Product Description

On a dense, foggy evening in July of 1956, the Italian cruise liner Andrea Doria, bound for New York, was struck broadside by another cruiseship, killing 51 people. Although she now rests silently on the sandy bottom of the Atlantic, nearly a half-century later the Doria continues to take lives (twelve since 1981). Yet a small, fanatical group of scuba divers continues to challenge her, pushing themselves far beyond the limits of recreational divers, to the very limits of human endurance. In DEEP DESCENT, Kevin F. McMurray, author and veteran Doria diver, takes readers inside this elite club of men and women who dare to go deeper, farther and close to the edge than prudence of common sense might allow.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #89234 in Books
• Published on: 2002-11-18
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 320 pages

Synopsis
On a dense, foggy evening in July of 1956, the Italian cruise liner Andrea Doria, bound for New York, was struck broadside by another cruiseship, killing 51 people. Although she now rests silently on the sandy bottom of the Atlantic, nearly a half-century later the Doria continues to take lives (twelve since 1981). Yet a small, fanatical group of scuba divers continues to challenge her, pushing themselves far beyond the limits of recreational divers, to the very limits of human endurance. In DEEP DESCENT, Kevin F. McMurray, author and veteran Doria diver, takes readers inside this elite club of men and women who dare to go deeper, farther and close to the edge than prudence of common sense might allow.

About the Author
Kevin F. McMurray is an award-winning journalist and photographer whose work has appeared in such prestigious newspapers and magazines as The New York Times, New York magazine, Outside, Yankee, Men's Journal, The Sunday Times, Rock & Ice, Cigar Aficionado and many others.

Customer Reviews

A gripping read about the wreck diver's "Everest"
I was a basic scuba diver in my youth to middle age, I dived on many wrecks in Scottish waters, though nothing as advanced or dangerous as the dives described in this book. Having once been fixated with recovering artefacts from the sea that you would not give a second glance to if you passed them on the street, I can understand the china "fever" that infected some of the divers. If you want to find out who was the philosopher, read the book :) That bit made me laugh. McMurray's account is gripping and very readable, all the more so since he actually dived the wreck. Apart from the technical difficulties and dangers of diving such a deep wreck, super advanced wreck diving, McMurray gives a fair and balanced account of the personalities involved; obsessive personalities who had obvious difficulties in getting on with each other. The fatalities are presented in an analytical and non-morbid way, they were part of the price that had to be paid in this extreme form of diving. Emphasis was on learning from the tragedy. My main concern was the that the current availability of Trimix could open up wrecks such as the Andrea Doria to divers who were simply not trained or equipped to deal with such a challenge. I did not like the case put forward for solo diving on deep wrecks, though I understood the logic behind the arguments. My life was saved on a least three occasions by my dive buddy, in my diving career over 17 years, in circumstances that would have killed me if I was solo. If you are a diver it is a "must read", indeed a "must buy". Non divers might be baffled by the technical side of the book but the author does explain the scientific background to deep diving in an understandable way. A very good read.

Deep Descent
This is a fantastic book that was hard to put down.

I would have no hesitation in recommending this book to divers and non divers

The tail keeps you in suspence all the way through, well writen

Just makes you want to jump in the water and start diving.

A Good Read for Technical & Wreck Wannabes
I enjoyed reading this book, and would recommend it to anyone who's diving interest is more than just shallow reefs and drift dives.

It is a snapshot of the early days of deep wreck diving and the dangers that go along with that pursuit. Written with the diver in mind, I can't see it being of much interest to a non-diver, but most certainly is to the diver who wants to 'push out the envelope'.

I found it interesting that my Tech instructor suggested this book to me when I enrolled for an Advanced Wreck Course with him. I think he wanted me to get an idea of what can happen inside a wreck and not have some sort of fairytale fantasy about penetrating wrecks.

Compelling and enlightening.