Clemency, The Saint Chronicles Part 1: Book Review

By Bob Potterton

Not all are born bold enough to dive.  However, those who do are handed a life that is changed forever.

A Remarkable Exploration at Your Fingertips

By John Tapley

Beneath the Garden State: Exploring Aquatic New Jersey, written by acclaimed photographer and diver Herb Segars, is a wonderful read for dive and travel enthusiasts and an incredible teaching tool for anyone interested in the world beneath the waves.

The Elements of Scuba Diving By Captain Calhoun

The Elements of Scuba Diving by Captain Calhoun

Reviewed by Rick Stratton

This book, self-published in 2012 by Captain Fred Calhoun, focuses (as the title describes) on the elements of scuba diving. It refocuses us on the approach to just the basics of the sport. Eliminating the “extra gear” that divers don’t really need, Calhoun’s approach and logic are undeniable; this is a must read for novice and advanced divers alike.

Children’s Book

“My Daddy Wears a Different Kind of Suit to Work” is a full color illustrated children’s book sharing the undersea world with your children. Full color pictures and a heartwarming tale; the story is translated by the 13 year old author to Spanish in the back of the book. This is a dual language book. A hard cover (6”x9”) bound bed time story book; this is designed for any child who loves the ocean. For more info about the book, visit www.gallantaquatic.com.

Setting the Hook: A Diver’s Return to the Andrea Doria By Peter M. Hunt

by Selene Muldowney

The Andrea Doria lies in 240 feet of water after sinking in 1956, one hundred miles from mainland New York. This wreck has long been considered the pinnacle of wreck diving: the “Mount Everest of Diving”.  Exploring the Andrea Doria is a transformative experience which leaves a diver awed by the liner’s fascinating history.

Pacific Pro Dive: A Caribbean Haven for Divers

Pacific Pro Dive Shop is a diver's dive shop. Owners Bill and Sharon Coltart pride themselves in offering divers the best dive and travel information available. Need equipment, they are the ones to show you the best. Need information, they are the ones to lead you in the right direction. These folks are the diver's compass pointing north.

Coltart is a jack of all trades. He is the lead Cinematographer for Aqua Cinema Studios, dive shop owner, travel agent and charter service. He and Sharon have combined their love for travel with their passion for diving and their need to provide good customer service. Coltart is also an IANTD, SDI and TDI Instructor

Trainer at the Recreational and Technical levels including Gas Blending, Closed Circuit and SCR Rebreather, Trimix as well as Divers Alert Network IT and PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer. Pacific Pro Dive is touted as Vancouver Island's only 5-star SCUBA Career Development Center. Is that enough experience for you?

You will get the best there is to offer at PPD because the Coltarts demand the best from themselves. Case in point, PPD offers the Marine Diving and Science College teaching everything from sport diving to nautical training. Their classrooms are laid out in a 2500 sq. ft., full service dive center with state-of-the-art multi-media presentation equipment. Nearby is a small fleet of coast guard approved training vessels ranging from 28' to 55' with trained crews who have over fifteen years experience in the west coast dive charter business.

The Coltarts and PPD also offer charter service through Oceans Group Charters. This is a full service charter. The crews have been operating charters in the area since 1994 and pride themselves on being the most professional, friendly and adventurous on the coast.

Divers know that PPD is the place to go for their dive oriented needs. The Coltarts have developed a reputation for being the end all for divers of all levels. Divers take advantage of full retail and servicing departments and a commercial video editing system. "Our goal is simple," Coltart says, "to provide divers with the best products, the most professional dive training and memorable experiences to last a lifetime. I have been very fortunate over the years to have made some great friends in the diving industry," Coltart adds. "The most fun thing is the diversity and every day is different. Some days I am in the shop servicing regulators, other days teaching diving and then the next it's off in the boat for a day of dive charters."

Pacific Pro Dive Shop is a diver's dive shop offering everything possible to ensure the best possible dive experience. So if you find yourself in British Columbia and short on dive, travel, charter services or any other little old thing you might need, stop in and see Bill and Sharon.

They will have what you need and the know how to show you how to use it. For more info visit www.scubashark.com. ■

"My Underwater Photo Journey”

By Selene Peterson and Reagan

Cathy Church has created an underwater photo journey extending across the Caribbean to the South Pacific. This stunning book illustrates so brilliantly not only amazing sea life but shares with the reader a deeper understanding of Cathy and her love and respect for the sea life she photographs. These images show her sense of whimsy and art, yet balanced by her education in marine biology.

Chasing the Shark

By Rick Stratton, Publisher, Dive News Network

"Chasing the Shark" is a book that follows one woman's journey of self discovery and life enrichment through scuba diving. It is loaded with things every diver should consider when taking part in the sport. The author, Rosanne Masone, shares her experiences as she faces her worst fear – a fear of water. She confronts that fear by taking up the sport of scuba diving, diving head first into the very thing she fears, which ends up transforming her life.

"My Underwater Photo Journey” (2)

By Selene Peterson and Reagan

Cathy Church has created an underwater photo journey extending across the Caribbean to the South Pacific. This stunning book illustrates so brilliantly not only amazing sea life but shares with the reader a deeper understanding of Cathy and her love and respect for the sea life she photographs. These images show her sense of whimsy and art, yet balanced by her education in marine biology.

The Atocha Odyssey: The Life & Legacy of a Treasure Hunting Family

By Ellsworth Boyd

 So many books have been written about renowned treasure hunter Mel Fisher that readers have to wonder if there's room in the bookcase for another one.