Hey SoCals - what books are in your reference library?

[Mo2vation]

I'm working on building an acceptable, effective and deep reference library for our local diving.

My primary objective is to help me ID the stuff I shoot down there. The secondary objective is to help me ID stuff I see down there.

So I've broken it into 4 categories: Fish, inverts, plants and Nudis. Everyone knows I'm a huge fan of Nudis and Inverts... lets start there.

Nudis - I have the 2nd edition (thanks to HBsweetheartgurl) of Behrens book PC Nudis. I also have the Nudi Card (another gift from HBgetthenamesrightgurl.) I am currently in posession of her Behrens Nudi Behavior book. She may see it again one day. Most likely not. Anything else you guys carrying around or have at home?

Inverts - I have Gotshall's Guide to Marine Inverts (care of guess who?) and I LOVE IT! Any other local invert books?

Fishies - there's got to be some nice local fishy guides. Anyone, anyone? I recall Debbie Kari had a couple on one of the boats I was with her on. They rocked. Give it up, MC Deb.... what are your favs? (you of the proper name in all your fishy photos.... )

Plants & Stuff - is there a SoCal or Eastern Pacific Kelp book? A guide to Kelp, seaweed and grasses? Bueller?

I also have the SoCal Shore diving book (once again, a thoughtful gift from my bookie, 'Chica) and assorted Frankos Maps. We can talk about non in-water reference guides another time. Right now, I wanna toss some more reference manuals in my camera box so I have them close at hand on the water and at home.

SO - whatcha got for the local stuff?

Thanks

---
Ken

 

[wetrat]

Ok my library is just starting, but I have:

Coastal Fish Identification, California to Alaska, by Paul Humann (good)
Pacific Coast Inshore Fishes, Daniel W. Gotshall (good)
Nudibranchs of Southern California ID Card (good but limited)
The San Diego - La Jolla Underwater Park Ecological Reserve, vols. 1 and 2. by Judith Garfield (good for local SD diving)
California Marine Life by Marty Snyderman (OK)
I plan to pick up a signed David Beheren's nudibranch ID (and maybe nudibranch behavior) book when he comes to speak at Birch Aquarium at Scripps, Sunday, May 21, 6 to 8 pm.

John

 

[riguerin]

Ken,

I've just started building a library since moving back to So Cal. My collection is limited, but this is what I have so far:

Coastal Fish Identification; California to Alaska, Paul Humann
An excellent reference like the others in this renowned series. Nice pics by Howard Hall. A fraction of the size of the Florida Caribbean Bahamas counterpart. Fits nicely into the back pack for boat trips ...water resistant pages are nice.

Diving & Snorkeling Southern California & the Channel Islands , Lonely Planet
Nice overview, layout and pics but strictly for travelers (read tourist). Not nearly enough detailed info on dive sites to be able to plan dives. Limited number of sites covered.

A Diver's Guide to Southern California's Best Beach Divers, Dale and Kim Sheckler
Very nice reference book for local shore dives by the publishers of California Diving News. Most primary sights covered in fairly good detail. Maps are not always 100% accurate but generally good enough for a basic site familiarization. Includes some nice little sub topic sections as well as some nice pics of local seascape and marine life.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

Pretty much all the ones listed plus shipwreck books, Offshore California, Dive site guides for SoCal,CenCal and NoCal, Cousteau's Ocean Life, Encyclopedia of Recreational Diving, Naui and Padi textbooks, Hawaii fish ID books plus many hours of videos and DVDs. Someday the conditions will be so bad that I may have time to read/view my library.

 

[limeyx]

Pretty much all the ones listed plus shipwreck books, Offshore California, Dive site guides for SoCal,CenCal and NoCal, Cousteau's Ocean Life, Encyclopedia of Recreational Diving, Naui and Padi textbooks, Hawaii fish ID books plus many hours of videos and DVDs. Someday the conditions will be so bad that I may have time to read/view my library.

And surely no library would be complete without "Max's map of Marineland"

 

[riguerin]

And surely no library would be complete without "Max's map of Marineland"

I'd pay $ for that

 

[MaxBottomtime]

http://www.scubaboard.com/gallery/data/647/Old_Marineland_Divers_Map.jpg

 

[Mo2vation]

http://www.scubaboard.com/gallery/data/647/Old_Marineland_Divers_Map.jpg

If the platform is, you know, RIGHT THERE - what's the deal, man?

I offer you a revised map for your consideration.

---
Ken

 

[Frank O]

Lessee ... for fishes I usually start with Humann, then go to Gotshall for anything I can't find in the first (or to compare), and then go to Love for more on species' habits etc. Also sometimes "Guide to the Coastal Marine Fishes of California - California Fish Bulletin Number 157," and occasionally Peterson Field Guides' "Pacific Coast Fishes." I like flatties, so I have a copy of "Northeast Pacific Flatfishes" by Kramer et al. Also Milton Love's big rockfish book. And a few other historical and specialty books.

Nudis -- Behrens. Inverts -- Gotshall, plus Wrobel and Mills' "Pacific Coast Pelagic Inverts," Jensen's "Pacific Coast Crabs and shrimps." Mammals -- "Whales and Other Marine Mammals of California and Baja." Salad fixings -- "Seaweeds of the Pacific Coast" by Mondragon. Tidepooling -- Sept's "Beachcombers Guide to Seashore Life of California," Reish's "Marine Life of Southern California" and Hinton's "Seashore Life of Southern California." (Plus of course "Between Pacific Tides.")

Also other stuff on marine life that's more global than local, ID guides for other parts of the world, dive site guides, history, early Cousteau and Hans Hass, Carlos Eyles on freediving, non-diving-specific stuff like "Natural History of the Islands of California," books on gear and photography ...

 

[limeyx]

If the platform is, you know, RIGHT THERE - what's the deal, man?

I offer you a revised map for your consideration.

---
Ken

Now I really *am* laughing out loud