The Cave Divers

by Robert F. Burgess

Cave divers are the elite, and this is their story―a story of pushing the limits of technology and human endurance.

Genres: Nonfiction, Nature

352 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1976

About the author

Robert F. Burgess grew up in Grand Rapids, Michigan and as a youth often trout-fished the same creeks and streams as Ernest Hemingway. At the end of World War II he served with the U. S. Army 88th Blue Devil Division Ski Troops in northern Italy. After the war he returned to Europe on the GI Bill to study foreign languages at universities in Italy and Switzerland; then completed his education in Journalism at Michigan State University. He became a Florida magazine writer/photographer specializing in sport fishing and scuba diving adventures. Later he returned to Europe with his wife to travel and write for various magazines there and abroad. The author lives in North Florida. Mr. Burgess has been called a Renaissance man because his books cover a wide spectrum of time and events. He writes real-life adventures about shipwrecks and sharks; treasure diving, cave diving; underwater archaeology, meeting Hemingway in Pamplona and short e-book stories about Marine snipers during the Vietnam War. His writing style puts the reader in whatever adventure he describes so that they themselves become part of that adventure.

Reviews

[Andrew Purvis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this - seems self published and its a bit confusing that the individual chapters are all on amazon separately!

[Ciaran · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very insightful, thoroughly researched, and has a lot of incredible sketches, photos, and diagrams. It's also completely terrifying with chapters focused on cave rescues and body recoveries.

Can I recommend this for everyone? Probably not. however, if you're interested in the history of cave diving, this will probably be right up your alley. I can also personally verify at least a couple of the sources listed in the bibliography, having read them myself.

[Alison J · Rating 4 out of 5]

If your a SCUBA diver, it's very captivating

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some history of cave diving, and scary tales of unprepared divers getting into deadly trouble.

[Keith Vaughn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some interesting cave diving stories. Moves along pretty good once some of the older stories are out of the way.

[Melaslithos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating (yet scary).

[Sunflower · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is about one of the most dangerous sports on the planet: cave diving. Just as some of us are driven to climb the highest mountains, these guys (mostly guys) are all about penetrating the deepest and furthest underground in flooded caves and streams. Here your first mistake may be your last and you are well beyond saving if something goes wrong. Quite a lot of it is about how some of them died and their bodies recovered. Much of it goes back to the pioneering days in the sport, where they had no rules and invented their gear as they went- hundreds of feet underground with no wet suits, bcd's or decent regulators, using inflated plastic bottles or whatever they could put together to get themselves deeper. Often they dived alone, and even when they had a buddy they couldn't see each other because of the extremely poor visibility. Taking off your tanks and pushing them ahead of you so you can fit, even having to turn your head sideways without losing your regulator while going through some of the smallest squeezes in complete darkness doesn't constitute my particular idea of fun, but I respect their perseverance. An interesting read for anyone who is into scuba diving, or caving.

[Der-shing · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting read presented with a storytelling style. Give a very nice slice of cave diving progression from early times to more recent (given when the book was published) dives, and the dangers and excitement involved. The only strongly negative part for me was the lazy language (he calls Native American "Indians" in almost every instance, and called the moon a planet for some reason on one line, which is obviously extremely minor yet irksome). Oh, and I was also annoyed that the photos didn't sync well with the narrative, especially given lush descriptions of the caves and the treasures found within.

In summation, a good read for the stories, with some minor issues.

[Roadhouse · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was about cave divers/diers

Yes, I said, diers, as in dying, because cave diving is a deadly sport.

This book is full of cave diving/dying stories that probably have been told and retold at many of cave diver memorial services. Yes, I said, Memorial Service, because a funeral requires a body, and cave divers bodies are seldom recovered.

[Cynthia · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must-read for anyone who loves reading about diving.

[Joanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the book that first made me want to cave dive...

[Robert Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best history (inception to present day) of Cave Diving written. Divers and non divers will leave with a very well rounded under standing of a sport I have come to love.

[Eduardo Moreira · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was expecting more of this book.

[Tc · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read. Great Collection of accounts of explorers,explorations, caves, sink holes, etc.