Wild Ocean (Hardcover)

~ (Author), Henry Wolcott (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

National parks, it has been said, are "the best idea America ever had." With the advent of national marine sanctuaries, the United States has taken this good idea underwater. Prominent marine biologist Sylvia Earle and underwater photographer Wolcott Henry take readers on a breathtaking grand tour of America's undersea parks in Wild Ocean. With big, gorgeous color photographs on nearly every page and enlightening text to enhance the reader's sense of each location, the book is a must-see for ocean enthusiasts. From the tropical splendor of coral reefs to the magnificence of northern rocky coasts, marine sanctuaries are national treasures, snatched from the jaws of pollution and development just in time to ensure that people will always have an opportunity to appreciate the ocean's beauty. Earle and Wolcott take you under the waves with whales, sea turtles, sharks, and other marine creatures to show how worthy these fragile environments are of protection and even expansion. The political message here is clear: these places are worth the taxpayers' money--see for yourself. Wild Ocean is an impassioned plea for preservation of America's seas. --Therese Littleton

Product Description

Discover the best kept secrets of our natural heritage, the 12 national sanctuaries created to safeguard pristine marine environments, protect precious oceanic species and historic sites, and provide a dramatic, unforgettably magical realm beneath the waves. From New England's Stellwagen Bank to the Channel Islands of Southern California, from Florida's vivid coral reefs to the craggy coast of the Pacific Northwest, and on to Hawaii and American Samoa, Wild Ocean is a submarine voyage of discovery that will take you places few Americans have ever been, with a world-renowned marine scientist and a gifted underwater photographer and their colleagues as your guides. Sea otters, manatees, and majestic whales...an underwater canyon...reefs alive with manta rays, parrotfish, and sharks...a sunken Civil War ironclad -- Wild Ocean offers all these seldom-seen treasures and much, much more, in an endlessly informative, visually arresting tour of America's undersea preserves.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: National Geographic; 1 edition (August 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0792274717
• ISBN-13: 978-0792274711
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 9.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #399,639 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautifully illustrated - superb into to marine parks, July 27, 2002

By	Edwin C. Moure (Coral Gables, FL United States) - See all my reviews

THE definitive introduction to America's 'Parks Under the Sea'.

Beautifully illustrated with photographs from a virtual who's who of underwater/nature photography -- Wolcott Henry, David Doubilet, Frans Lanting, Gary Ellis, Stephen Frink, Norbert Wu ...

From the slow-moving Manatee in the caribbean waters off Florida to playful sea lions in the Channel Islands off the California coast, this book takes you on a whirlwind journey through what may be America's last and greatest wild places. Sylvia Earle's unique perspective as America's foremost underwater explorer makes her the ideal tour guide for this sweeping journey.

There's something here for everyone -- armchair travelers, experienced divers, nature lovers, adventurous spirits. The one book you really ought to own if you have an interest in exploring the vast wealth and staggering diversity of our national underwater heritage. More mysterious, more alluring, even more diverse than our National Park System, the National Marine Sanctuary System is the adventureland of tomorrow.

I thoroughly enjoyed every page and often find myself reaching to the bookshelf to "go back" to places that one day I hope I'll have a chance to visit. This book gets my highest recommendation.