The Cave Divers (Paperback)

by Scala Publishers (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review
Interesting mix of adventure and archaeology that probes one of the earth’s last frontiers. -- Publishers Weekly

It’s an amazing world and you can journey into it through the pages and photos of The Cave Divers. -- The Pike County Citizen

Masterfully guides the reader through tales of history that cavers and non-cavers will enjoy. -- Immersed, The International Technical Diving Magazine

Takes the reader on a fascinating journey. -- California Diving News

Product Description
Cave divers are a breed apart and this is their story – a story of pushing the limits of technology and human endurance. In 24 chapters Burgess takes you on an exciting and often harrowing journey from the earliest pioneering expeditions into submerged prehistoric caves in Europe to the most recent record-setting expeditions. You’ll read about archaeological finds, including a 10,000-year-old skull in Florida’s Warm Mineral Springs; the underwater passages feeding Bahama’s blue holes; record depth and horizontal penetrations in Mexico and Florida; and explorations in France, the United Kingdom and elsewhere. You will feel the lure of the labyrinth and learn of the thoughts and struggles of divers lost but to God. You’ll go on body recovery dives and thrill when a team dispatched across continents beats the odds. And of course you’ll read about the divers: Dr. George Benjamin, Eugenie Clark, Carl Clausen, Jacques Cousteau, Sheck Exley, Steve Gerrard, Lamar Hires,! Woody Jasper, Jon Lindbergh, Mike Madden, William Royal, Gary Salsman, Wes Skiles, Bill Stone, Edward Thompson and many more.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Aqua Quest Publications, Inc. (August 25, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1881652114
• ISBN-13: 978-1881652113
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #487,606 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Captivating...even for the armchair diver!, June 8, 2000

By A Customer

As if you're wearing weight-belts too, the author draws you down to join the feerless few who dare the hidden underwater depths. Very entertaining, but equally educational, which is helpful to us landlubbers who have only dreamt of clenching down on a regulator mouthpiece. The book covers the early days of aqua-spelunking right up through the present, touching on the evolving equipment and techniques, including a piece on the challenges and tricks of underwater photography. Great pictures and diagrams, and the stories are arranged such that it isn't necessary to read front to back. The reader can dive in anywhere and not get lost...which is more than can be said for some of the chapters' subjects. Either way, you'll enjoy reading every page. But beware of the bends!

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Delightful, Entertaining and an Easy Read, April 16, 2001

By A Customer

'Robert Burgess succeeds in conveying the excitement, eloquently painting pictures of the sights and describing the intellectual challenges and satisfactions, masterfully mixing adventure with history, sociology, archaeology and some hard-learned lessons in physics. There are chapters with unexpectedly happy endings and others detailing tragic mistakes made in this unforgiving environment... it is easy to see why this book earned a 'Book of the Year' award from Forward Magazine... As a photographer, Burgess is able to add another dimension to this book... Burgess' photos cover many decades and many caves... Overall, the book is a delight, entertaining and an easy read. It's a great vacation book, full of adventure, divided into chapters that can easily stand alone or mesh together...[Burgess] masterfully glides the reader through tales of history that cavers and non-cavers will enjoy.' Susan Brillhart Book Review IMMERSED. The International Technical Diving Magazine

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Cave Divers, February 23, 2002

By	"tri_mix" (Manama Bahrain) - See all my reviews

Burgess's recount of these various cave diving episodes makes a good read. It is not very detailed on technical aspects, nor pretends to be a comprehensive re-tracing of the cave diving history. It does however weave in suspense filled short stories the beginnings of cave diving, its major players and their accomplishments. Without the boring list type of dry dates, names and events. Will interest the few passionate about the sport, as well as all adrenaline rush and adventure seekers. To me, it gave a backdrop, a character and a soul to many of those names I looked up to when I started venturing deeper and longer in the underwater realm.