Dragonflies of California and Common Dragonflies of the Southwest (Mass Market Paperback)

~ Kathy Biggs (Author)
Key Phrases: dive hose, urchin business, picking rake, Santa Barbara, North Coast, Hound Dog (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A remarkable story - I knew something about commercial urchin diving before, but now I almost feel like I was one" --John D. McCosker, Chair of Aquatic Biology, California Academy of Sciences

"Bluewater Gold Rush is a fast-paced memoir, filled with picturesque narratives of living on and under the ocean, providing an unforgettable window into a life filled with huge rewards and crippling loss" --Christina J. Slager, Curator, Montery Bay Aquarium

"Tom Kendrick's fine first book sends the reader across the channel in a high-speed boat, slaps an air hose on them, and drops them into a stunning world of compelling characters, alpha predators, and spiny cash crops" --Scott Hulet, Editor, The Surfer's Journal --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Description

Field guide for the identification of all the dragonflies in California, and the common dragonflies of Nevada, Utah, Arizona, Utah and New Mexico. This book updates and expands the information in our out-of-print "Common Dragonflies of California." 350 full-color photographs including males and females of 129 species. Line drawings of dragonfly and damselfly anatomy. Additional black & white line drawings illustrate damselfly appendages. Descriptions of males and females, habitat, flight periods and distribution for 129 species of Dragonflies and Damselflies. Checklist of ALL 189 SW species included. Companion website shows more photos, descriptions, & links to geographic distribution maps.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Azalea Creek Publishing; 1 edition (March 10, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0967793424
• ISBN-13: 978-0967793429
• Product Dimensions: 5.7 x 4.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,806,373 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Identify, October 25, 2006

By	Dennis Hunt (Sebastopol, CA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Bluewater Gold Rush/The Odyssey of a California Sea Urchin Diver (Paperback)

Picked this up from the author at a party recently. We had met for the first time & we found that we had quite a few similar experiences. Set about to read this book immediately it and finished it today.

Reading this book was a nostalgic experience for me. His writing style is friendly, accurate and fast. His years in the Urchin harvesting business were heady-times and he loved those years intensely; it comes across in many ways and makes this book a joy to read.

His take on things is not polished, gender neutral or politically correct which is absolutely refreshing. This is not a dull, chronological report of the evolution of a commercial diver, but a fast paced, personal account that will hold your interest and provide an education regarding one of the most interesting activities on the west coast in the last 50 years.

If you like diving, surfing, boats, fishing, interesting coastal stories or you just like to go out to the coast every once in a while, this is a book that I highly recommend.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An amazing story that you'll find yourself sharing with others, August 29, 2007

By	Ross Overstreet "Ross-O" (SoCal) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Bluewater Gold Rush/The Odyssey of a California Sea Urchin Diver (Paperback)

As the last reviewer said, if your heart is in any way connected to the ocean, be it through surfing, boating, diving, fishing, or just spending time around the beach, you'll have a profound appreciation for this book.

Tom is an amazing story teller and Bluewater Gold Rush is an wonderful mix of adventure, friends, love, and loss. I often find myself retelling Tom's stories to friends, recounting them while I'm diving, or using new terms that I picked up from the book like "white buffalo". There are stories in the book that are laugh-out-loud funny and stories where you can't help but share the loss along with Tom when bad things happen to good people.

My one regret was purchasing the book in the middle of a particularly harsh work week. My job kept me really busy during the days and the book keep me up most of the nights. I simply couldn't put it down. I made it through the book by the end of the week but sleep deprivation almost did me in!

I had the opportunity to visit one the main settings in the book after I read it and I felt compelled to send Tom an email afterwards. I would like to close by sharing this email.

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I found myself in Santa Barbara for work a few weeks ago. I had some spare time one evening so I went down to the dock and stood there with a few dozen other spectators as the urchin boats unloaded. I couldn't help but wonder if any of the characters that I read about in your book were right there in front of me. I had a tremendous appreciation for the whole process after reading your book and found myself telling my coworkers tales from the book later that night at dinner.

The next night I managed to drag 3 of my buddies over to Brophy Bro's Bar. We went upstairs and I showed everyone the picture of Wiener. I volunteered to buy the drinks that night on the condition that they listen to a few stories first. I told them a little about your book and some of the adventures that you guys had. I told them about Wiener and how he got his nickname. I also told them about the shark. Of all of the things that you said about Wiener in your book and during your talk, the one that I always remember first was that he was the kind of guy would go up to his friends and give them a big hug and tell them that he loved them. We enjoyed our shots of tequila with the toast, "To Weiner - a man who wasn't afraid to tell his friends that he loved them!". It was a neat experience!

4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting subject, easy read, September 8, 2008

By	Mark DM (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bluewater Gold Rush/The Odyssey of a California Sea Urchin Diver (Paperback)

As an avid So Cal diver, I'm familiar with California's important urchin fishery. I've also lived and traveled over much of the state. As such, this was an interesting read.

That said, the book is very simply written, occasionally repetitive, and could have been more tightly edited. The book is somewhat autobiographical, and was a bit slower as a result. However, the author's Farallone experience and tales of Ron Elliot were standouts.

If I had the option, I would've given the book 3 1/2 stars, 4 was generous. I'd say if you're particularly interested in the subject matter, you'll probably enjoy this book. Otherwise, it's not the most compelling read. I'd recommend The Devil's Teeth by Susan Casey.