Is there one book out there recommended as the "bible" of Scuba diving?

[grey2112]

Techniques, basic lessons, advanced discussions, training excercises, etc.? Something you could have both an experienced but also beginner learn from and use during the times they aren't on the water?

 

[rongoodman]

Right now, I'd say "The Six Skills" by Steve Lewis, although it's really aimed at a more technical diver. "The Tao of Underwater Survival" is more comprehensive, but reads more like an encyclopedia.

 

[Lorenzoid]

It's definitely not the PADI Encyclopedia of Recreational Diving. Despite the presumptuous title, half the book is junior high school science fluff that has little to do with becoming a better diver. SB threads have mentioned a number of useful books, and if there were one truly encyclopedic book I suspect we would have heard about it by now.

 

[Doc Harry]

Check out the NOAA book in scuba, it's a "must have" bible of diving

[video]http://www.amazon.com/NOAA-Diving-Manual-Science-Technology/dp/0941332705[/video]

 

[TSandM]

I can't think of any book I've read that has exercises and the like in it. Most of the books are really informational, rather than practice-oriented.

I disagree about the PADI Encyclopedia. It is, as all PADI materials are, written at about the third grade level, but there is a lot of interesting information in the book, particularly if you are not already a well-read diver.

Clay Coleman's book, The Certified Diver's Handbook, is a bit dated, but has a lot of useful information in it. Mark Powell's Deco for Divers is, I think, THE reference for decompression for recreational divers. Steve Lewis's Six Skills, though intended for technical divers, has a lot of thought-provoking passages.

If you are looking for practice ideas, or descriptions of how skills ought to be done, the information is out there, but it's scattered on a number of people's websites.

 

[KEdiver]

No new diver should read The Complete Diver they will never get in the water. It is a very informative book but scares the hell out of you by telling you ALL the things that might go wrong if the earth and moon were aligned and the temperature was just right. I am almost finished. Does anyone want to buy some used SCUBA gear cheep? I will want to stay on top of the water by he time I am finished reading it. Really it is worth a read just don't give up SCUBA because of it.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Second the NOAA manual and the US NAVY Dive Manual that you can download for free. Also the Tao of Survival Underwater is one I recommend to every one beyond the OW level. Along with the Six Skills and the SDI Solo Diver Manual.

I wrote one myself that's pretty good too based on what a few people have said.

 

[tridacna]

Second the NOAA manual and the US NAVY Dive Manual that you can download for free. Also the Tao of Survival Underwater is one I recommend to every one beyond the OW level. Along with the Six Skills and the SDI Solo Diver Manual.

I wrote one myself that's pretty good too based on what a few people have said.

Excellent book. Highly Recommended.

 

[drrich2]

While neither is a training manual, I'd 2'nd the recommendation for the The Certified Diver's Handbook and also add that the NAUI Master Scuba Diver Manual (intended for the course) is a good one for someone wanting to develop a more in-depth (no pun intended) knowledge of general recreational scuba diving topics. Even gets into calculating what size lift bag you'd need to use to get something of known mass off the bottom.

Richard.

 

[grey2112]

Thanks, guys, very much for the suggestions - will look into most of these