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The History of Oilfield Diving
An Industrial Adventure by Christopher Swann
 The book is truly encyclopedic of oil diving history in all its aspects. There are two indexes. A general index, and a people index. Combined, the two indexes total 35 pages. You will find them invaluable when information searching various events and people.
850 pages. B&W photos with 8-page color section. Nine maps. Bibliographical references. Appendixes. Hardcover: 7 x 10 inches, with dust jacket. Fully indexed. Price: $80, plus $11 domestic USPS Priority Mail. CA
residents add $6.20 sales tax (total cost = $97.20). Overseas residents contact HDS office at hds@hds.org for
P&P rates.
Military Diving
TM5-475
War Department
Technical Manual, 1944
 This U.S. Army
issue manual covers the Mark V helmet, dress, shoes, weight belt,
knife, air control, non-return valve, telephones, air compressor,
oil separator, and associated information necessary for the soldier
to understand how to use the equipment. The Ohio shallow water mask
is included and there are numerous photographs that accompany the
text. This September 1944 manual superseded the September 1943
manual and was published by the War Department when G.C. Marshall
was Chief of Staff. There are 11 chapters covering, Physical and
Mental Qualifications, Physics of Diving, Diving Fear, Air Supply,
Dressing, Tending and Mooring, The Descent, Working on the Bottom,
Ascent and Decompression, Diving Injuries and Their Treatment,
Underwater Demolitions and Underwater Cutting and Welding. The
manual is reproduced in complete original form by a laser copier
with card stock cover. 80 pages, b & w photos, diagrams, charts,
contents, index. Price: $11, plus $5 domestic P&P. CA
residents add 7.75% sales tax. Overseas residents contact HDS office
at hds@hds.org for
P&P rates.
The Bellstone
The Greek Sponge
Divers of the Aegean
by Michael N.
Kalafatas
 For centuries, the
young men of the Dodecanese Islands earned their living by diving
for sponges. They would descend to the bottom of the sea on just a
single breath of air, using as a weight and rudder a flat, marble
diving stone called a “bellstone.” This ancient technique known as
“naked diving” was used until the deep sea diving dress was
introduced into the sponge fishing industry in 1863. This new diving
suit allowed the diver to remain underwater for long periods of
time, increasing his productivity a hundred fold, but it also
brought a dramatic change to the biomechanics of diving. Instead of
working on just one breath of air, the diver was supplied a
continuos stream of compressed air from the surface pump. If he
surfaced from the depths too quickly he would suffer “the bends.”
Between 1866 and 1895 on the island of Kalymnos alone, 800 young men
died of the bends and 200 more were paralyzed. Michael N.
Kalafatas’s grandfather, born on the island of Symi witnessed these
events. In 1995, Kalafatas discovered an epic poem entitled Winter
Dream written by his grandfather, Metrophanes Kalafatas. The poem,
composed a century earlier in Greek, recounts the plight of sponge
divers confronted with this new technology. Michael had the poem
translated, and using it as his own bellstone, dove into his
family’s past and into the history of diving. His research carries
the reader from the Dodecanese Islands in the nineteenth century to
Constantinople and the Black Sea as well as to contemporary Tarpon
Springs, Florida, and Melbourne, Australia, - the far flung outposts
of the Greek sponge-diving diaspora. Michael’s historical journey is
not only a deeply personal one, but one that also celebrates the
families, history and culture of the Greek sponge divers. Hardbound 287 pages, b & w photos,
bibliography. Price: $29.95,
plus $8.50 for domestic P&P. CA residents add 7.75% sales tax. Over
seas residents contact HDS office at hds@hds.org for P&P
rates.
History of
Spearfishing and Scuba Diving in Australia
The
First 80 Years 1917 to 1997
by Tom Byron
 A comprehensive
accounting of the history of recreational diving in Australia. This
book takes the reader back in time through the history of
spearfishing and then scuba diving from 1917 when Alex Wickham
commenced spearfishing in Sydney Harbor. The chronicle section of
the book provides a year-by-year accounting of events and
developments. It uses the writings of the original divers who
started recording diving history through various magazines,
newspaper articles and other media of the time. There some great
stories in this section as well as a record of the personalities in
spearfishing and scuba diving. The book covers the huge
technological strides accomplished during the last century. It
details the transitions from Hawaiian slings to pneumatic spearguns,
from woolen jerseys to wet and dry suits, the old dive tables to
computerized decompression meters, and chest-mounted Aqua Lungs to
mixed gas rebreathers, and much more. The book details the history
of recreational diving in Australia, with an emphasis on spear
fishing, and it provides a wealth of relevant information that will
be of interest to any international spearfishing and recreational
scuba historian. There are over 250 photos dating from the early
1920s almost all of which will never have been seen outside the
region. Additional sections include spearfishing contest results
from 1953 to 1997, Scuba Diving Instructor Organizations, the
History of Sport Diving Magazines in Australia, Underwater
Photographer of the Year winners and an index. “This book will not
only be of great interest to anyone researching diving history, but
also an inspiration to anyone considering writing a book about
diving history. Tom Byron has provided a wonderful record of his
nations recreational diving heritage. I highly recommend it!” Leslie
Leaney, Editor, Historical Diver Magazine. Hardbound 8 1/4” x 11
1/4”, 311 pages, b&w photos, charts, diagrams, illustrations,
index. Price: $50, plus $9.50 domestic p&p. CA res ad
7.75% sales tax. Overseas p&p contact HDS office at hds@hds.org or fax
805-938-0550
Description of
a Diving Machine, consisting of Description of a Diving Machine
suitable for use in rivers (1797) and A Brief Supplement to the
History and Description of a Diving Machine, together with the
explanation of a lantern or lamp which burns in any vitiated air,
and in water (1822)
by Karl
Heinrich
 Klingert Karl
Heinrich Klingert was an ingenious inventor and mechanic, but an
unlikely designer of diving equipment as he lived several hundred
miles from the sea, in Eastern Europe. Nevertheless at the end of
the eighteenth century he invented and constructed several items of
diving apparatus, the last of which was an “open’ helmet that also
made use of a cylinder of compressed air from which the diver was
able to breathe independently from the surface. Klingert’s designs,
however, were not put into practice despite their publication in two
of his books: “Description of a Diving Machine suitable for use in
rivers” (1797) and “A Brief Supplement to the History and
Description of a Diving Machine, together with the explanation of a
lantern or lamp which burns in any vitiated air, and in water”
(1822). The “open” helmet was re-invented shortly afterwards and led
to a revolution in diving. Much later the use of compressed air
became commonplace. This publication represents the first time that
the complete text and illustrations of Klingert’s two books, which
describe in detail his pioneering equipment, are published in
English. There is also an authoritative 11 page introduction written
by Historical Diver Magazine’s German editor, Michael Jung, greatly
expanding on his article in issue number 16, Summer 1998. Published
by the HDS in UK and limited to 500 copies. Case bound with dust
jacket, 51 pages, with illustrations. Price: $30 plus $9
domestic p&p. CA res. add 7.75% Sales tax. For overseas P&P
contact the HDS office at hds@hds.org or Fax
805-938-0550.
Divers In
Time
Australia’s Untold History
by Jeff Maynard
 This is the latest
book from HDS member Jeff Maynard, and follows his successful title
Niagara’s Gold. The content primarily focuses on Australia diving
history and equipment, although references to USA and UK divers and
equipment are present. There is a large section on that most beloved
area of Australian diving history, The Pearl Divers, with research
into its origins and characters. The Inventors chapter records the
Kelley Suit, the Buchcanan-Gordon Suit, inventions of Yasukichi
Murakami, the American Victor Berge mask, Clifford Anti Paralysis
Suit and others. Internationally notable divers such as Johnno
Johnson, Noel Monkman, Ted Eldred, and Maurice Batterham surface in
the text, as do items of Australian manufactured equipment like the
Porpoise scuba regulator and the Robison diving helmets of WWII.
Some interesting regional revelations such as Captain Dale’s human
torpedo of 1905 are included, and there is a chapter on the history
of the Royal Australian Navy Divers which includes some interesting
frogman information. There are several historical helmet diving
photos that have probably not been seen in America before, and
reproduced at a size sufficient that readers can make out most of
the details. Other chapters include The Salvage Divers and The Scuba
Divers. Sections titled “A Beginners Guide to Helmet Spotting,”
“Helmets - Real, Replicas and Rip Offs,” and “Where to see our
diving history on display” are not found in any other books and
certainly add to the character of this most welcome addition to
international diving history. Softbound, 159 pages, b&w photos,
illustrations, prints, bibliography, index. Price $32,
domestic p&p $9, CA res add 7.75% sales tax. For overseas
p&p contact the HDS office at hds@hds.org , or Fax
805-938-0550.
The Ten Kings of the
Sea
The Salvage of Santa Isabella’s
Treasure
by Jacques Mayol and Pierre
Mayol
 The Ten Kings of the
Sea is a fictional story based upon Pierre and Jacques Mayol’s
shared underwater experiences and discoveries. their interest in the
lost continent of Atlantis led them to the Atlantic ocean, the
Bahamas and the mysteries of Bimini and other islands of the
Bahamas. Along the way, Jacques discovered a Spanish galleon sunk
some 300 years ago. This shipwreck became a primary inspiration for
this novel. In this novel, Pierre and Jacques have attempted to open
a new window into the mystery of the ocean, and into the
mythological link between man and the sea, - connections that have
always intrigued us. This book has been a success in Italy, France
and Japan. It is now available in America. Softbound, 256
pages. Price $19.50, plus $6 domestic p&p. Contact
HDS office at hds@hds.org for overseas
p&p.
Naval Forces
Under The Sea
A Look Back, A Look Ahead
 The Naval Forces
Under The Sea Symposium was held at the U.S. Naval Academy in March
2001, and briefly reviewed in HDM issue of Spring 2001. The
symposium provided an opportunity to highlight the U.S.N.’s
significant developments in science and technology related to
diving, special warfare, and submarine research and rescue. It also
presented a speakers program that contained the living icons of
U.S.N. Undersea Warfare from the past 60 years. This book, sponsored
by the United State Naval Academy and Office of Naval Research,
records practically every word of every presentation, and includes
numerous images from them. It is an historical record of U.S.N.
diving and submarine rescue, including Naval Special Warfare
origins. The symposium was a once-in-a-lifetime event that will not
be forgotten by those lucky enough to attend. This book provides an
opportunity to read exactly what was presented. Casebound, 350
pages, full color. $58 plus $10
domestic p&p. CA res. add 7.75% sales tax. For overseas p&p
contact HDS office at hds@hds.org or fax
805-938-0550
Trois Inventeurs Meconnus
by
Capitaine Jacques Michel
 The original Musee
J. Vaylet, Espalion Edition. The story of Rouquayrol Denayrouze and
the development of their 1860’s demand scuba unit that went into
service with the French Navy and commercial diving companies during
the latter 1800s. Profusely illustrated with rare period wood
prints, photographs and diagrams. The text is French but the book
contains a wealth of rare visual information for anyone interested
in self contained or surface supplied equipment of the 1800s.
Equipment featured includes Augustus Siebe, Cabirol, Lemaire
d’Augerville, Galibert, Le Prieur, Cousteau Gagnan, Comex, La
Spirotechnique, one-atmosphere suits by Carmagnole and Neufeldt
Knuhke, plus numerous photos and prints of Rouquayrol Denayrouze
units including the Aerophore and several prints from the original
Jules Verne book 20,000 Leagues Under The Seas. This is a rare
opportunity to acquire this very important book on diving history.
There was only one printing, in 1980. These are the original copies
from the museum, and are complete with dust jackets. Hardbound in
dust jacket. 1980, editions Musée Joseph Vaylet, Espalion, France.
220 pages, color and b&w photos, prints. $35, plus $9
domestic p&p. For overseas p&p contact HDS office at hds@hds.org. CA residents
add 7.75 % sales tax.
THE HISTORY of
RUSSIAN DIVING
 An HDS Russia publication:
Includes diving history from the earliest times
and much Russian diving history that has never before been published
in English. Soft bound, 82 pages, black and white illustrations,
Russian and English language. Limited to 999 numbered copies.
Price $10.00, plus $4.50 domestic S&H;
Overseas contact hds@hds.org CA residents add 7.75% sales tax.
All proceeds go to HDS
Russia.
The History of
Russian Diving, Issue 2
 The Historical Diving
Society of Russia has published the second issue of its journal, The
History of Russian Diving, and once again readers will find it to be
a valuable addition to the body of literature in this field. Any
reader is sure to learn a great deal of new information in this
bilingual thirty-six page, soft-cover magazine. In format, the HDS
Russia publication differs somewhat from those of its sister
societies that publish on a standard number of issues per year.
Rather than a magazine-style publication with a number of articles
on unrelated subjects, the Russian journal takes a form more like a
monograph, with the bulk of the publication dealing with a single
topic. This allows the authors to go into much more depth than a
typical magazine article would allow. This approach worked well for
Russia in its first issue and works just as well in this, their
second publication. The subject of this second publication will be a
familiar one to readers of HDSUSA’s Historical Diver Magazine, as it
centers around the history of the Japanese Ohgushi Respirator. Most
of what little was known about this fascinating equipment until
relatively recently was set forth in a 1970 article published in the
British dive magazine Triton. In Historical Diver No. 8 (1996), Nyle
Monday expanded on that information with material drawn from
Japanese and other sources. In one of those unforeseeable quirks of
fate, half way around the world, in St. Petersburg, Russia, Dr.
Alexander Sledkov happened upon the latter article and recognize the
Japanese gear as something used in Russia as well. Dr. Sledkov, the
founder of the Historical Diving Society- Russia, and Mr. Monday met
in 2002 at the HDSUSA’s 10th Anniversary Conference in Santa Barbara
and began a collaboration which resulted in this publication.
Members who attended the 2003 Rally in Key Largo, Florida, got a
preview of the Japanese side of this story, but there is still much
new material to be found in this journal. As was the case with Dr.
Sledkov’s first effort, the reader will not only learn a great deal
about the history of diving, but also gain a great deal of insight
into the workings of the government of the former Soviet Union. Of
considerable interest in this respect was the formation of EPRON
(the Expedition for Special Purpose Undersea Works) in 1923 under
the auspices of the Unified State Political Board (OGPU), which
would become the KGB in 1954. EPRON became a major training
institution for divers in the Soviet Union, and eventually was
incorporated into the military establishment when WWII created a
gigantic demand for the salvage and rescue skills of its members.
Eventually this organization was disbanded, but following the
failure of Russian rescue efforts in the recent tragic loss of the
submarine Kursk, a movement has begun to reestablish EPRON to insure
that Russia will never find itself so helpless again. In effect, the
international nature of the Ohgushi story is mirrored in the
different participants who provided the facts of this story. Bits of
the tale came from sources scattered all over the world, including
from members of our sister societies in Great Britain, Germany, and
Italy. This is precisely the type of cooperative effort for which
the HDS was originated to foster. Members wishing to add a copy of
this heavily illustrated publication to their library may obtain a
copy from the HDSUSA. Do not wait, as there are only a limited
number of copies available. Soft bound, 40 pages, black &
white illustrations, Russian and English Language. Limited to 500
copies. $10, plus $4.50 domestic p&p, Ca. res. add
7.75% sales tax. Overseas orders contact HDS office at hds@hds.org for p&p rates. All proceeds go to HDS
Russia.
SUBMARINE RESEARCHES ON
THE WRECKS OF HIS MAJESTY'S LATE SHIPS ROYAL  GEORGE, BOYNE AND
OTHERS
by C.A.
Deane
This book was originally
published in England in 1835. It is the first book about diving
using the “open” diving helmet and dress, with air pumped down from
the surface. This apparatus, with a little modification, soon became
the familiar “hard-hat” or standard heavy gear diving equipment,
that went into use around the world. It was invented by Charles
Deane and his younger brother John, and was originally intended for
breathing in smokefilled rooms. The Deane brothers successfully
carried out naval and commercial salvage, and civil engineering
projects under water. In this book Charles Deane illustrates, with
extensive notes, some of his diving operations. By 1835 he had been
so successful that he mounted a Submarine Exhibition in Regent
Street, London, for which he obtained royal patronage. A series of
huge oil paintings, a collection of artifacts recovered from wrecks,
and the diving apparatus itself were placed on show. Submarine
Researches was published principally to promote the Exhibition, but
it also provides us now with a valuable record of the first years of
the diving industry. The authoritative introduction tells the story
of these pioneering years. Published by the Historical Diving
Society in England. Hard bound, b&w illustrations.
Price $35.00, plus $9 domestic S&H;
Overseas contact hds@hds.org CA residents add 7.75% sales tax.
 THE PEARL-SHELLERS OF TORRES
STRAITS
by Regina Ganter
A well researched
title charting the progress of the pearl-shelling industry and its
divers from its heyday to the 1960’s. The Torres Strait was a
maritime crossroads for many centuries and was home to an exotic
international mix of divers working to recover pearl shell. The
author is an academic at the University of Queensland and her
manuscript won the inaugural Australian Historical Association prize
in Australian History in 1992. Reviewed in HDM # 30. We have a very
limited supply. Soft bound 299 pages, b&w photos, charts,
appendix, glossary, extensive chapter notes, bibliography, index.
Price $23.00, plus $6 domestic S&H;
Overseas contact hds@hds.org CA residents add 7.75% sales tax.
THE WHITE DIVERS OF
BROOME
by
John Bailey
The extraordinary true
story of the 12 Royal-Navy trained British divers sent to Australia
as part of the White Australia Policy of the early 1900’s. Set
against the backdrop of Broome, the famous “Port of Pearls,” it
describes a world where pearl shell mattered more than human life.
Reviewed in HDM # 29. Soft bound, 301 pages, b&w photos, endnote
references.
Price $25.00, plus
$6 domestic S&H; Overseas contact hds@hds.org CA residents add 7.75% sales
tax.
 THE BLACK PRINCE AND
THE SEA DEVILS: The Story of Valerio Borghese and the Elite
Units of the Decima Mas
OUT OF STOCK
by Jack
Greene and Alessandro Massignani
The
exploits of Valerio Borghese and the daring Italian frogmen of the
Decima Mas are probably a familiar topic to most readers of
Historical Diver. Almost every history of diving includes at least a
passing mention of these pioneers, and several books, such as
Schofield and Carisella’s Frogmen: First Battles and, most
importantly, Valerio Borghese’s own Sea Devils, are completely
devoted to telling the tale. While these books do a great job
telling a portion of the story, they are not without their
limitations. Even Borghese’s own book, while an invaluable source
written by the major player in the drama, suffers from precisely
that – it was written by someone who had something to gain by
telling the story in a certain way. In this exciting new volume,
Jack Greene, a prolific author on military topics, and Alessandro
Massignani, a well known Italian writer on Naval subjects, take a
major step beyond their predecessors and provide their readers with
a new, well documented history of a fascinating era of diving
history.
In some respects, the title The Black Prince
and the Sea Devils, gives some hint of its content. It might be
thought of as two books contained in a single binding. On one hand
the volume details the history of Decima Mas and the Italian
underwater effort from their earliest origins in 1915 through 1945,
and even beyond. At the same time, the reader is provided with a
comprehensive biography of Valerio Borghese, the “black prince”
himself. While much of the former story has been told in the past,
the dramatic of life of Borghese, particularly pertaining to his
postwar activities, has seldom (if ever) been presented in English.
The authors drew their information from an
impressive array of sources, including letters, interviews,
published materials, and archives in at least half a dozen
countries. It is evident that the authors have made a thorough
survey of the literature, and yet they do not hesitate to question
the many rumors which have circulated about Borghese and his
activities. The early war operations of X Mas are well documented.
These brave sailors carried out 22 attacks between 1941 and the
Italian armistice of 8 Sept. 1943, 12 of which were successful. When
Italy withdrew from the war, most of the Italian military
establishment either disbanded or surrendered to the Allies.
Borghese, however, elected to join the Germans. He took with him
some 1500 men, but in a short time had recruited so many other
ex-Italian soldiers and sailors that some Allied intelligence
sources put their eventual strength at 50,000 men. This new Decima
Mas operated both on land and sea, and was particularly active in
anti-partisan activities on Italy’s eastern border.
Yet, despite his anti-Allied activities,
Borghese aroused the suspicions of Mussolini, who had been rescued
from imprisonment by the famous German commando, Otto Skorzeny, and
was then living under German protection. Mussolini had formed a new
government, the Republica Sociale Italiana (RSI), and yet Borghese
was operating as an independent force, directly collaborating with
the Wehrmacht. Afraid Borghese was attempting to form his own
government, Mussolini placed Borghese under arrest in January 1944,
but eventually influential friends intervened on his behalf and
Borghese was released.
When the Allies succeeded in occupying Italy,
Borghese’s name was high on the “wanted” list, and on 19 May 1945 he
was arrested by American MP’s in Rome. His trial was to go on for
years, and it wasn’t until 17 Feb 1949 that he was found guilty of
collaborating with the Germans and sentenced to 12 years in prison.
This was actually something of a victory as he was found not guilty
of war crimes, and in fact the judge in the case ended up reducing
the sentence to the four years Borghese had already served!
Most of the previous works on Borghese end at
this point, but Greene and Massignani are far from done. The postwar
career of the “Black Prince” was as fascinating as his war service,
and even more mysterious. His involvement in right-wing politics was
well known, but other rumored operations, such as the sinking of the
Soviet battleship “Novorossiysk”, are still the subject of heated
discussion. The authors are careful to offer the available reliable
evidence and then allow the reader to draw his own conclusion.
Borghese eventually became a respected bank
president, but he never lost his taste for right-wing politics.
Indeed, it was his involvement in an apparent coup against the
Italian government that eventually forced him to flee to Spain,
where he resided until his death on 26 August 1974. It was only then
that he was able to return to his beloved Italy. He was buried in
the basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, in the Vatican, on 1 Sept.
1974, near Pope Paul V, who was also a Borghese.
The Black Prince and the Sea Devil is a fine
addition to the literature of World War II, and even more valuable
to students of diving history. The authors have uncovered a great
deal of new information, at least to readers who have not had access
to Italian language publications. It is a “must buy” for HDS members
with an interest in military diving, and a fine addition to any
diver’s library. - Nyle C. Monday, Historical Diver Magazine
Hard bound
in d/j. (2004) 284 pp., illus, maps, appendix, index, notes $27.50,
plus $6 domestic p&p. CA res. add 7.75% sales tax. Overseas
orders contact HDS office at hds@hds.org for p&p rates. OUT OF STOCK
 CALL TO
ADVENTURE
by Hillary Hauser
The Society has recently acquired
several new copies of this book written and individually signed by
one diving’s foremost female writers. Hauser was part of the Skin
Diver magazine team during the latter part of the last century and
has written several books on diving, as well as articles for over 25
different magazines. In this book she tells of the adventures in the
careers of some of diving’s most influential international leaders
and historic figures: Hannes Keller, Jack McKenney, Dick Anderson,
Ed Link, Jacques Yves Cousteau, Joe MacInnis, Ron and Valerie
Taylor, Carleton Ray, Sylvia Earle, Eugenie Clark, Rodney Fox, Glen
Miller, Jean Michel Cousteau, Bob Ballard, John Lilly, Bob Marx, and
Chris Newbert. Their adventures cover a wide range of experiences
from the great white sharks of Blue Water White Death, to life under
the Arctic ice and dredging for gold in California. The book is well
illustrated with images from photographers like David Doubilet, Al
Giddings, Jack McKenney, Carl Roessler, Ron Taylor, Bob Evans and
others.
Soft bound
8 1/2” x 11”, 1987, 208 pages, with color and b&w photos,
glossary, index, and signed by the author. HDS special price of $15,
plus $9 domestic p&p. For overseas p&p contact the HDS
office at hds@hds.org.
DEEP DIVING AND SUBMARINE
OPERATIONS
by Sir Robert H. Davis
Limited edition
published to celebrate the 175th anniversary of Siebe Gorman.
"The best book on diving I have ever
read."
-Bev Morgan, Chairman, Diving Systems
International
"Superb. I started diving 50 years ago, and
every time I pick up this book I learn something new." -Jean Michel Cousteau
"The definitive book for the working diver and
historian. The most used book in my library."
___-E.R. Cross
Technifacts column, Skin Diver
Magazine
Published in a two volume hardcover set in
reflex blue, gold embossed covers with matching dust jackets. The
set comes in a reflex blue presentation slip case. Introductions by
Nick Baker and Leslie Leaney. 712 pages more than 650 photographs,
line drawings and illustrations. Each set individually numbered. For
a review and chronology refer to Historical
DiverNo 6.
Limited edition of 1,500 copies
only. Price $175.00, plus $11.00 domestic S&H;
Overseas contact hds@hds.org CA residents add 7.75% sales tax.
DIVING PIONEERS An
oral
history of diving in America
by
Eric Hanauer
1994 1st Edition
Records the adventures of the pioneering divers
who helped to establish scuba diving in America. REVIEWED IN HD #5.
A valuable diving book for the historian and casual reader alike.
269 pages. B&W photos.
Softcover $20.00, plus $6 domestic S&H;
Overseas contacthds@hds.org CA residents add 7.75% sales tax.
THE CALIFORNIA ABALONE
INDUSTRY
A
Pictorial History
by A. L. "Scrap"
Lundy
1997 1st Edition
A full historical accounting of this diving
industry covering the efforts of the Chinese, the original 19th
century Japanese divers and the Caucasian divers of the 20th
century. An abundance of rare photos and information. REVIEWED IN HD
#10. 240 pages, 324 photos, charts, tables, bibliography, glossary,
index.
Softcover $44, plus $9 domestic
S&H; - Last copy left, this book is now out of print.Overseas
contact hds@hds.org CA residents add 7.75% sales tax.
 DEEP WATER
MAN
by Dale Vinette
Deep Water Man, by Dale Vinette Written by
retired U.S. Navy Master Diver Dale Vinette about his commercial and
military diving career. Starting in 1934 with a home-made shallow
water helmet from an article in Popular Mechanics Magazine, the
author recalls several commercial diving jobs during the 1930s. His
diving adventures cover the Great Lakes, Fort Peck Dam, Montana,
repairing a gold-mining dredge in N.W. Territories, Canada, and the
Yanqui River Dam in Sonora, Mexico. WWII experiences include Pier
88, work with British Special Forces underwater explosives unit,
cutting the harbor nets at Oran, Algeria, Browne rebreathers, diving
operations to save the crew of the submarine U.S.S. Pickerel, and
more. Vinette's decorations include the Navy Cross, Silver Star and
Bronze Star for his military combat and rescue experiences. The
names of numerous commercial and military divers are recorded as are
details of the various locations and there are numerous photos of
diving operations. Soft bound, 8 1/2 x 11, 127 pages, b&w
photos, diagrams, maps, glossary of terms.
Softcover $20.00, plus $5 domestic S&H; Overseas contact hds@hds.org CA residents add 7.75% sales tax.
HANS HASS and his journeys to BONAIRE
by Michael Jung
Written by Historical Diver's German Editor
Michael Jung and featuring early Hass photographs from the 1939
expedition. Published to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Hans
Hass's initial visit when he became the first person to dive,
photograph and film the coral reefs of Bonaire. His return visit on
Xarifa in 1953 is also covered. 1999 English language paper back, 56
pages, black and white photographs.
CLICK HERE
FOR REVIEW
Softcover $15.00, plus $5.50 domestic S&H; Overseas contact hds@hds.org CA residents add 7.75% sales tax.
 THE WORLD OF ZARH PRITCHARD
by Nancy Dustin Wall Moure
with an introduction
by Tom Burgess
Known as "The Merman,"
Zahr Pritchard was, quite literally, the first man to develop
methods for applying oil paints to canvas while underwater. As a
consequence, he became the first to descend in a deep sea diving
helmet and dress to paint underseas vistas and marine life - an
involvement that he adopted as his life's work. Beginning in the
1880's, Pritchard was experimenting in Scotland - sketching
underwater scenery using breath-held descents facilitated with
goggles. By 1906, in Tahiti, he had crafter his diving and painting
techniques and he held his first exhibit in San Francisco in the
very month of the great earthquake. Thereafter, for more than thirty
years, The Merman sold his art to the wealthiest of society and to
members of royalty in countries across the globe. Museums in
America, Europe and the Orient include works of Pritchard in their
holdings. This book is a well researched record of this foremost
underwater painters career, with extensive notes, a bibliography and
appendix of titles. Includes spectacular images of underwater
scenery published in full color. A unique (and almost unknown
outside of HDS-USA) title for the library of anyone interested in
underwater imagery, the sea or fine art. 64 pages.
Softcover $25.00, plus $5 domestic S&H; Overseas contact hds@hds.org CA residents add 7.75% sales tax.
DIVING AND DEEP SEA
OPERATIONS 
by Training Office Puget Sound Navy Yard
1943
This manual sources the 1924 US Navy Diving
Manual, the 1938 Submarine Safety Respiration and Rescue Devices,
the Advanced Mine School Course for Divers and other authoritative
sources. It covers Mk V equipment, air pump, procedures, welding,
qualifications, rigging, O2 treatment for caisson disease, the
shallow water diving apparatus and much more. There are
illustrations covering the Mk V, the cutting torch, diving lamp,
jetting nozzle, submarine salvage, submarine escape apparatus and
the Miller Dunn shallow water Divinhood, etc. This is a rare WW II
manual published as a vocational course for training civilian
divers. Cleanly color laser copied and photocopied from an original
1943 manual loaned by Torrance Parker. 8 1/2" x 11", 117 pages.
Softcover $12.00, plus $6 domestic S&H; Overseas contact hds@hds.org CA residents add 7.75% sales tax.
USS SQUALUS
The Diving Log of the USS FALCON
during the rescue and
salvage of the USS SQUALUS
24 May 1939 - 12
September 1939.
From
the personal files of CAPT Albert R. Behnke, MC, USN
(Ret)
This publication is a spiral bound photocopy of
the original log of dives made during
the U.S.N. operations on the
submarine Squalus. Included are: Sibitzky's 232 foot air dive to successfully
attach the bell down haul cable; the dramatic bell runs that saved
the surviving crew; the early operational U.S.N. mixed dives; the
final recovery dives. Each dive is dated and timed and includesthe
name of the diver, the task set, the time on the submarine/task, the
outcome of the dive, and the typed dive report of the diver complete
with the signature of the diver over his typed name and rank. U.S.N.
divers Badders, Crandall, McDonald and Mihalowski were awarded the
Medal of Honor for their work on the Squalus. Diving operations have
been recorded in numerous books for over 60 years. Blow All Ballast, The Rescuer, Mud, Muscles and
Miracles, and The Terrible Hours are some. Here are the real
facts from the real dives as reported by the real divers. A uunique
and historic diving document.
UHMS, card covered,
spiral bound, 145 photocopy pages, text only. $16.00 plus $6 domestic S&H;
Overseas contact hds@hds.org CA residents add 7.75% sales
tax.
 SCHRADER DIVING APPARATUS 1935
Catalog
The Schrader Company was founded by August
Schrader in 1844 and continued to produce diving apparatus until
just recently. This is the company's 1935 catalog dated June of that
year. It contains illustrations and descriptions of their three deep
water pumps, their one boxed shallow water pump, the commercial and
U.S. Navy helmet, suits, telephones, weights, knives etc. The last
page announces their "Shallow Water Diving Outfit" with an
illustration of the Morse style shallow water helmet and pump
that was noted in HDM # 17 page 37.
The catalog is directly photocopied from a rare
original. 8 1/2" x 11", 18 pages. $10.00 plus $5
domestic S&H; Overseas contact hds@hds.org CA residents add 7.75% sales
tax.
A DEMONSTRATION OF THE
DIVING ENGINE
by Jacob Rowe
Limited First Edition of 750 numbered
copies.
The late seventeenth and early eighteenth
centuries saw an increased interest in the business of diving, and a
proliferation of new designs of equipment. One of these divers was
Jacob Rowe, who used the "barrel" type of apparatus to salvage
materials from the bottom of the sea. Rowe was a man of great drive
and determination, achieving two remarkable feats of marine salvage,
during an era when underwater salvage was just beginning in earnest,
Here for the first time, is printed his treatise on diving,
describing in detail how his apparatus was constructed and used. Not
only is Rowe's treatise the first known English monograph on diving,
it is also one of only a handful of treatises on the subject, in any
language written during the 18th century. Rowe's manuscript is
accompanied by an accounting of his life and work by Mike Fardell
and Nigel Philips. Published by the HDS-UK in association with The
National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, England. 30 pages, facsimile
manuscript and illustrations, hardbound in dust jacket.
Hardcover $30.00
plus $6 domestic S&H; Overseas contact hds@hds.org CA residents add 7.75% sales tax.
1943 USN Diving Manual
After America entered WW II, the U.S.N. faced
an escalating problem of salvage, construction and repair workaround
the world. This expansive diving manual was produced to assist
U.S.N. divers in tackling these problems and introduced several new
diving techniques and items of equipment. It replaced the 1924
manual and is the first manual published that encompasses the
resultsof the successful U.S.N. diving operations with surface
supplied oxy-helium. It introduces the U.S.N. Mark V helium helmet,
as well as three shallow water systems, including the ORCO Berge
mask. Contest include: development of diving and and training of
navy divers; shallow water diving apparatus; equipment maintenance:
physics of diving; dive planning; dressing the diver; tending the
diver; working on the bottom; diving with the helmet only;
compressed air illness; diving accidents; deeper diving by use of
oxy-helium mixture; salvage and special gear; and more.
Softbound, 267 pages, b&w photos,
illustrations, graphs, index, and complete with fold-out diagrams.
Tape bound spine, blue card stock cover, first generation photocopy
on 32 lb paper, from an original 1943 U.S.N. Manual.
Softcover $30.00, plus $5 domestic S&H; Overseas contact hds@hds.org CA residents add 7.75% sales tax.
1918 U.S. NAVY DIVING SCHOOL STUDENT
COURSE NOTES
The original handwritten course notes of U.S.
Navy diver Frank W. Himsel reproduced in full, with accompanying
text and photos of himself in diving equipment. Additional photos of
U.S. Navy divers using pre Mark V equipment, and photos of U.S.N.
Mark I thru V helmets also included. Softcover $12.00, plus $5 domestic S&H;
Overseas contact hds@hds.org CA residents add 7.75% sales tax.
U.S. NAVY SALVAGE MANUAL
1948
Photocopied from the original. 403 pages.
B&W photocopy velo bound.
$24.00 plus $6 domestic S&H;
Overseas contact hds@hds.org CA residents add 7.75% sales tax.
NIAGARA'S GOLD
by Jeff Maynard
1996
The amazing true story of how eight tons of
gold was salvaged from 400 feet beneath a German mine field during
World War II. Fully illustrated. REVIEWED IN HD #8.
Softcover $20.00, plus $6 domestic S&H;
Overseas contact hds@hds.org CA residents add 7.75% sales tax.
SOLID BRASS
by Bob Wick
2001 1st
edition
Exciting tales of commercial hard hat diving by
HDS member Bob Wick. Bob covers his career from UDT, through the
adventures of the California abalone industry, the oil patch,
construction diving and up to Alaska's Cook Inlet. This book is also
illustrated by Bob and has many thrilling revelations including true
diving adventures with some names that will be familiar to many
readers. Bob wrote this bookas a tribute to the people in these
stories, some who are gone but will always be a part of the colorful
history of the diving business. Hardbound 239 pages
with b&w photos, illustrations.
Hardcover $17.00,
plus $6 domestic S&H; Overseas contact hds@hds.org CA residents add 7.75% sales tax.
1925 MORSE DIVING
CATALOG
Meticulously reproduced on heavy stock pages
from a mint original with art deco styled color cover in red, gold
and black with a gold helmet. One of the most elaborate American
deepsea diving catalogs published. Packed full of pre-Depression era
diving equipment. Ten different pumps, eight different helmets, U.S.
Navy Outfits, knives, telephones, boots, dresses, equipment chests,
weights, accessories, sections on decompression, signals, deep
diving experiments, medical, dressing in, divers photos and more. A
treasure trove of American diving equipment produced between the two
World Wars. 59 pages of text and photographs. 8 1/4" x 10
1/2"
Softcover $30.00, plus $5 domestic S&H;
Overseas contact hds@hds.org CA residents add 7.75% sales tax.
BACK IN
'02
When
there were wooden tanks & steel men
by
Lance Rennka, Ed.D.
Lance Rennka has been scuba diving since 1957,
training other divers since 1965, and training instructors since
1968. He has written manuals on the business of diving, worked as
training director at the PAM International College in San Diego,
California, treasure-hunted in the Caribbean and amassed a wealth of
experiences that now, he is sharing with you.
If you're an experienced diver, this book will
remind you why you love to dive, If you're just starting out, you
need to know what the divers before you learned the hard way.
Softcover $13.95, plus $5 domestic S&H;
Overseas contact hds@hds.org CA residents add 7.75% sales tax.
 BACK FROM THE
DEEP
The
strange story of the sister subs Squalus and Sculpin
by
Carl LaVo
This epic World War II saga follows the USS Squalusand Sculpin as they play out their dramatic
destinies in the Pacific. The author, a seasoned journalist,
re-creates their entire perilous journey, beginning with the
rigorous stateside training of the crew that was put to the test
almost immediately. The Squalussank
during a test dive in 1939, but thirty-three trapped crewmen were
saved thanks to the revolutionary use of the McCann diving bell. The
Sculpin'srole in that historic rescue is
just the first of many incongruous twists of fate that brought the
two subs together after the Squalus,was
salvaged and rechristened the Sailfish.
Their intertwined fates come to an eerie climax as the Sailfishunleashes a ten-hour attack on a
Japanese aircraft carrier amid a raging typhoon, unwittingly killing
twenty-two of the forry-three Americans captured from the sunken Sculpin.
Hardcover $16.00, plus $5 domestic S&H;
Overseas contact hds@hds.org CA residents add 7.75% sales tax.
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