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The Sea Hunters #1
The Sea Hunters
Clive Cussler brings his dramatic narrative to the real-life in his New York Times bestselling The Sea Hunters —containing a dozen of the most fascinating and important shipwrecks he's searched for and discovered.
A steamboat goes up in flames and down to the bottom of the sea. A locomotive plunges into a creek and vanishes into mystery. A German U-boat sends an American troop transport, and eight hundred on board, to a watery grave on Christmas Eve.
Clive Cussler and his crack team of NUMA (National Underwater Marine Agency, a nonprofit organization that searches for historic shipwrecks) volunteers have found the remains of these and numerous other tragic wrecks. Here are the dramatic, true accounts of twelve of the most remarkable underwater discoveries made by Cussler and his team. As suspenseful and satisfying as the best of his Dirk Pitt novels, The Sea Hunters is a unique story of true commitment and courage.
A steamboat goes up in flames and down to the bottom of the sea. A locomotive plunges into a creek and vanishes into mystery. A German U-boat sends an American troop transport, and eight hundred on board, to a watery grave on Christmas Eve.
Clive Cussler and his crack team of NUMA (National Underwater Marine Agency, a nonprofit organization that searches for historic shipwrecks) volunteers have found the remains of these and numerous other tragic wrecks. Here are the dramatic, true accounts of twelve of the most remarkable underwater discoveries made by Cussler and his team. As suspenseful and satisfying as the best of his Dirk Pitt novels, The Sea Hunters is a unique story of true commitment and courage.
432 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published December 12, 1994
39 people are currently reading
2324 people want to read
About the author
Clive Cussler
643 books8,519 followersCussler began writing novels in 1965 and published his first work featuring his continuous series hero, Dirk Pitt, in 1973. His first non-fiction, The Sea Hunters, was released in 1996. The Board of Governors of the Maritime College, State University of New York, considered The Sea Hunters in lieu of a Ph.D. thesis and awarded Cussler a Doctor of Letters degree in May, 1997. It was the first time since the College was founded in 1874 that such a degree was bestowed.
Cussler was an internationally recognized authority on shipwrecks and the founder of the National Underwater and Marine Agency, (NUMA) a 501C3 non-profit organization (named after the fictional Federal agency in his novels) that dedicates itself to preserving American maritime and naval history. He and his crew of marine experts and NUMA volunteers discovered more than 60 historically significant underwater wreck sites including the first submarine to sink a ship in battle, the Confederacy's Hunley, and its victim, the Union's Housatonic; the U-20, the U-boat that sank the Lusitania; the Cumberland, which was sunk by the famous ironclad, Merrimack; the renowned Confederate raider Florida; the Navy airship, Akron, the Republic of Texas Navy warship, Zavala, found under a parking lot in Galveston, and the Carpathia, which sank almost six years to-the-day after plucking Titanic's survivors from the sea.
In addition to being the Chairman of NUMA, Cussler was also a fellow in both the Explorers Club of New York and the Royal Geographic Society in London. He was honored with the Lowell Thomas Award for outstanding underwater exploration.
Cussler's books have been published in more than 40 languages in more than 100 countries. His past international bestsellers include Pacific Vortex, Mediterranean Caper, Iceberg, Raise the Titanic, Vixen 03, Night Probe, Deep Six, Cyclops, Treasure, Dragon, Sahara, Inca Gold, Shock Wave, Flood Tide, Atlantis Found, Valhalla Rising, Trojan Odyssey and Black Wind (this last with his son, Dirk Cussler); the nonfiction books The Sea Hunters, The Sea Hunters II and Clive Cussler and Dirk Pitt Revealed; the NUMA® Files novels Serpent, Blue Gold, Fire Ice, White Death and Lost City (written with Paul Kemprecos); and the Oregon Files novels Sacred Stone and Golden Buddha (written with Craig Dirgo) and Dark Watch (written with Jack Du Brul).
Clive Cussler died at his home in Scottsdale, Arizona on February 24, 2020.
Cussler was an internationally recognized authority on shipwrecks and the founder of the National Underwater and Marine Agency, (NUMA) a 501C3 non-profit organization (named after the fictional Federal agency in his novels) that dedicates itself to preserving American maritime and naval history. He and his crew of marine experts and NUMA volunteers discovered more than 60 historically significant underwater wreck sites including the first submarine to sink a ship in battle, the Confederacy's Hunley, and its victim, the Union's Housatonic; the U-20, the U-boat that sank the Lusitania; the Cumberland, which was sunk by the famous ironclad, Merrimack; the renowned Confederate raider Florida; the Navy airship, Akron, the Republic of Texas Navy warship, Zavala, found under a parking lot in Galveston, and the Carpathia, which sank almost six years to-the-day after plucking Titanic's survivors from the sea.
In addition to being the Chairman of NUMA, Cussler was also a fellow in both the Explorers Club of New York and the Royal Geographic Society in London. He was honored with the Lowell Thomas Award for outstanding underwater exploration.
Cussler's books have been published in more than 40 languages in more than 100 countries. His past international bestsellers include Pacific Vortex, Mediterranean Caper, Iceberg, Raise the Titanic, Vixen 03, Night Probe, Deep Six, Cyclops, Treasure, Dragon, Sahara, Inca Gold, Shock Wave, Flood Tide, Atlantis Found, Valhalla Rising, Trojan Odyssey and Black Wind (this last with his son, Dirk Cussler); the nonfiction books The Sea Hunters, The Sea Hunters II and Clive Cussler and Dirk Pitt Revealed; the NUMA® Files novels Serpent, Blue Gold, Fire Ice, White Death and Lost City (written with Paul Kemprecos); and the Oregon Files novels Sacred Stone and Golden Buddha (written with Craig Dirgo) and Dark Watch (written with Jack Du Brul).
Clive Cussler died at his home in Scottsdale, Arizona on February 24, 2020.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 113 reviews
July 22, 2024
Definitely not what I expected from this author. A big disappointment.
April 28, 2008
I enjoyed reading the narratives of each ships' sinking. However, the rest of the book is a vehicle for the author to talk about himself. After the umpteenth discussion of how wonderful he is, how everyone always takes credit for his work, and how no one else understands him..well, it got pretty old, pretty fast.
June 15, 2016
"In light of... a growing lack of interest in our history by the younger people of our nation..." Cussler writes. Ugh. And how about this humdinger of awfulness: "... our crew made jokes about the local girls, especially those over the age of 25, who they swore took ugly pills..." Yep, somebody took an ugly pill. However, a few of Cussler's early thrillers are very good (Sahara, Treasure) and it is interesting to note where some of his ideas for his fiction originate. For example, the section entitled "The Lost Locomotive of Kiowa Creek" (the best part of the book for me) is the obvious origination as to how Cussler manages the disappearance of a massive ship in "Treasure." If you're a big fan of this author, there are some interesting stories here. But heed my warning: the hateful and pointless comments are hard to take.
July 23, 2018
I have never read any of Clive Cussler’s books before, but I might start reading them now. I liked the way he gave a short narrative chapter about what life could have been like aboard the ships in the short time before they sank. I also appreciate the fact that he doesn’t loot the ships he finds. A very good book for summer reading... I just wish I was reading it while sitting in a beach chair near the ocean!
June 16, 2022
Very interesting and informative.
December 5, 2024
I think me and Clive Cussler would have been friends. Good writing, good story telling, and a great call to follow your sense of adventure. If you never look, you'll never find it.
February 7, 2024
"The bottom line is that when the final curtain drops the only things we truly regret are the things we didn't do."
July 6, 2010
I marked this one as completed, but truthfully, I tired of it.
I thoroughly enjoyed the sections describing Cussler's search for these ships, the difficulties that he encountered, and his procedures. However, I was a bit put off by the dramatizations he offered of the actual shipwrecks described.
Did you ever hear of the book (later made into a movie) called "The Perfect Storm" which depicts interaction between crew members on a doomed fishing boat that sailed into the path of a huge storm. Who knows if those guys actually found the schools of fish that they were seeking? Who knows what they said to one another? Since the boat never returned -- what started out as a true story became a highly speculative story. We don't know how long they survived or where they went down. All we know is that they did not come back.
This was the way I began to feel about Cussler as he speculated about sailors writing to their loved ones. He speculates about dialogue and the feelings of real-life characters, but presents that dialogue and speculation as if that is the way it happened. While I am certain bits and pieces of these dramatizations have a basis in fact-- I just wanted him to stick to what he knew-- or at least to label speculation as such.
Still, Cussler has done more than just about anyone (outside, perhaps of James Cameron of Titanic fame) to locate and document the locations of famous shipwrecks. For that, he deserves respect.
So is the Sea Hunters worth reading? I think it is almost a toss up. On one hand, I hungered for more of the reality behind the search- on the other hand the speculative fiction part of the book frustrated me. I'll keep the book on my shelf and come back to it another day- -perhaps then I'll revise this review. I
IN the meantime, I'm sure I have better stuff to read.
I thoroughly enjoyed the sections describing Cussler's search for these ships, the difficulties that he encountered, and his procedures. However, I was a bit put off by the dramatizations he offered of the actual shipwrecks described.
Did you ever hear of the book (later made into a movie) called "The Perfect Storm" which depicts interaction between crew members on a doomed fishing boat that sailed into the path of a huge storm. Who knows if those guys actually found the schools of fish that they were seeking? Who knows what they said to one another? Since the boat never returned -- what started out as a true story became a highly speculative story. We don't know how long they survived or where they went down. All we know is that they did not come back.
This was the way I began to feel about Cussler as he speculated about sailors writing to their loved ones. He speculates about dialogue and the feelings of real-life characters, but presents that dialogue and speculation as if that is the way it happened. While I am certain bits and pieces of these dramatizations have a basis in fact-- I just wanted him to stick to what he knew-- or at least to label speculation as such.
Still, Cussler has done more than just about anyone (outside, perhaps of James Cameron of Titanic fame) to locate and document the locations of famous shipwrecks. For that, he deserves respect.
So is the Sea Hunters worth reading? I think it is almost a toss up. On one hand, I hungered for more of the reality behind the search- on the other hand the speculative fiction part of the book frustrated me. I'll keep the book on my shelf and come back to it another day- -perhaps then I'll revise this review. I
IN the meantime, I'm sure I have better stuff to read.
April 25, 2019
Some excerpts from the actual files of NUMA. Yes, Cussler actually made the National Underwater and Marine Agency a reality. It is a non-profit organization that searches for actual historic shipwrecks originally using his book royalties. Over the years, as his books have become more popular, those royalties have grown and the searches have gotten more extensive.
Anyway, he has chosen 12 of the more interesting or appealing discoveries that NUMA was involved in over the early years. Each section starts with the rich storytelling that Cussler uses to set the stage of his books - the historic narrative of the ship, plane, whatever that provides the background pivot point which the novel circles around and finds in the end.
There is the Zavala, a gunboat in the Republic of Texas' navy - did you know that Texas had it's own navy in the 1840's? The Steamship Lexington, lost off Long Island. Various Civil War ships from the Union's Cumberland and Carondelet to the Confederacy's Arkansas, Florida and Hunley. A couple World War I German U-boats. The troop carrier Leopoldville that went down in the English Channel shortly after D-Day. A locomotive which was discovered to be an really old insurance scam.
A great deal of what I read sounded familiar. In one circumstance, he actually admits that the twist in his novel Night Probe came to him from NUMA's search for the locomotive lost with the bridge collapse over Kiowa Creek in Colorado. On the other hand, since the book was published in 1996 and I've been a fan of Cussler since before then, I may have read this exact volume years ago.
Still interesting especially if you have curiosity regarding some mysteries of the lost or maybe the treasure-hunting bug and it's not necessarily for metal and gemstones.
2019-060
Anyway, he has chosen 12 of the more interesting or appealing discoveries that NUMA was involved in over the early years. Each section starts with the rich storytelling that Cussler uses to set the stage of his books - the historic narrative of the ship, plane, whatever that provides the background pivot point which the novel circles around and finds in the end.
There is the Zavala, a gunboat in the Republic of Texas' navy - did you know that Texas had it's own navy in the 1840's? The Steamship Lexington, lost off Long Island. Various Civil War ships from the Union's Cumberland and Carondelet to the Confederacy's Arkansas, Florida and Hunley. A couple World War I German U-boats. The troop carrier Leopoldville that went down in the English Channel shortly after D-Day. A locomotive which was discovered to be an really old insurance scam.
A great deal of what I read sounded familiar. In one circumstance, he actually admits that the twist in his novel Night Probe came to him from NUMA's search for the locomotive lost with the bridge collapse over Kiowa Creek in Colorado. On the other hand, since the book was published in 1996 and I've been a fan of Cussler since before then, I may have read this exact volume years ago.
Still interesting especially if you have curiosity regarding some mysteries of the lost or maybe the treasure-hunting bug and it's not necessarily for metal and gemstones.
2019-060
June 17, 2012
Two significant things wrong with this book: the made up details of long past events the author has no possibility of knowing and the attitude of the author that borders on arrogance. There is no need to dramatize already dramatic events by adding details the author could not possibly know. Let the story tell the story and don't interject the possible thoughts of a person who died 200 years before the events described. There's no need for this and it is just annoying. The author's arrogance may not be real, he just comes across that way which may come with the territory of writing about oneself but it could have been hidden a bit better by a decent editor. Then again, maybe its just a way to sell more books - making himself seem like more of a character. Finally, one last note. Cussler says he does the hunting for lost history out of his interest in the subject and talks about how he funds a lot of it himself. Sounds fair and like he has a passion for the enterprise. But if he writes, at this point, 2 books about the work, it seems like those claims are verging on falsity. He probably is very passionate but to then write about it seems like a person who talks incessantly about how humble he is. In the end, the stories are interesting but poorly told.
January 11, 2019
It's a collection of fascinating, very atmospheric stories in which, usually, unexpected shit happens to crews manning various vehicles. There's introductory, background story first, which, in many cases, are as good and dramatic as Titanic, and then sir Clive's attempt at recovering the said vehicle and leftovers, with various degrees of success. Great stuff.
July 12, 2008
Couldn't finish it. Several stories were included in the book. First one pretty good, but the next couple were a bit dry & too self promoting (non-fiction).
December 17, 2012
I really liked the story about the Republic of Texas ship getting money from the Mexican town.
August 12, 2017
Fun tales of history and exploration. I was interested in one story and fell in love with the rest.
June 25, 2023
First of all, I want to point out that. I really like this type of content. Boating, yachting, sailing, fishing and anything that falls under the concept of a marina.
I leave this information below for those who want to read it. A look at Boat and Yacht History:
the ships we encounter today are; They are large, robust and self-propelled watercraft used to transport cargo across the seas and oceans. This was not the case hundreds of years ago, and current ships went through centuries of development until they became what they are today.
In ancient times, sailors used rafts, bamboo logs, reed bales, inflated animal hides, and baskets covered with pitch to cross small bodies of water.
As a matter of fact, the first boat; it was in the form of a simple frame made of interconnected rods and sewn animal hides that skillfully covered them. These boats could easily carry large and heavy loads. Information about similar old boat examples; You can find it among bull boats, Eskimo canoes, and British Islander merchant ships on the North American plains. In addition to these, another old-style boat is the one carved from the log and the ends of which are sharpened. Some of these were 60 feet (approx. 18 m) long.
When we look at the history of seafaring in ancient times, we come across a very interesting study of human strength and survival instincts. For example, in ancient times, the simple shovel mechanism we know was not used. Instead, people used their hands to move through the water in tiny boats. They propelled their rafts forward, pushing the masts to the bottom of the rivers. Increasingly, using his creative instincts and ingenuity, man redesigned the posts by straightening them and widening one end, thus making it usable in deeper waters. Later, this form was masterfully redeveloped and the blade fixed to the sides of the boat was transformed into the shape of a wide oar.
Invention of the sail
The invention of the sail was the greatest turning point in maritime history. Sails replaced human muscle movements, and sailboats were able to travel longer with heavier loads. The first ships used square sails, which were best suited to sail downwind. Side sails were invented later.
The Egyptians credit the emergence of advanced sailing cargo ships. These were made by connecting and stitching together small pieces of wood. These cargo ships were used to transport large stone pillars used in the construction of monuments.
Here are the contents I love about two beautiful marinas.
https://theboatyacht.com/hunter-legen...
https://numberoneboats.com/hunter-leg...
https://theboatyacht.com/boats-for-sa...
https://numberoneboats.com/boats-for-...
https://theboatyacht.com/hunter-chann...
https://numberoneboats.com/hunter-cha...
https://theboatyacht.com/boats-for-sa...
https://numberoneboats.com/boats-for-...
https://numberoneboats.com/24-sea-hun...
https://numberoneboats.com/hunter-leg...
I leave this information below for those who want to read it. A look at Boat and Yacht History:
the ships we encounter today are; They are large, robust and self-propelled watercraft used to transport cargo across the seas and oceans. This was not the case hundreds of years ago, and current ships went through centuries of development until they became what they are today.
In ancient times, sailors used rafts, bamboo logs, reed bales, inflated animal hides, and baskets covered with pitch to cross small bodies of water.
As a matter of fact, the first boat; it was in the form of a simple frame made of interconnected rods and sewn animal hides that skillfully covered them. These boats could easily carry large and heavy loads. Information about similar old boat examples; You can find it among bull boats, Eskimo canoes, and British Islander merchant ships on the North American plains. In addition to these, another old-style boat is the one carved from the log and the ends of which are sharpened. Some of these were 60 feet (approx. 18 m) long.
When we look at the history of seafaring in ancient times, we come across a very interesting study of human strength and survival instincts. For example, in ancient times, the simple shovel mechanism we know was not used. Instead, people used their hands to move through the water in tiny boats. They propelled their rafts forward, pushing the masts to the bottom of the rivers. Increasingly, using his creative instincts and ingenuity, man redesigned the posts by straightening them and widening one end, thus making it usable in deeper waters. Later, this form was masterfully redeveloped and the blade fixed to the sides of the boat was transformed into the shape of a wide oar.
Invention of the sail
The invention of the sail was the greatest turning point in maritime history. Sails replaced human muscle movements, and sailboats were able to travel longer with heavier loads. The first ships used square sails, which were best suited to sail downwind. Side sails were invented later.
The Egyptians credit the emergence of advanced sailing cargo ships. These were made by connecting and stitching together small pieces of wood. These cargo ships were used to transport large stone pillars used in the construction of monuments.
Here are the contents I love about two beautiful marinas.
https://theboatyacht.com/hunter-legen...
https://numberoneboats.com/hunter-leg...
https://theboatyacht.com/boats-for-sa...
https://numberoneboats.com/boats-for-...
https://theboatyacht.com/hunter-chann...
https://numberoneboats.com/hunter-cha...
https://theboatyacht.com/boats-for-sa...
https://numberoneboats.com/boats-for-...
https://numberoneboats.com/24-sea-hun...
https://numberoneboats.com/hunter-leg...
June 9, 2025
I was, for a brief period of my life, OBSESSED with Clive Cussler. My brother read the book "Flood Tide" some time in the late 90s/early 2000s and when i read it, it blew my mind. Here was an action novel in parts ridiculous, in parts exciting, in parts educational. In Dirk Pitt i had found a new action star to worship, taking the reins from the likes of Indiana Jones, or Rick O'Connell, or even Lara Croft. "Flood Tide" remains one of my favourite books of all time, mostly just because it was the first of a landslide.
I picked up The Sea Hunters ages ago. I knew it was one of the few non-fictions that Clive wrote.
You see, in the Dirk Pitt universe, there exists an organisation known as NUMA. National Underwater and Marine Agency. In the novels, the company serves as a platform from which Dirk and his colleagues launch their investigations into shipwrecks and such, usually following a historical setup in which said ship becomes wreck and we're introduced to some ridiculous plot involving Quin Shang, or a sound weapon that kills penguins, or Abraham Lincoln stowing away on a confederate ironclad.
However, NUMA is real. It might not come as a surprise because Cussler's authenticity is there for all to see when it describes the wreck-diving, or the historical aspects of his plots. Yes, sure, some of it is made up and embellished, but the real bones of the story feels real, and thats because Cussler did his homework. Even more than that, he actually did what his fictional hero was seen doing. Discovering ancient wrecks and solving age old mysteries, him, his colleagues, his son Dirk and the heroes of NUMA.
The Sea Hunters takes a snapshot of that exciting life, and describes in often humourous detail the escapades Cussler and his crew got up to. I found these parts particularly entertaining as i myself have worked in an industry primarily located at sea, and have worked with behemoth boats captained by crazy skippers. The 'banter' is spot on and had me reminiscing often.
But in a twist, Cussler adds his own dramatic flair and creates fictional events leading up to the wrecking of the ships which he will search for years and years later. We have the stories of the crew of the various confederate or union ironclads before there were sunk (by each other) during the American Civil War, the story of the world's first submarine, or the crashing of a train into a river in middle America, before we are then treated to the story of the red-tape and hair-tearing that was involved in searching for these various maritime disasters. In some stories, we see where Cussler got the inspiration for his fictional adventures - and that somehow makes the silliness that all more exciting and believable... because they sort of actually happened. Stranger than Fiction, and that cliche.
As a devout worshipper of all things in the sea, i found this book effortlessly fascinating and just makes me want to run down the beach and jump into the ocean. Before grabbing a surfboard, hookshotting onto a passing dirigible and riding a tidal wave through Cuba.
I picked up The Sea Hunters ages ago. I knew it was one of the few non-fictions that Clive wrote.
You see, in the Dirk Pitt universe, there exists an organisation known as NUMA. National Underwater and Marine Agency. In the novels, the company serves as a platform from which Dirk and his colleagues launch their investigations into shipwrecks and such, usually following a historical setup in which said ship becomes wreck and we're introduced to some ridiculous plot involving Quin Shang, or a sound weapon that kills penguins, or Abraham Lincoln stowing away on a confederate ironclad.
However, NUMA is real. It might not come as a surprise because Cussler's authenticity is there for all to see when it describes the wreck-diving, or the historical aspects of his plots. Yes, sure, some of it is made up and embellished, but the real bones of the story feels real, and thats because Cussler did his homework. Even more than that, he actually did what his fictional hero was seen doing. Discovering ancient wrecks and solving age old mysteries, him, his colleagues, his son Dirk and the heroes of NUMA.
The Sea Hunters takes a snapshot of that exciting life, and describes in often humourous detail the escapades Cussler and his crew got up to. I found these parts particularly entertaining as i myself have worked in an industry primarily located at sea, and have worked with behemoth boats captained by crazy skippers. The 'banter' is spot on and had me reminiscing often.
But in a twist, Cussler adds his own dramatic flair and creates fictional events leading up to the wrecking of the ships which he will search for years and years later. We have the stories of the crew of the various confederate or union ironclads before there were sunk (by each other) during the American Civil War, the story of the world's first submarine, or the crashing of a train into a river in middle America, before we are then treated to the story of the red-tape and hair-tearing that was involved in searching for these various maritime disasters. In some stories, we see where Cussler got the inspiration for his fictional adventures - and that somehow makes the silliness that all more exciting and believable... because they sort of actually happened. Stranger than Fiction, and that cliche.
As a devout worshipper of all things in the sea, i found this book effortlessly fascinating and just makes me want to run down the beach and jump into the ocean. Before grabbing a surfboard, hookshotting onto a passing dirigible and riding a tidal wave through Cuba.
August 15, 2023
People on Goodreads may not know Clive Cussler wasn't only a great adventure books author, but also a passionate shipwreck hunter. His books' royalties were invested in his expeditions.
So, The Sea Hunters' duology closes the circle. Clive Cussler, with his co-author and real-life buddy Craig Dirgo, relate with lots of humor their often full-of-complications searches. It's a delight to discover his pen in a new way, while the chapters about the most glorious and/or last hours of the searched wrecks are often as breathtaking as his novels, with action scenes sometimes rich on bloody details when it comes to depict the horrors of war. With Cussler's sense of spectacular, of course.
Obviously, since the book's release, elements invalidating some of the historical chapters have sometimes been discovered (on the Hunley, see the « Drain the Oceans » series, season 2 ep.5), but same goes for all books of the genre. And after all, this one is close to 20 years old.
However, you might better like Civil War, as five out of nine chapters are about its most notorious ships. Sadly, it creates some redundancy, especially when a same battle is told from both sides one after another. At least, it gives a whole vision of the events. And can we really blame American researchers to dig into their own history ? Still, in the end, it feels a lack a variety.
But as long as you're into maritime history, The Sea Hunters is a great pick.
See you soon with the second book !
So, The Sea Hunters' duology closes the circle. Clive Cussler, with his co-author and real-life buddy Craig Dirgo, relate with lots of humor their often full-of-complications searches. It's a delight to discover his pen in a new way, while the chapters about the most glorious and/or last hours of the searched wrecks are often as breathtaking as his novels, with action scenes sometimes rich on bloody details when it comes to depict the horrors of war. With Cussler's sense of spectacular, of course.
Obviously, since the book's release, elements invalidating some of the historical chapters have sometimes been discovered (on the Hunley, see the « Drain the Oceans » series, season 2 ep.5), but same goes for all books of the genre. And after all, this one is close to 20 years old.
However, you might better like Civil War, as five out of nine chapters are about its most notorious ships. Sadly, it creates some redundancy, especially when a same battle is told from both sides one after another. At least, it gives a whole vision of the events. And can we really blame American researchers to dig into their own history ? Still, in the end, it feels a lack a variety.
But as long as you're into maritime history, The Sea Hunters is a great pick.
See you soon with the second book !
March 12, 2020
I loved the Sea Hunters TV show and this is more of the same. Learning bits of nautical real history is very rewarding for me and this book has many such tales. Early submarines, iron clad monitors, paddle wheelers and more are in this book. The historical fiction part of each story brings events to life and puts names and faces to events long past. It gives me a sense of the human endurance and suffering that typically goes along with the untimely end of a vessel.
The ensuing NUMA investigations I also find interesting. What a few determined individuals can do on a shoestring budget is impressive. It seems many readers don't like these sections as they find them boring, self-promoting, or lacking interest. However, I believe all these individuals who endure hours and days in small boats, in rough conditions, with poor food, and really no monetary reward are to be thanked and congratulated.
As a diver, I'm drawn to shipwrecks. If I'd read these books twenty years ago I would have tried to get in on the NUMA work. I recommend this book to any who love diving and shiver with excitement as the ghostly shadow of a sunken hull emerges from the watery gloom.
The ensuing NUMA investigations I also find interesting. What a few determined individuals can do on a shoestring budget is impressive. It seems many readers don't like these sections as they find them boring, self-promoting, or lacking interest. However, I believe all these individuals who endure hours and days in small boats, in rough conditions, with poor food, and really no monetary reward are to be thanked and congratulated.
As a diver, I'm drawn to shipwrecks. If I'd read these books twenty years ago I would have tried to get in on the NUMA work. I recommend this book to any who love diving and shiver with excitement as the ghostly shadow of a sunken hull emerges from the watery gloom.
July 26, 2023
The Sea Hunters, his first non-fiction book, Cussler explores the special undersea adventure that inspired and has its fictional parallel in the Dirk Pitt novels. He describes his lifelong love for the sea and ships, and how his involvement with the search for John Paul Jones’s famous Revolutionary War ship, the Bonhomme Richard, led to his establishing the NUMA ( National Underwater and Marine Agency) Foundation, a non profit organization dedicated to discovery and preservation of historic shipwrecks.
From the more than sixty shipwrecks Cussler and his NUMA volunteers have found, he has chosen the twelve most interesting, whether because of the ship’s history, the circumstances of it’s sinking, or the trouble, frustration, and peril that were encountered while trying to find the sunken wreck.
From the more than sixty shipwrecks Cussler and his NUMA volunteers have found, he has chosen the twelve most interesting, whether because of the ship’s history, the circumstances of it’s sinking, or the trouble, frustration, and peril that were encountered while trying to find the sunken wreck.
September 11, 2018
An enjoyable read, with vivid history (particularly for naval and civil war aficionados, myself included) and a zesty writing style. Clive cleverly utilizes his fiction skillset to amplify the non-fiction without a compromise in accuracy; telling the striking story of NUMA. As first person narratives go, "The Sea Hunters" does leave much to be desired; the search wrap-ups, save for the discovery of Hunley, are far too brief in detail, conveying an often rather simplistic "we came, we found, we left" atmosphere. Cussler's ego does shine quite a bit, you will definitely feel the "I'm a world famous author, and I know it!" vibe throughout. That said, when the history and humor are on point, this book can strike a memorable note.
September 29, 2022
Cussler’s accounts of the shipwrecks (and one train wreck) he has searched for and found. Each ship has a retelling of how it sank, and then the story of how he found it. A few are unwilling to be discovered.
Wrecks included: Lexington (1840), Zavala (1842), USS Cumberland and CSS Florida (1864), CSS Arkansas (1862), USS Carondelet (1862), Hunley (submarine—1864), Kiowa Creek locomotive (1878), HMS Pathfinder, U-20, and U-21 (1914-15), Léopoldville (1944).
Some of it was interesting—the stories of how he wrecks happened, some of the search details. More about the searches might have been good—it was glossed over a bit.
Wrecks included: Lexington (1840), Zavala (1842), USS Cumberland and CSS Florida (1864), CSS Arkansas (1862), USS Carondelet (1862), Hunley (submarine—1864), Kiowa Creek locomotive (1878), HMS Pathfinder, U-20, and U-21 (1914-15), Léopoldville (1944).
Some of it was interesting—the stories of how he wrecks happened, some of the search details. More about the searches might have been good—it was glossed over a bit.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 6, 2021
The things I liked:
-There's a corresponding t.v show from the early 2000s that I had seen on occasion, so I gained an additional perspective
-The way the ship back stories were told wonderfully blurred the lines of reality and fiction
-Tons of military history, which is my jam
-My feelings of nervousness and mistrust with boats feeling validated
The things I didn't like:
-Cussler often comes off as pompous and self-righteous
-Some of the scenarios he discusses feel like all they were missing was the "and everybody clapped" statement
-There's a corresponding t.v show from the early 2000s that I had seen on occasion, so I gained an additional perspective
-The way the ship back stories were told wonderfully blurred the lines of reality and fiction
-Tons of military history, which is my jam
-My feelings of nervousness and mistrust with boats feeling validated
The things I didn't like:
-Cussler often comes off as pompous and self-righteous
-Some of the scenarios he discusses feel like all they were missing was the "and everybody clapped" statement
January 9, 2023
I should have punted on this book earlier. While billed as non-fiction, I think a significant portion of it is really historical fiction. The format of the book is a series of stories of the demise of several vessels (and one train) followed but a repetitive recount of how the author was a great hero leading the search for each. The stories of each sinking reeks of fiction with many details being shared that could simply not be known from any historical records. If you like repetitive historical fiction followed by egotistical stories of discovery, this is the book for you.
August 24, 2019
A fascinating book about attempts by Clive Cusler's foundation (NUMA) to find famous shipwrecks. He mixes historical fiction about the shipwrecks with accounts of his own efforts to find these famous shipwrecks. Clive Cusler uses the money from the sell of his fiction works to fund NUMA. I would highly recommend this book.
March 4, 2020
Avevo letto un paio di romanzi di Cussler in passato e li avevo trovati esagerati e improbabili.
Gli ho dato una seconda possibilità con questo libro che racconta le sue avventure come cacciatore di relitti. Purtroppo se l'è giocata per eccesso di protagonismo, Clive Cussler aveva un ego grosso come una portaerei.
Gli ho dato una seconda possibilità con questo libro che racconta le sue avventure come cacciatore di relitti. Purtroppo se l'è giocata per eccesso di protagonismo, Clive Cussler aveva un ego grosso come una portaerei.
July 22, 2024
This book was a blast! It was the first book by Clive Cussler that I ever read. I actually picked it up on a whim from a nearby Little Free Library, and I’m really glad I did. The author’s love of history and seafaring really shine through, and he makes the stories contained herein really come alive. A fun and interesting read.
May 31, 2019
A interesting collection of stories about historic sunken vessels, the investigations into the tragedies and the immense efforts to locate and reveal them.
A good insight in to the authors views, what drives him and the challenges he faces with authorities and funding on his NUMA quests.
A good insight in to the authors views, what drives him and the challenges he faces with authorities and funding on his NUMA quests.
July 7, 2019
Did not know it is a collection of real life stories of finding ship wrecks, but turned out to be really interesting. And funny...
Good "backup book" as you can read a story or two and then put it aside while reading something else.
Good "backup book" as you can read a story or two and then put it aside while reading something else.
February 8, 2024
An excellent read! Clive Cussler masterly weaves historical recreations into his searches for sunken vessels with a most splendid, entertaining flair. I enjoyed every minute reading this book and learned quite a bit of history, too.
September 23, 2017
Simple and effective. How the ship sank. How did (or didn't) Cussler find it. The "historical fiction" sections are pretty good. But e uses the word "wraith" a weird amount of times.
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