Shadow Divers

[Dive-aholic]

I read Deep Decent, The Last Dive, and Shadow Divers. They were all great books. I have to admit I liked Shadow Divers the most. One thing that puzzles me though. In the Last Dive which was about the Rouses it says that when the rescue chopper was taking them off the boat that Chatterton was arguing with the rescue diver to take Chrissy's father too because they told Chrissy that his father was still alive and that if they left him it would demoralize Chrissy and he might give up fighting and not make it. Then in Shadow Divers talking about the same incident it says that Chatterton was arguing with the rescue diver to leave Chrissy's dad because it would take another twenty minutes to pick him up too and he was already dead and it would lessen the chances that Chrissy would make it. So what really happened? Did Chatterton argue to take Chrissy's father or to leave him? I don't know why but it has been bugging me and I have to know.

I noticed that too. Unfortunately, I don't know the answer to that. But I'd tend to believe Bernie's account more because of his relationship to everyone on that boat. I think Kurson just researched and recorded after the fact.

 

[pilot fish]

Read "Shadow Divers" and thought it was great. Nicely written. I also gave it as a present. Held my interest throughout. There are divers, then there are guys like Chatterton. I'm a snorkler compared to that guy. Is Deep Sea Detectives with Chatterton still on?

 

[Dive-aholic]

...Is Deep Sea Detectives with Chatterton still on?

Yes, every Monday night. This week Chatterton is learning to cave dive.

 

[diverbob]

I've been looking for it, but I dont seem to see it listed anymore. I guess I need to look harder.

 

[pilot fish]

Yes, every Monday night. This week Chatterton is learning to cave dive.

I don't see it in the listing in the NY area. If it's cave diving I think that might be a repeat. I think it's Mexico and they traveling through a mile of underground passageways to a certain spot. Imagine, a mile in an overhead? NO thanks.

 

[GrierHPharmD]

I'm glad to see that so many other folks are addicted to diving books like I am. I've read all of the above (The Last Dive, Shadow Divers, Deep Descent, Iron Coffins, Water and Light, Caverns Measureless to Man, etc.) and quite a few more - pretty much anything I can get my hands on that discusses diving.

Of the bunch, I think Shadow Divers is by far the best written. If you like diving and love to read, I highly suggest picking up a copy of Down Time: Great Writers on Diving. Lots of short essays, covering a wide range of time, from diving's beginnings to the mid-90's, with everything from tropical reefs to cave dives. It's a great gift for a diving reader and exceptional airplane reading, since most of the pieces are relatively short. I can't say enough about this book.

Interestingly, the essay that inspired the editor to compile this was from "The Silent World, by Cousteau, and the Cousteau family refused to allow the editor to include it. TSW, by the way, has just been re-issued by National Geographic press. It's an interesting read, not just for it's historical significance, but also for Cousteau's opinions about sea life. We think of him today as a conservationist, and of course he was, but sooo many of the old stories are about stalking and killing life on the reef that it sort of puts things into a different perspective. I still enjoyed it, though.

Keep posting info on new dive books - I'm always on the lookout for one I haven't seen. (Reading The Rapture of the Deep and Other Diving Stories You Probably Shouldn't Know right now. It's a small press book, but very entertaining, about diving in the Pacific islands.)

-G

 

[pilot fish]

I'm glad to see that so many other folks are addicted to diving books like I am. I've read all of the above (The Last Dive, Shadow Divers, Deep Descent, Iron Coffins, Water and Light, Caverns Measureless to Man, etc.) and quite a few more - pretty much anything I can get my hands on that discusses diving.

Of the bunch, I think Shadow Divers is by far the best written. If you like diving and love to read, I highly suggest picking up a copy of Down Time: Great Writers on Diving. Lots of short essays, covering a wide range of time, from diving's beginnings to the mid-90's, with everything from tropical reefs to cave dives. It's a great gift for a diving reader and exceptional airplane reading, since most of the pieces are relatively short. I can't say enough about this book.

Interestingly, the essay that inspired the editor to compile this was from "The Silent World, by Cousteau, and the Cousteau family refused to allow the editor to include it. TSW, by the way, has just been re-issued by National Geographic press. It's an interesting read, not just for it's historical significance, but also for Cousteau's opinions about sea life. We think of him today as a conservationist, and of course he was, but sooo many of the old stories are about stalking and killing life on the reef that it sort of puts things into a different perspective. I still enjoyed it, though.

Keep posting info on new dive books - I'm always on the lookout for one I haven't seen. (Reading The Rapture of the Deep and Other Diving Stories You Probably Shouldn't Know right now. It's a small press book, but very entertaining, about diving in the Pacific islands.)

-G

Yeah, Down Time is a great compilation of short stories about diving. Great travel book. Very good reading. I really enjoyed reading about other people's experience in diving. Still have a few of the stories yet to read. I higly recommend it.

 

[Oceanseleven]

I noticed that too. Unfortunately, I don't know the answer to that. But I'd tend to believe Bernie's account more because of his relationship to everyone on that boat. I think Kurson just researched and recorded after the fact.

Actually, I would think the opposite. Kurson didn't just research and record. Most of the book was from direct recounts from Chatterton and Koler themselves. It's not that I disbelieve Bernie either it's just Bernie was recounting the event from his interpretation and memory where as Chatterton was the person who was actually performing the action that is in question. But then again, Chatterton's story is recounted third person through Kurson so I'm right back where I started. Who knows?

 

[Oceanseleven]

Keep posting info on new dive books - I'm always on the lookout for one I haven't seen. (Reading The Rapture of the Deep and Other Diving Stories You Probably Shouldn't Know right now. It's a small press book, but very entertaining, about diving in the Pacific islands.)

-G[/QUOTE]
Just read this book last week. It's not so much a complete story as it is more like someone's journal or diary that was published. It was very loosly written and is supposed to be in order although some chapters don't seem to be. However, even after stating that I loved this book. The stories where so interesting and entertaining that you almost don't even notice the strange flow. I would consider myself blessed to experience half of what this author experienced. This is a great light read, especially for a plane trip, boat trip, or on a secluded beach somewhere tropical. O.K. sorry for the book report I just really enjoyed this book. :fro:

 

[Dive-aholic]

I've been looking for it, but I dont seem to see it listed anymore. I guess I need to look harder.

I don't see it in the listing in the NY area. If it's cave diving I think that might be a repeat. I think it's Mexico and they traveling through a mile of underground passageways to a certain spot. Imagine, a mile in an overhead? NO thanks.

It's on the history channel. It is a repeat. I think we're in the rerun season. Here's a link to the website:

http://www.historychannel.com/globa...p?ACatId=8802355&CaseId=8802353&EGrpId=274739

Actually, I would think the opposite. Kurson didn't just research and record. Most of the book was from direct recounts from Chatterton and Koler themselves. It's not that I disbelieve Bernie either it's just Bernie was recounting the event from his interpretation and memory where as Chatterton was the person who was actually performing the action that is in question. But then again, Chatterton's story is recounted third person through Kurson so I'm right back where I started. Who knows?

Actually, Bernie wasn't there. He found out from a phone call later on. I subscribe to Bernie's magazine, Immersed, and e-mailed him this morning with the question. And he responded. I asked him for his thoughts on the discrepancy. He was very gracious towards Kurson's book. He did state that he one of the divers on the Seeker typed a lengthy document about what happened that day and mailed him a copy for his research. He also states another diver that was on the Seeker that day spoke to him about "factual errors" in Shadow Divers.

Shadow Divers was a very good book and generally a more entertaining reading. However, The Last Dive, IMO, was more informative and went more into the psychology of tec deep divers.