Ian G. Koblick (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1995

Earth's rich and fascinating oceans have long rewarded both explorers and treasure-seekers. The compelling benefits of actually living beneath the sea have been recognized only relatively recently, spurring ingenious attempts to construct human habitats for seafloor living. You can trace the progress of these attempts in "Living and Working in the Sea". This definitive source illuminates the challenges and excitement as well as the perils and frustrations of undersea living. It shows how the development of saturation diving and seafloor technology led to the use of over 65 undersea habitats during the past three decades. Over 170 photographs - most of them shown here for the first time - illustrate the technical details and scientific capabilities of seafloor habitation. You will find out how a wide variety of habitats were designed and constructed, what materials were used and how habitats are operated and maintained. The development of special saturation diving procedures is also traced. In addition, revealing personal accounts from hundreds of aquanauts give you a vivid sense of life beneath the waves. The authors fully document the operation of working habitats such as Sealab-II, Hydrolab, Conshelf-III, La Chalupa, and Helgoland. You gain practical information on -

* Food and water management
* Carbon dioxide and odor removal
* Communication, cooking, and lighting
* Emergency facilities and procedures
* Medical and psychological issues
* Open-sea operations
A brief history of diving recounts the earliest efforts to extend submergence time beyond normal human limits. You also get a look into the future of undersea habitation - a future with underwater hotels, classrooms, and even water-breathing aquanauts. "Living and Working in the Sea" covers every facet of the challenge of living beneath the seas. No other single source on the subject is as comprehensive or detailed. Oceanographic engineers, technologists, researchers, and explorers, as well as scientific and sport divers will refer to this undersea "bible" again and again.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 438 pages
• Publisher: Best Publishing Company; 2 edition (December 1995)
• ISBN-10: 1886699011
• ISBN-13: 978-1886699014
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.2 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,595,599 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Seafloor Habitation, September 16, 2000

By 

M. Scott Carpenter, Astronaut/Aquanaut - See all my reviews

This review is from: Living and Working in the Sea (Hardcover)

Although divers first viewed the undersea world over 5000 years ago, it is less than 40 years since man first lived on the seafloor. Since 1962, over 65 seafloor habitats have been developed in 17 nations around the world. An amazing variety of enclosures were used including inflated baloons, cement mixers and elaborate homes.

The successes and failures of these ingenious attempts to colonize the seafloor and the technology that made it all possible is the subject of this fascinating book. Both authors are experienced aquanauts having lived on the seafloor for over a month. The book reflects their first-hand experience as well as their personal knowledge of many colonization efforts throughout the world.

This book is the only source available that tells the story of seafloor habitation from the very first spartan steel chamber, to the world's first underwater lodge, an underwater classroom that has served thousands of young students, and gives you a look at the possibility of future undersea resorts, theme parks, villages and cities.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Underwater Habitation, September 16, 2000

By 

M. Scott Carpenter, Astronaut/Aquanaut - See all my reviews

This review is from: Living and Working in the Sea (Hardcover)

Authored by two of the most experienced and learned contributors to the science of underwater habitation, this book is an absolute must read for anyone interested in saturation diving and undersea living. It chronicles the history and the construction of all the sea floor habitats ever used. If you want to build one, read it.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Reference for Day-to-Day Aspects of Undersea Research, November 7, 2000

By 

Doug Kesling, Aquanaut, NOAA (NOAA/UNC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Living and Working in the Sea (Hardcover)

If you have ever dreamed of inhabiting the sea like I have, then the book, 'Living and Working in the Sea' is for you. The authors have provided a concise and comprehensive account of man's attempt to penetrate the ocean, their attempt to remain there indefinitely through the use of saturation diving techniques and provide the reader with the highlights of the many saturation programs, which have utilized seafloor habitats throughout the world. This book is recommended for all those individuals who have participated as aquanauts in a saturation diving program or who are intending to become an aquanaut in the near future. I still use this book today as a reference tool for the day-to-day aspects of supporting an undersea research laboratory and it is required reading for all our saturation diving staff technicians.