Lost on the Ocean Floor: Diving the World's Ghost Ships [Hardcover]

John Christopher Fine (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 2004

Award-winning photojournalist and scuba diver John C. Fine has explored and documented the sunken fleets of the world - from Scapa Flow to Truk Lagoon - for most of his adult life. The best of his discoveries are brought to life in this book which captures the drama of discovery and backs up the adventure with historical, scientific and archaeological facts. The result of years of research and underwater exploration, this book will capture the imagination of everyone with an interest in maritime history and armchair adventurers who dream of sunken warships and treasure-laden galieons long lost on the ocean floor.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 280 pages
• Publisher: US Naval Institute Press (November 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 159114275X
• ISBN-13: 978-1591142751
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,257,144 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:

1.0 out of 5 stars LOST ON THE OCEAN FLOOR : DIVING THE WORLD'S GHOST SHIPS, January 5, 2005

By 

Thomasjcoon "navy buff" (procious ,wv usa) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lost on the Ocean Floor: Diving the World's Ghost Ships (Hardcover)

I was really disatified with this book. I just can`t really find much good to say about it. The pictures,the few that was in book were more about cannonballs and jewelry that were found on some ships.The author wrote alot about how some ships were built but didn't tell how some of the ship even looked under water or the damage they had taken to sink.In my opinion the sunken ships in the pacific ocean were not covered enough. If you are interested in sunken ships I would avoid this book at all costs.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars The only fine thing about this book is the author's surname., May 30, 2008

By 

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

This review is from: Lost on the Ocean Floor: Diving the World's Ghost Ships (Hardcover)

Whenever I am not actually diving, I spend my entire day immersed in research, research and even more research. I spend a great deal of money on books and have a fine library. Many of those books are quite excellent, other less so and occasionally I get some which are quite poor. I cannot remember, however, the last time I got a book about shipwrecks where I actually learned nothing at all. Unfortunately, that is exactly what I got from this very poor offering from Mr Fine - absolutely nothing. Furthermore, the quality of both paper and photographs are quite abysmal.

According to the nine-line "bio" of this author at the end of the book, John Christopher Fine has all the, qualifications, attributes, experience, ability and even reputation to produce an excellent book about shipwrecks. Seems to me, Mr Fine has decided to rest on his laurels and publish in the expectation of his reputation selling his books.

Perhaps he can tell me where I might get a refund?

NM

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Stories of Ships, How they Sank, and Diving to Them, March 21, 2005

By 

John Matlock "Gunny" (Winnemucca, NV) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Lost on the Ocean Floor: Diving the World's Ghost Ships (Hardcover)

Although the sub-title of this book implies that it is about diving, I find that this book is more about the ships themselves, and how they sank than about diving on them. And there seem to be so many books like this one on sunken ships that you have to kind of have to be surprised to see that there are any ships still afloat.

This book pretty much covers the world. It has sunken Roman ships in the Med. Spanish treasure ships bring back gold and silver from the Ne World. Ships from various wars seem to litter the ground in places like Scapa Flow. There is much more coverage of the Atlantic areas than of the Pacific.

Mr. Fine clearly loves the ocean and its collenction of sunken ships. It is clear that he has carefully researched the ships he is writing about. I found the book hard to put down.