Diving into Darkness: A True Story of Death and Survival

by Phillip Finch

On New Year's Day, 2005, David Shaw traveled halfway around the world on a journey that took him to a steep crater in the Kalahari Desert of South Africa, a site known as Bushman's Hole. His destination was nearly 900 feet below the surface.
On January 8th he descended into the water. About fifteen feet below the surface was a fissure in the bottom of the basin, barely wide enough to admit him. He slipped through the opening and disappeared from sight, leaving behind the world of light and life.
Then, a second diver descended through the same crack in the stone. This was Don Shirley, Shaw's friend, and one of the few people in the world qualified to follow where Shaw was about to go. In the community of extreme scuba diving, Don Shirley was a master among masters.
Twenty-five minutes later, one of the men was dead. The other was in mortal peril, and would spend the next 10 hours struggling to survive, existing literally from breath to breath.
What happened that day is the stuff of nightmarish drama, but  Diving into Darkness is also a compelling human story of friendship, heroism, ambition, and of coming to terms with loss and tragedy.

Genres: Nonfiction, Adventure, Survival, History, Nature, Sports, Wilderness

320 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2008

Reviews

[Diane in Australia · Rating 4 out of 5]

A real page-turner. A true life drama that made my heart go out to everyone involved. Two friends, cave diving enthusiasts, set out to retrieve the body of a diver who disappeared a decade ago, at Bushman's Hole, in the Kalahari Desert. The story that unfolds kept me riveted.

4 Stars = Outstanding. It definitely held my interest.

[Scot Parker · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an essential read for any technical diver. It's a case study of normalization of deviance and the dangers inherent in going "zero to hero" too quickly without gaining experience along the way. Although Finch praises Shaw's diving and his abilities, he died with less than 340 dives under his belt while attempting to do physical labor at a record depth on a rebreather. I can't adequately express just how little experience this represents for the kind of dive Shaw was doing. Most divers shouldn't even be doing 60m dives with less than 340 dives of experience, much less 800+m dives. Many divers have no business on a rebreather or doing technical diving at all with only 340 dives. Shaw wasn't an exception. He was clearly a good diver, but even the best divers need to gain experience progressively. To do otherwise is folly.

[Kevin Frost · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid piece of writing. Didn't soar. Was a bit too nice and respectful. But a good read if a bit longish when it came to some of the biography and family type material. Nice and orderly in it's recreation of the dives and it's painless explanation of the science of deep diving.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think the very last thing in this entire universe that I’d want to do is go cave diving in a black pit of desolation. First of all, just NO: it sounds like the stuff of nightmares. (There is no “second of all.”) I have no interest in charting new territory, in exploring the (cold, dark, wet) unknown, in superseding the limits of mere mortals...

I’ll just stay home and read about it.

Look, it’s not that I don’t like challenges. I hiked the W! I trail run! I read War and Peace! I just don’t want to die in an underwater cave.*

This is a great one for all you armchair adventurers out there. Minorly technical at times, but I’m into that. Page-turning, scary and humanizing — think Jon Krakauer, but underwater.

One of my favorite things in the universe is a memoir. I’m a sucker for a life story, what can I say. I think I’m drawn to books like Raising the Dead because they sort of put off memoir vibes: they immediately drop you into a world far removed from your own, letting you in to snoop around for a bit. So I guess what I’m saying is this: I’m fascinated by humans, and I’m grateful for their stories, also never let your children go cave diving that’s all.





*Or in a sunken U-boat corpse. Looking at you, Shadow Divers.

[Candice Landau · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's hard to find a book that can hold you captive when the outcome is not just known from the start, but depressing. Diving into Darkness does just this. Through masterful investigative journalism and storytelling, Phillip Finch takes readers on an epic journey through time and into another world; a deadly world of caves, great depths, and complex diving procedures.

If you want a very real feel of the relatively young sport of extreme cave diving and the people who do it, this book is for you. I particularly enjoyed the thorough explanations of diving and it's effects on the body and even as a certified scuba diver, felt I learned a lot.

Diving into the Deep kept me riveted the whole way through, not because of the outcome, but because of the techniques involved in fighting to survive. One man lives, one man dies, and this books details the struggle for life in gripping detail.

As both a scuba diver and an avid reader it was nice to find something that actually took place in my home country. I think the one thing that could have made the book even better was if the author had given us a stronger sense of South Africa's diving culture and indeed more of a reason behind Shaw's attraction to the country. As an expat I know full well how bright, colorful and different South Africa is and I wish I'd seen that reflected more in the book.

Otherwise a fantastic read!

[Jaime · Rating 3 out of 5]

Before anything, I only read this book because I picked it up at a secondhand bookstore. This book will interest three kinds of people: spelunkers, divers or lovers of extreme sports. I read it because I like thrillers in which people place themselves into dire and dangerous situations with severe consequences.

Phillip Finch’s Diving Into Darkness, gives us the tale of two friends (Dave Shaw and Don Shirley) who are deep cave divers. These men approach deep sea diving into underwater caves. Their ' the devil may care' attitude coupled with a high level of arrogance spells disaster for the duo. These men will not elicit anything but an incredulous shaking of the head by the reader. While their intent was to retrieve the body of another diver (Deon Dreyer) but it becomes a white knuckle trip into the extreme world which tests the two men beyond their wildest nightmares. The book is well-written and kept my attention. But, I had to look up quite a few terms because I am not familiar with the sport/past time.

I recommend this to anyone who likes real thrills.

[Bart Löfgren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beklijvend, maar ook zeer technisch boek over duiken op grote diepte. Na dit boek ben ik vastbesloten dat ik gewoon sportduiker blijf met een eigen max diepte van 60m.

[Elly Stroo Cloeck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wat een geweldig, aangrijpend boek! Niet alle duikers uit dit verhaal overleven het, dat moge duidelijk zijn. De reconstructie van wat er op de bodem van de grot gebeurde is erg mooi beschreven. Ik was echter nog het meest onder de indruk van de worsteling van een van de support duikers, die halverwege zijn terugkeer naar de oppervlakte ziek wordt en toch nog 11 uur in het water moet blijven voor decompressie. Ook de achtergronden van de hoofdrolspelers van deze waargebeurde tragedie zijn prettig omschreven. Nu ben ik een paar jaar geleden gestopt met duiken, maar ik vraag me af of het lezen van dit boek invloed zou hebben gehad. Je weet dat er veel mis kan gaan, maar er zó over lezen hakt er toch wel in.

[Judy Cadena · Rating 5 out of 5]

First off, you're going to find that there's a lot of technical diving jargon about decompression, oxygen mixes, types of equipment, why every little thing is so vital, etc. I found myself losing focus and having to reread some of these areas. It felt like the kind of information only a diver could truly appreciate knowing.

But as the story progressed I realized that the 2nd half of the book probably wouldn't have been as compelling without knowing just how much thought and preparation goes into diving. You combine that with the events that took place and you have yourself one hell of an emotional roller coaster of survival and death. (That's not a spoiler by the way.)

[Isabella Fray · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the second cave diving book I’ve read, after Into the Planet: My Life as a Cave Diver which I really liked. By comparison, this book was a bit tedious to get through. It wasn’t until about 70 pages before the end that I realized it felt too unfocused. Sure, I learned some more about diving (something I have no intention whatsoever of doing) but unlike the book mentioned above I had trouble connecting with the stories of the people discussed and I’m not sure why. I think because I knew sort of how this would end there was a bit of latent dread coloring my view, or else I just preferred the content of Into the Planet from a female cave diver’s experience.

[Patrick Wikstrom · Rating 4 out of 5]

True story of David Shaw who rose super quickly to the highest ranks of technical deep diving discovers the body of Deon Dreyer at the bottom (270 meters-885ft) of Bushmans Hole in S. Africa. Dave’s friend and S. African dive entrepreneur Don Shirley helps set up a major operation to recover the body. Well written page turner keeps the interest and excitement going although you know from the beginning that not everybody makes it out from the attempt. I read this a lot of years ago and it held my interest once again. 4½****

[Julian Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

A poignant story about the passions and perils of extreme diving.

Following the true story on one man from novice to master diver, and his journey from sport to cave diving, this book really draws you into its world and leaves you gasping for breath at the end.

The tragic, but at the same time heroic tale of an understated passion for a way of life about which many people have no clue, this book provides a powerful and engaging insight into lives less ordinary.

[Amy Barnett · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely amazing read!The author retold this tragic story with such empathy and detail that you can't help but be hooked from the start. The diving is described and talked about in enough detail to satisfy those with knowledge but simple enough to let those without fully appreciate the events of what happened. Would recommend this book to anyone with an interest in diving and true stories. There is also a documentary called 'Dave's not coming back' that I can't wait to watch!

[Laura Campbell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book after being asked to by my boyfriend, who loves it. He told me that he cries every time, so even though an unhappy ending is hinted at, I knew it was coming! Although a very well written account, giving the reader a background to the technicalities involved, I found it hard to bear. If you like tragic true stories then this is for you.
I cried at the end. A lot.

[Dave Summers · Rating 5 out of 5]

The tragic but inspirational story of Dave Shaw’s 300 meter cave dive at Bushman’s Hole in South Africa. The special bond between Shaw and fellow extreme diver Don Shirley said so much about the camaraderie of these unique souls. Far from being simple adrenaline junkies, they are truly a distinctive breed of adventurer. Highly recommended.

[Lizette · Rating 5 out of 5]

After having watched Daves not coming back and having had the privilege of meeting Don and Andre Shirley I knew I had to read the book. It did not disappoint. An inspiring, true story of friendship, dedication, perseverance and true courage. To go where no mans gone before. An exceptional read. Could not put it down.

[Josh Richards · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally rereading this more than a decade after I first found it. Still have serious questions about Dave Shaw's motivations, but zero doubt it's exceptionally written & one of the greatest books on the psychology & risks of +200m diving

[Felicia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dnf
It's not as good as Dave Not Coming Back (documentary), it goes back and forth too much between factoids and telling the story for me. Though if you think more figuratively that kind of is a play on diving. Hm.

[Ray · Rating 4 out of 5]

The feats of these cave divers had me dizzy. For them, 50 meters (over 150ft) is a warm up dive and they routinely descend beyond 150m. Truly dizzying.

[Kaz Curtis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating read

[Daniel Vieira · Rating 5 out of 5]

Li em português. Livro clássico do universo do mergulho.

[Ashton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I already knew the ending of the story, and I was expecting a sort of clinical treatment of the events. I was pleasantly surprised at how gripping this account was! A must-read for divers.

[Sheila Garry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly recommend for lovers of nonfiction adventures.

[Jacob Butler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finch is able to capture the imagination of the dramatic tale in a manner congruent with the way being underwater captures the imagination of the human’s adventurous spirit.

[April · Rating 5 out of 5]

A well written account of a harrowing experience. Highly engaging and worth reading.

[Josh Hillas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Couldn't put it down, a must read

[Jaret F · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty interesting read about diving and decompression. While the outcome of the story was known I still felt compelled to find out what happened.

[Micheal · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great read on a fascinating subject and something I've long been interested in (cave diving), but would never try... A well written investigation of a tragedy that probably could have been avoided. The only nitpicking is a handful of glaring typos in the latter parts of the book.
Recommend reading for sure.

[Naomi Stock · Rating 1 out of 5]

A true story of death and survival in the world's most dangerous sport, cave diving. Two friends plunge 900 ft deep into the water of the Komali Springs in South Africa, to raise the body of a diver who had perished there a decade before. Only one returns. Unquenchable heroism and complex human relationships amid the perils of extreme sport. On New Year's Day, 2005, David Shaw travelled halfway around the world on a journey that took him to a steep crater in the Kalahari Desert of South Africa, a site known locally as Boesmansgat: Bushman's Hole. His destination was nearly 900 feet below the surface. On 8 January, he stepped into the water. He wore and carried on him some of the most advanced diving equipment ever developed. Mounted to a helmet on his head was a video camera. David Shaw was about to attempt what had never been done before, and he wanted the world to see. He descended. About fifteen feet below the surface was a fissure in the dolomite bottom of the basin, barely wide enough to admit him and his equipment and the aluminum tanks slung under his shoulders. He slipped through the opening, and disappeared from sight, leaving behind the world of light and life. Then, a second diver descended through the same crack in the stone. This was Don Shirley, Shaw's friend and frequent dive partner, one of the few people in the world qualified to follow where Shaw was about to go. In the community of extreme diving, Don Shirley was a master among masters. Twenty-five minutes later, one of the men was dead. The other was in mortal peril, and would spend the next 10 hours struggling to survive, existing literally from breath to breath. What happened that day at Bushman's Hole is the stuff of nightmarish drama, juxtaposing classic elements of suspense with an extreme environment beyond most people's comprehension. But it's also a compelling human story of friendship, heroism, unswerving ambition and of coming to terms with loss and tragedy.
Book details
Published
03/03/2008
Publisher
HarperSport
ISBN
9780007275533


My review:

Started off quite well. However I understand the book needs to have some technical background. I object to the book having about half of its total contents all about diving technical facts. The book goes off trail, for example if I wanted to know what happened in World War 2 and in 1984 in terms of diving I wouldn't buy a book about Dave and Don. The concept of the book is good, I got the Impression the book would be a thriller/ autobiography. How wrong was I. If however you want to know about the chemical equations of substances,where to buy the best diving equipment then these pay the £16.99. If this is not something you want to read about, please save your money!

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

In 2004, Dave Shaw, a professional commercial pilot and sometime deep cave diver, found the body of Deon Dreyer - a young man who had been dead for nearly 10 years; the discovery was made at a depth of roughly 300 meters, at the bottom of a huge cavern known as "Bushman's Hole" in South Africa. The parameters of Shaw's dive plan didn't allow enough time for him to bring the body to the surface, but he was determined to assemble, and return with, a recovery team, a commitment that would ultimately yield tragic consequences.

There is a lot of technical information in the book, especially relative to advancements in diving apparatus and gas mixtures. Finch explains, in detail, the options available to divers at various depths - and the possible ramifications of their choices. He painstakingly describes the effects of depth and pressure on the body, how different mixtures of helium and oxygen affect breathing and carbon dioxide levels, the hazards of nitrogen narcosis, and the value of a good decompression plan. He also provides a view of Shaw's personal life, his marriage and family, and that of the other members of the recovery team, most notably his friend Don Shirley.

Precise planning of the "big dive" was crucial and meticulous; each team member had a specific submersion time, calculated to the minute so he could provide support along the drop line, and each had his own depth limit and dive time, based upon personal experience and training. Many earlier dives were made to position emergency gas/air cylinders along the decompression route. A few minutes on the bottom at such an extreme depth requires a laboriously slow return to the surface, over a period of 10 or 11 hours. Medical staff and police divers were on hand; a pulley system was designed to transport an injured or "bent" diver from the surface to an on-site decompression chamber. It's like a carefully choreographed ballet.

Finch fully explains the hazards - and that nothing is certain - at such depths. And in such a critical sequence of actions, it only takes one flaw, one brief error in judgement, one deviation from routine, to create a disastrous ripple that leaves one friend dead, the other struggling to survive during a 10-hour crawl back to the surface. The action is churning, suspenseful - and the loss, and sorrow, palpable.

But Finch also describes the allure - the awe, the amazement, the euphoria that comes from seeing something rare and beautiful, and going to places that most cannot even imagine. For the deep cave diver, those things overshadow the dangers. Very interesting, fascinating reading.