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Title: The Complete Diving Guide: The Caribbean (Vol. 1) Dominica, Martinique, St. Lucia, St Vincent & The Grenadines, Grenada, Tobago, Barbados (Complete Diving Guide)
ISBN: 0944428428
Author:
Colleen Ryan
Publicate Date: 1997-06-01
Publish: 1997-06-01
List Price: $30.00
Average Customer Rating: 4.0
Format: Paperback
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Amazon Lowest New Price: $22.62
Amazon Lowest Used Price: $16.53
Amazon Merchant Price: $30.00
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| Customer Review: |
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1: Great Reference Guide
A very good book. Picked it up to check it out and was impressed at how comprehensive it is in regards to specific dives spots and charter outfits. I thought it was so useful that I am trying to find Volume 2.
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2: A bit of a let down
Earlier dive guides I have used have come from the Globetrotter series - who do not have a guide for Barbados, which is what I was looking for. Coming to the "Complete Diving Guide" after the high standards of Globetrotter is something of a disappointment. There is nothing wrong with the book in terms of the content it is providing - it gives information on the sites, some (though by no means all) dive schools, and a little background on the islands. However, the writing style is very narrative - think "what I did on my diving holiday this summer" type essays. The presentation is also a bit dated. It is not a bad guide by any means, but if Globetrotter do get around to publishing on the area, it is almost certain to be a better bet.
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3: winston reed
July 2001 I dove several of the sites reviewed by ms Ryan and Mr Savage
and found their profiles of the dives to be very accurate and
helpful.I hope she and Brian Savage will do a "complete
DG of the Bahamas,I'd buy it in a heartbeat.
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4: Needs more vacation details
I found this guide pleasant to look through, but not half as helpful as Best Dives of the Caribbean by Hunter Publishing, which gives a lot more detail on the dive sites, places for kids to snorkel, hotels and everything I need to plan a vacation.
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5: This is the book the Experts Use.
It is always interesting to see which books are used by the local Dive Guides at the sharp end and this is how I was first introduced to this particular book just over three years ago in Grenada. Since then I have put it to good use on a number of assignments in the Caribbean and I have yet to find it lacking in any way.
The opening introductory chapter is well written and includes plenty of general information on diving, facilities, climate, sea, regulations, boats, cruise liners, resorts, hotels, flora, fauna, shipwrecks, photography and safety. The book then commences with Dominica in the north and moves southwards to include Martinique, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada, Tobago and Barbados before concluding with a Glossary, Bibliography and Accident and Emergency Information.
The relatively few photographs are all of a good quality - but this is book that concentrates on providing all the relevant and peripheral information that any Scuba Diver will want to know before and during a trip to any of the Caribbean Islands covered. The maps and diagrams are particularly useful - and very easy to follow in situ.
On first sight, however, the book cover lacks impact and might easily be overlooked as the prospective purchaser gets side-tracked by something a little more flashy. Do not be tempted away from this one - it is a straight forward, no nonsense guide containing everything you will want to know.
Altogether, almost 400 pages packed with information - although that does include a small number of one-page advertisements.
In summary, any book claiming to be "A Complete Guide" has to include an awful lot of information. This one has achieved just that and will not disappoint the purchaser.
NM
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