Diving on the Edge: A Unique Guide for New Divers [ILLUSTRATED] (Paperback)

by Michael Bane (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist
"The key to minimizing risks is information," and "Instruction is cheap compared to hospital time." Bane shares these quips and more in this easy-to-read guide that makes you feel as if you were having a one-on-one conversation with an experienced diver whose mantra is--safety first. What do you do if you have 20 minutes of bottom time at 110 feet and you run 30 or 35 minutes? Such situations require preplanned solutions that Bane refers to as "appropriate mental index cards for potential problems." This book effectively balances firsthand advice with strategies and essential questions any diver should ask, whether venturing into the Ca-ribbean on a honeymoon or wreck diving (exploring shipwrecks) in Lake Michigan. Environmental ethics, proper equipment, instructors to avoid, the dangers of deep diving (anything below 100 feet), and risks of decompression sickness get equal coverage. All divers need instruction, proper gear, and a certification card; and they will surely minimize their risks by heeding the advice provided here. Brenda Barrera

From the Back Cover
Diving on the Edge is an informative and philosophical look at recreational scuba diving, and the first book to bring to the novice the latest cutting-edge information gleaned from technical or advanced diving. Chapters include a short look at the history of scuba, a diving-equipment primer, tips for getting certified, rules for basic underwater safety that go beyond what certification courses teach - and that's just the beginning. Diving on the Edge proposes that certain advanced skills are critical for beginners and must be fully understood and mastered before diving can be performed safely and intelligently. This book is a must for the novice as well as the advanced diver, a prerequisite to becoming truly educated about the sport. (6 X 9, 176 pages, illustrations)

Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: The Lyons Press; 1st edition (June 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1558215409
• ISBN-13: 978-1558215405
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 5.6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,827,323 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "The Unoffical Primer for Scuba Diving!", August 11, 2000

By	"crtb" (San Diego, CA USA) - See all my reviews

As a novice to the sport of Scuba Diving I attempted to purchase every book I could find on the subject. Most of the books I read were very informative, but a little like reading reference manuals. 'Diving on the Edge' is informative and a very good read. 'Diving on the Edge' is not meant to be a 'How to Book', it is meant to bring the mystery of Scuba Diving to the real world through humor and information. "...a prerequisite to becoming truly educated about the sport." I wish I had found this book first! Not many pictures, but loads of honest insight into the world of Scuba Diving. I really enjoyed reading it!

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Too Basic... save yourself the money on this book, November 15, 2000

By	Kinson Tong (Central Hong Kong) - See all my reviews

The information is very basic... too basic. Though the writer's diving experience is pretty useful, I can get these information when I talk to other divers. If you are going to move into advance diving courses, such as Advance Open Water, forget about this book, the information presented in the Advance OW manual is more detailed. If you want to get other divers' dive experience, get onto the Net (e.g. News groups rec.suba) or just talk to other divers/your instructor. Don't waste your money on this book.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Good title no substance, November 17, 1998

By	[e-mail] (Ocean City , Md.) - See all my reviews

The title Diving On The Edge implies that you'll receive new cutting edge dive information. That's not the case here, the book contains nothing really new regarding dive equipment and care, dive technique, dive locations or dive experiences. It's basiclly a truncated rehash of very elementary information, ready available from other sources. (see section on equipment especially snorkel selection)

The book did contain some good safety advice and is written in a style that most divers will probably relate to. Better research and more detail is badly needed. Definately not "cutting edge" material