Reviews (5)

The Headmistress speaks
Peggie Hall has long shared her expertise in a number of online fora. From time to time she has spoken at boat shows and similar events. In her book, she has gathered together in one place all the tremendous knowledge she has about black, gray, and potable water systems, and generally keeping your boat smelling nice.
The definitive guide
Peggie has produced an outstanding guide for tracking down and eliminating funky smells on board.
Excellent Book.
This book provided just the information I was looking for in a "to the point" style. If you have an older boat with an odor problem, this book will help you diagnose and eliminate the problem. Well worth the money and I'd recommend it to anyone. True to it's title, this book is about getting rid of boat odors....I'm not sure why the person who wrote the negative review thought it was an installation manual. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Boating - Boatbuilding    2. Boating - General    3. Boats and boating    4. Equipment and supplies    5. Odor control    6. Ships & Shipbuilding - Engineering    7. Sports    8. Sports & Recreation    9. Transportation    10. Waste disposal    11. Water Sports   

Reviews (14)

A memorial from his loving daughter
July 13,2006
Ship Modeling Simplified
I found this book to be a good primer on model ship building and worth reading for the novice builder such as myself but its a little disorganized and has some mileading steps in applying planks to the bulkhead or frame of the ship, they just seemed to be short cuts or cheats on doing it right. But all in all a good read and recomend it to any virgin ship buider! I found Ship modeling from stem to stern by Milton Roth more up to speed for me as i am 44 and have a lot of experiance working with wood. There is a vast amount of imformation out there for the model ship builder which is a blessing to us all. Ship Modeling Simplified was the first book i purchased on this vast subject and i can say i was not disappointed it is a great first read!

MUST READ for Any Beginner
I seldom write critics, but this time, I just want to say, thank you to the author, it makes me clear about what ship model building is. I wish I have bought this book before starting the hobby, so won't have been so frustrated! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Boating - General    2. Crafts / Hobbies    3. Hobbies/Crafts    4. Models    5. Model boats & ships    6. Sports & Recreation / Boating   

Reviews (15)

A Book For All Soul Surfers

A hero on many levels
This book is a true story with many messages.Eddie Aikau was a hero many times over, a warrior waterman.He was a hero to the many whose lives he saved.He was a hero to the Hawaiian culture.He was a hero to his crewmates on the Hokuleia.
Great Read (even for us New Englanders)
I had never heard of Eddie Aiku until 2 months ago when I went to Hawaii and read a sidebar about him in a "blue book."At first I thought "Eddie Would Go" was just a macho mentality and I thought I was going to read a story about someone daring and tough.After reading I know the meaning behind "Eddie would go" is so much deeper...
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Subjects:  1. 1946-1978    2. Aikau, Eddie,    3. Biography    4. Biography / Autobiography    5. Biography/Autobiography    6. Hawaii    7. Lifeguards    8. Sports - General    9. Surfers    10. Water Sports   

Reviews (1)

A BALANCED PORTRAIT
DORA LIVES is a posthumous biography on Miki Dora, a pioneering surfer from the 1950s and 1960s, and on page 23, it says this about artistic temperament:
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Subjects:  1. Biography / Autobiography    2. Collections, Catalogs, Exhibitions    3. Historical - General    4. Photo Techniques    5. Photography    6. Sports - General    7. Water Sports    8. Photography & Photographs   

Editorial Review

Published under the pennants of the American Sailing Association and theUnited States Coast Guard Auxiliary, Read more

Reviews (28)

Learning how to sail
This book provides the fundamental theory for getting started sailing. As with any activity that is learned with practice, readers should not expect to learn how to sail by reading the book. Reading it alone is really boring, but once you start sailing, many of the concepts explained in the book strat to make sense and it is a really useful reference.

Excellent introduction to sailing
This book was a requirement for my sailing class and is an excellent concise sourse of all begining sailing knowledge.
ASA Manual
This is a very basic and fundamental book with well presented information that is a necessary book in the American Sailing Association. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Sailing - General    2. Sports    3. Sports & Recreation    4. Sailing    5. Sports & Recreation / Sailing   

Reviews (16)

if I can read
My Englisjh is terrible, so if I can read this book (and I do), this is a goodand simple book.
The Elements of Boat Strength: For Builders, Designers, and Owners
Its a good book but I can imagine some difficulties to people not affine with this subject.
Putting Your Time Where It Counts
As a person developing a design, I want to put my time into developing hull form, keel, etc., not into hours and hours of calculations about structure which for the moment serve no other purpose than the creation of a plausible weight estimate to be used in Velocity Prediction.
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Subjects:  1. Boatbuilding    2. Boating - Boatbuilding    3. Boats and boating    4. Engineering - General    5. Maintenance and repair    6. Sailing - General    7. Science/Mathematics    8. Ships & Shipbuilding - Engineering    9. Small Ship Design And Construction    10. Sports & Recreation    11. Technology    12. Boating    13. Marine engineering    14. Ship design & naval architecture    15. Sports & Recreation / Boating    16. Technical design   

Reviews (11)

Extremely helpful
I took up sailing this summer, and found that, while no book can replace the physical experience on the boat, one needs an instruction manual to keep up with all the maneuvers and terminology that are thrown at you.The Handbook Of Sailing provides concise and very well organized information, with ample illustrations.It’s the perfect accompanying textbook for someone who’s still trying to learn the lefts and rights of boating.
2 great books squeezed together into 1 great book...
This book is really 2 separate books cobbled together from material the author used in some of his earlier work.The first half of the book is a treatise on dinghy ("one-design") sailing and the last half is a manual for cruisers;both books cover their material superbly, going in depth on many matters that don't get adequate coverage elsewhere, but it's truly unfortunate that the author and his editors tried to fit the 2 specialist books together under one cover.Keelboat cruisers cannot learn to handle their boats from a technical dinghy sailing treatise and dinghy sailors cannot benefit from discussions of cruising problems outside the scope of their equipment.It was especially unfortunate that the author didn't point out in his introduction that the cruising material starts in the second half of the book, which could have saved me many evenings of puzzling through centerboards, trapezing, and capsize drills!In spite of its awkward concept the book is profoundly detailed, profusely illustrated, and a must for whichever type of sailor you are...

awsome book
if you are a novice or experianced sailor this book willhelp you.It was a great read and help for my sailing skills.If you want to learn easy tips for sailing you will find them hear.Also if you are intrested in some just facts of sailing buy this book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Sail Boating    2. Sailing    3. Sailing - General    4. Sports    5. Sports & Recreation    6. Sports & Recreation / Sailing   

Reviews (17)

Givem Hell Harry
This man comes up with so many unique ways to do thing the best way possible. I went out and bought some other books he wrote that are out of date now just because he write them so well. Could I write this well I would have at least a pulitzer or maybe an Oscar. PS I owned several copies of his books that were burned up in ahouse fire. I just had to have them to read over and over. They stay out on the coffee table. I have yet to see anyone not finish the chapter they are on before they can put the book down to do other things. I have been late more than once.
Very good book for plywood boat building
I found this book to be very helpful.It makes boat building accesible to almost anyone.But I wish there were more photos, especially of finished boats.I decided to build the Nymph, the 7' 9" pram design featured in this book.Then I decided I wanted a beamier (wider) boat so I built the wider version of the Nymph, called the Rubens Nymph (Please note: The Rubens Nymph is not featured in this book, only the Nymph is).I did not buy plans, but just widened the bottom and transoms of the Nymph, and used thicker plywood for the frames.So boats can be built from this book without plans, but if I did it again I would get the plans...especially for any of the larger boats.
Essential boatbuilding
This is the best book ever written on making small boats for rowing or sailing using modern techniques.If you always figured you would like to build a boat, but were worried about making a success of it, this book, or the others in his series will ensure you get the job done.
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Subjects:  1. Boating - Boatbuilding    2. Boating - General    3. Sailing - General    4. Ships & Shipbuilding - Engineering    5. Sports & Recreation    6. Boating    7. Marine engineering    8. Ships & shipping: general interest    9. Sports & Recreation / Boating   

Reviews (5)

Catamaran Racing Review
Hi folks,
Lots of help for any level of cat sailer
I got this book a week after I entered my first race.I had raced monohulls before but this was my first cat race.Lots of amazing tips for any level.Read this before your next race and you will be sure to pick off a few more compettitors..... I learned a lot and can use the tactics and techniques every time I go sailing wether I am racing or not.I would strongly recomend this book.

Very good low-mid to Upper mid level racing training
Rick White is the master of communicating how to sail a catamaran.This book mirrors his seminars and videos.I think the video series might even be an even better starting point for most catamaran sailors because much of book is about how-to activities that should be visualized and practiced. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Boating - General    2. Catamarans    3. Sports    4. Sports & Recreation    5. Boating    6. Sailing   

Reviews (1)

Maverick's - A Very Gnarly Place
Inside Maverick's is an extraordinary book. It is written & photographed by 3 extraordinary people and, as a team, there is not another 3 people alive who can match their intimacy and knowledge of Mavericks or who have theability to capture in words and images the wild moods and moments of this world class break. This incredible book answers the question, what's it like and the answer is delivered by more than 50 voices, all of remarkable courage, strength and boldness. If you want to wade in, here are a few excerpts of what Maverick's has to offer up. Washburn describes an unforgettable wipeout: "I was shocked at the ferocity, the gravity, the mercilessness. Where was he? Would he be drowned? Dismembered? It seemed entirely possible that his head could be torn clean off. When the set was finished with him, he popped up, shaken, but alive. We knew he had been lucky" There is a chapter giving us expert weather advice, courtesy of Mark Sponsler: "Hurricane swells pale in comparison to Northern California surf, because all 12-foot waves are not the same. Some will seem to move a lot more water and travel much faster. The period is what makes the difference. The longer the period, the faster and stronger the wave. Pure chop has a period of 4 to 8 seconds, windswell 9 to 11 seconds, weak swell 13 to 15 seconds and strong swell 16 seconds or greater. Though a hurricane can generate waves with periods in the 14 second range, storms headed for Maverick's can generate waves with periods at 25 seconds or greater, the most powerful waves on Earth short of a tidal wave."And here is Evan Slater's description of the take off zone: "Only fifteen or twenty feet wide, swells march in as big, fat lumps, then double in size and fold over themselves as they hit the shelf. Within this zone, each wave has about a three-to-five foot wide ramp or make-able entry point, with a one-to-two-second window of opportunity. The location of the ramp changes with every wave; sometimes it's not there at all. Mistime it by a split second or take off a foot too deep, and you'll be freefalling. Guaranteed. Even after surviving countless beatings and a handful of two-wave hold-downs, I still have no clue why there's a 99.9 percent wipeout survival rate at Maverick's. Every time you go through one, you wonder in midthrashing, 'Is this the end for me?'" And there is a chaper on fear, "I love fear," says Don Curry, "I thrive on it. But there are times at Maverick's when it overwhelms you. There was a day in '97 when I was out there for three hours, just me and Jay and one other guy. None of us even took off--not once--and I'll admit to being psyched out. I felt like I was seeing things that I shouldn't have. Things that were not meant to be seen that close by the human eye. I felt like God and the devil were right there, and it could go either way." And finally, one of many tributes to Jeff Clark, this one written by John Raymond: "We owe everything to Jeff Clark, and nobody should forget that, I'm talking about going left or right with nobody else out there. I don't think people understand what kind of courage that took. It's one thing for the rest of us to come in afterward, but for him to go out, at a place that looks like it just might kill you, that's unbelievable. If it wasn't for Jeff, I'll bet that place would still be cloudbreaking, and nobody would be out there." If you're in search of inspiration, Inside Maverick's is where it's found. I can see this becoming my all-time favorite surfing book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Aquatic Sports    2. California    3. Half Moon Bay    4. History    5. Non-Classifiable    6. Nonfiction    7. Photography Of Specific Subjects    8. Sports    9. Sports & Recreation    10. Subjects & Themes - Sports    11. Surfers    12. Surfing    13. United States    14. Water Sports    15. Popular culture    16. Sports & Recreation / Water Sports   

Reviews (3)

At long last...
I was never satisfied with the basic explanations of the effects of pressure and depth on the body doled out in the standard course of instruction on Scuba.Finding a comprehensive treatment of the subject in terms everyone can understand became a personal mission.This is the book satisfied my quest for knowledge about the physiology of Scuba.A doctor explains what we know and do not know of the liquid realm's influence on the Scuba Diver in plain, straight talk. One amazing example is that we have no clue what causes decompression sickness or "the bends".We just know that it is correlated with absorbed nitrogen and that there are a number of models that can predict its onset using this factor.The book includes an excellent explanation of the algorithms used by dive computers to help us avoid this malady, and how they were developed.You will be a much more knowledgeable and aware diver, and therefore a better diver, for having read this book.Add to cart!

Great, highly readable book!
This book is absolutely packed with valuable information in an extremely readable format. I highly recommend it for both its' breadth and depth. Diving Physiology In Plain English
The book Diving Physiology In Plain English is without exaggeration the best book on diving I have ever read.Beginner, advanced, technical divers or even non-divers can all benefit from this book. My wife is a non-diverand she read this book with interest and ease.She no longer worries or isconcerned about my technical diving.This book addresses the relative fullgamete of physiological issues associated with scuba diving.It addressissues such as; decompression tables and computers, technical diving, andconsiders gender related issues between men and women divers.My wifegreatly appreciated the information related todecompression sickness,oxygen toxicity, diving headaches, and lung injuries.In addition, I thinkis also a useful book for divers who are in need of refreshing their divingacademics or for divers expanding into other areas of diving. Theinformation in this book is crucial knowledge for any diver. It goes beyondwhat is learned in any of the certification courses, open diver throughinstructor. It is an overall informative, valuable, easy to read andenjoyable book.I wish more dive shops would stock it on their shelves. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Hyperbaric oxygenation    2. Scuba Diving    3. Underwater Medicine   

Reviews (4)

Excellent book with exhaustive detail
This book contians all the information that anyone could ever need.It also has the best index I have ever seen, making finding the smallest section easy. It does not really cover the basics of each system, but provided you have a basic knowledge then it will build on that.It is up to the reader to decide how much depth they want to go into, this book will take them as far as they could possibly need to go.

A collection of disjoint writings
This book was obviously intended for the experienced navigator or system designer.It certainly reviews all of the traditional and modern navigation systems.However, in trying to explain every minute detail, the basic workings of the technology are never explained. A collection of disjoint writings
This book was obviously intended for the experienced navigator or systemdesigner.It certainly reviews all of the traditional and modernnavigation systems.However, in trying to explain every minute detail, thebasic workings of the technology are never explained.Read more

Subjects:  1. Aerial Navigation    2. Aeronautics & Astronautics    3. Aids to air navigation    4. Aviation - General    5. Avionics    6. Electronics - General    7. Science/Mathematics    8. Technology & Industrial Arts    9. Transportation    10. Aerospace & aviation technology    11. Navigation    12. Radar    13. Technology / Aeronautics & Astronautics   

Reviews (10)

Preserved Collection of Inspirational Designs
John Gardner died in 1995, and left a legacy of preserving the designs of 19th century American small workboats and recreational craft.The designs are not for the beginner, and those looking for a how-to primer would be greatly served by reading "How to Build Glued-Lapstrake Wooden Boats" by Hill and Brooks.But Gardner gives great inspiration on the type of boat that your would like to invest your scarce project hours into.Gardner took the care to measure the vestiges of classic small craft that were still observable during his lifetime, and wooden boat enthusiasts will appreciate this comprehensive effort.

My favorite boat building book
What a great book!I had a hard time putting this book down and find myself going back often to compare boat designs.John Gardner places great value on traditional techniques but does mention modern materials once in a while.Still, I wonder if some of these boats could be built lighter with less solid wood and moremarine plywood then he recommends.There are enough different designs to satisfy most boat builders.The plans are excellent in detail but too small really for construction purposes.You will need to loft them with care.

Ultra-Classic written by a Classy Guy
John Gardner has rightfully been called the "Father of Small Craft" in The U.S..The fellow knew more about small boats - how to design them, build them and enjoy them - than just about anybody in the late 20th Century.This book combines two of his classic works into one. Now don't expect to start building your first boat a day after this book comes in the mail.Although the plans and construction notes are very good, John assumed that you knew how to carve a rabbet and lay a plank.I don't.And yet this book lives in my bathroom where I can open it to just about any page and be inspired in a minute or less.His description of what makes the right kind of rowboat got me to build my first row boat. I've been hooked on rowing and building since.Thank You Mr. Gardner! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Boating - Boatbuilding    2. Sailing - General    3. Ships & Shipbuilding - General    4. Small Ship Design And Construction    5. Sports    6. Sports & Recreation    7. Transportation    8. Boating    9. Building skills    10. Shipbuilding technology & engineering    11. Sports & Recreation / Boating   

Reviews (2)

Navigation Rules
Outstanding.A great help when you're returning to the boating world after many years.A good refresher.Would recommend anybody new or old to the world of boats to strongly consider this.

Essential for Every Boat Owner, but only a starting point
The official navigation rules are something that every boater should own. If your vessel is large enough or operating in international waters, you are legally required to have it aboard and understand its contents. Regardless of whether you have to have it aboard, if you go out on the water you have to understand what the rules are and what your obligations are to avoid collisions.
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Subjects:  1. Sailing - General    2. Sailing - Navigation    3. Sports & Recreation    4. Transportation   

Reviews (3)

Unique and Interesting Book
This is really a great book.In some respects, it is just another "basics of sailing" book but to summarize it as such is to miss the whole point and also to miss the real worth of the book.The text is uniquely addressed to women who are novice sailors but who "should be" (and easily could be) advanced sailors.The unique perspective offered is the strength of the book and moves it from a 3-star "also ran" book to a 5-star excellent book.
An original and encouraging study of letting go of our fears as we address the open water in craft propelled by power or sail
It's Your Boat Too: A Woman's Guide To Greater Enjoyment On The Water by Suxanne Giesemann is the personal narrative of Giesemann's of her twenty years of experience as a commanding officer and leadership instructor for the U.S. Navy. Bringing to the attention of her readers the empowering abilities of water craft from rowboats and dinghies to sailing ships and motorboats, It's Your Boat Too is an original and encouraging study of letting go of our fears as we address the open water in craft propelled by power or sail. Drawing skillfully upon her extensive knowledge of nautical exploration and offering experienced instruction on becoming a more competent, a safer, and a confident boater, It's Your Boat Too is recommended for all aspiring sailors (particularly women), who wish to enjoy boating upon the open sea. Also very highly recommended for the nautically minded is Mark Nicholas The Essentials Of Living Aboard A Boat: The Definitive Guide For Liveaboards (0939837668, $17.95).
It's Your Boat Too
With our Morgan 452 sitting on our anchor due to the raw water pump failing, I picked up "It's your Boat Too" (a gift from my husband) while my husband got to work on repairs.Although the repairs were made in less than an hour as my husband knew just what to do, I sat clueless to the work he was doing, reading my new book.
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Subjects:  1. Sailing - General    2. Sports    3. Sports & Recreation   

Reviews (9)

Very Basic
I was impressed with the water-resistant printing.However, the medical information is very basic.If you have training, this book is relatively useless.If you don't have training, I guess it would be useful if you happened to have equipment on-board.I would have liked to see more diagrams and much more information.

A must have for any diver
This little nice format book is the perfect companion on dive trips. It is even usable under water in a pocket, I have to admit I never carry it under water but you can. This means you can't destroy it with water which is my point, it always is in my dive bag. We have done scenario training to refreshen and then it is amazing how handy this little book is in those cases. I believe it would prove itself even more in a real life event.
If You are a Diver, There is NO Excuse Not to Own This Guide
Clear, Consise, Essential.This guide gives a no Non-Sense approach of "what to do" in the event of a diving emergency (or any emergency for that matter). Tabbed for easy reference, and covers DCI to Hyperthermia. 3x5 Size will fit anywhere you are, and It also lists DAN's Emergency Numbers for quick reference. If I was the diver in an emergency situation, I would be glad you had it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. First Aid    2. Scuba & Snorkeling    3. Sports    4. Sports & Recreation   

Reviews (19)

Amazing, Inspiring
This book is written in a very humorous, conversational tone.I read straight through, not wanting to put it down, and passed it immediately along to a friend.
Great book
As an out of shape 40 something, I decided to try a sprint triathalon. I registered for a Labor Day sprint in February to allow myself plenty of training time. I looked at a few triathalon books and was almost frightened off the idea. As soon as I saw the title of this book, I knew it was for me. It was full of very helpful information and is laugh out loud funny. I felt the author was having a conversation with me. I have attended a womens triathalon training seminar and recommended this book to the group, it's that good.

A beginner's Bible
She's funny, she's devoted and she's fat. And she's not young, either. So if you're a woman, no longer a teenager or a 30-something, you will find this book funny (sometimes hilarious) and refreshing. It will answer all the questions you'd be afraid to ask a seriously competitive athlete. (Not Ms Williams is not competitive, but she sees it from the light of a person who's happy she can move, much less win.)
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Subjects:  1. Consumer Health    2. Cycling    3. Cycling - General    4. Exercise    5. Healthy Living    6. Running & Jogging    7. Sports    8. Sports & Recreation    9. Swimming    10. Swimming And Diving    11. Triathlon   

Reviews (3)

Hold-your-breath reading
There's a saying in sailboat racing: nothing makes you look smarter than a fast boat. Yet John Bertrand and the crew of Australia II, despite having the demonstrably superior yacht, nearly failed to win the 1983 regatta that ended the longest winning streak in the history of sport.
You feel like you were there
This book is fabulous!For sailors, the story alone is worth the read, but it is much more than just a story about sailing.Bertrand's description of the final race against "the red boat" (DennisConnor) is so powerful that I felt what he and his crew felt, even before Ihad read what they felt!Any reader interested in the nature of sport andcompetition will find this book valuable.

A must for anyone who plans to win anything
Fantastic book.It is an instructive lesson in how to prepare for what you overwhelmingly want to achieve.Being set in the context of one of the most famous sporting events in history, the attempt to wrest the America'sCup from the US after 132 years, makes it that much more exciting.Sailorswill love it, but anyone interested in the psychology of winning will gainfrom this book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. America's Cup    2. America's Cup races    3. Australia II (Boat)    4. Boating    5. Sports    6. Sports & Recreation   

Reviews (2)

Worth every penny!
This is a rather inexpensive book for the value it provides to everyone who operates a vessel. It is more directed towards owners of mid to larger size power or sail boats and maybe less towards the bass fisherman and occasional recreational sport boater, but nevertheless valuable information for everyone in boating.
Gain from Others Loss
Seaworthy, the book, is a compliation of the quarterly magazine articles published through BoatUS insurance affiliates. If you own a power or sailboat and (or)dock or trailer it, this book is worth the money spent.
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Subjects:  1. Boating - General    2. Boating accidents    3. Boats and boating    4. Navigation    5. Prevention    6. Safety measures    7. Sailing - General    8. Ships & Shipbuilding - Engineering    9. Sports    10. Sports & Recreation    11. Boating    12. Sports & Recreation / Boating   

Reviews (33)

A WONDERFULLY IRREVERENT DIVING BOOK
This wonderfully irreverent book chronicles the adventures of one Michael G. Zinsley as he travels the world as an itinerant dive instructor. He dives, lives and loves from Bermuda to Thailand and everywhere in between. I have not dived everywhere he has but I certainly have the bars covered. I can't help but feel that some of the mainstream authors on diving have missed the boat. This hilarious rollicking book is worth far more than the asking price and belongs on the bookshelf of anyone who loves adventure for its own sake. If you are a bit prudish and perhaps even a bit snobbish as well, give this one a miss.

Lots of Fun
This is a great read while traveling by air, bus or train. I laughed so hard, tears came to my eye.At times, I had to take a break to avoid really annoying pssengers in the seats nearby.Well, o.k., it's not great literature but it is easy and fun.Thank you, Mike!

It wasn't exactly what I have expected, but it was very good
I got this book to read some diving adventures, and stories. The book is more about the stories of a Diving Instructor in many places in the world, rather than Underwater. It is written in a way that is very easy to read and has a lot of fun in it.Read more

Subjects:  1. Diving    2. Scuba & Snorkeling    3. Travel    4. Travel - General    5. Sub-aqua swimming    6. Sports & Recreation    7. Adventure