Capturing life at sea through engaging photographs, compelling stories, and authentic fisherman's recipes, this characterful volume is a one-of-a-kind companion for all sea lovers with a sense of adventure and appetite. Whether in the shimmering sunshine of the Adriatic Coast or up against a two-and-a-half-meter swell in Brittany, Captain's Dinner is a maritime journey of discovery through the world of fishing. What does it mean to be dependent on the vagaries of nature on a daily basis? What is it like to haul in fishing nets in rain and galeforce 8 wind? How do freshly caught breams, herring, etc. actually end up on deck by lunch break and on the plate by night? In search of answers, photographer Paul Pfluger braved the wind and weather to accompany 27 fishermen at work on European seas, observing their daily routine over several months. The result is a lively, intimate, and unadulterated logbook of fishing and life at sea, combining captivating portraits of the protagonists alongside their own commentaries on the delicate craft and hard labour that make up a fisherman's existence today, not least when faced with critically-diminished fish stocks and attendant fishing quotas. The featured fishermen also share their own favourite, previously-unpublished seafood dishes, from fried onion herb herring to Irish surf & turf or cold smoked mullet. With more than 50 of these delicious, simple seafood recipes, Captain's Dinner is a must for all those who love and care about the sea and its unique flavours.

A captivating historical look at the cultural and artistic significance of shells in early modern Europe Among nature's most artful creations, shells have long inspired the curiosity and passion of artisans, artists, collectors, and thinkers. Conchophilia delves into the intimate relationship between shells and people, offering an unprecedented account of the early modern era, when the influx of exotic shells to Europe fueled their study and representation as never before. From elaborate nautilus cups and shell-encrusted grottoes to delicate miniatures, this richly illustrated book reveals how the love of shells intersected not only with the rise of natural history and global trade but also with philosophical inquiry, issues of race and gender, and the ascent of art-historical connoisseurship. Shells circulated at the nexus of commerce and intellectual pursuit, suggesting new ways of thinking about relationships between Europe and the rest of the world. The authors focus on northern Europe, where the interest and trade in shells had its greatest impact on the visual arts. They consider how shells were perceived as exotic objects, the role of shells in courtly collections, their place in still-life tableaus, and the connections between their forms and those of the human body. They examine how artists gilded, carved, etched, and inked shells to evoke the permeable boundary between art and nature. These interactions with shells shaped the ways that early modern individuals perceived their relation to the natural world, and their endeavors in art and the acquisition of knowledge. Spanning painting and print to architecture and the decorative arts, Conchophilia uncovers the fascinating ways that shells were circulated, depicted, collected, and valued during a time of remarkable global change.

How do you dig up a 13,000 year-old footprint? Why do kelp forests need sea otters? How do you measure a shrinking glacier from an airplane? What is a 'zombie urchin'? Heart of the Coast brings these questions to life in a deep exploration of the beauty, mystery and biodiversity of the Pacific coast. Join Hakai Institute researchers in the field-archaeologists, oceanographers, marine biologists and beyond-as they journey from the ice fields of Klinaklini Glacier to the dazzling undersea reefs of a place called Crazy Town. British Columbia's Central Coast is a rich landscape called "a biologist's dream" and "the Amazon of the north." Since launching its Calvert Island ecological observatory there in 2009, the Hakai Institute has become a renowned centre of science and exploration. Collaborations with the Smithsonian Institution, the Monterey Bay Aquarium, and several First Nations on the BC coast--along with a wide array of scientists hailing from other agencies and universities across North America-have uncovered new species, advanced our knowledge of marine food webs, and helped track the effects of climate change on watersheds and coastal ecosystems. Stunning photography illuminates the institute's journey of discovery over the past decade. This unforgettable book will inspire you with wonder and awe for the natural world, but be careful-you may learn something along the way.

Essential Fly Fishing - an all-colour handbook - presents the fundamentals of this great sport quickly and effectively. Proven teaching techniques and bright, helpful colour illustrations will enable new fly fishers to: find fish in streams, lakes, and salt water; select and assemble proper, balanced tackle; cast a fly line with authority - with rhythm, not strength; recognise and learn to simulate natural fish foods; learn techniques that really work; tie effective knots that have maximum strength; and begin the endlessly interesting process of tying your own flies. This book concisely explains fishing ethics, offers helpful safety precautions, and defines basic angling terms. The chapter on fly-rod fish describes the unique sport that many species - from trout to whitefish - offer fly fishers. Essential Fly Fishing is a crisp, helpful, superbly illustrated primer of the highest rank.

This book explores the lives of the world's largest living mammals. Drawing on the latest scientific research, Whales describes these incredible animals' evolution from terrestrial to marine mammals, their life cycle, diversity and distribution, and the ecosystems of which they are a part. Whales highlights the many extraordinary aspects of these intelligent and social creatures, including the complex vocalizations they use to communicate over vast distances. Philip Hammond, Sonja Heinrich, Sascha Hooker, and Peter Tyack investigate the role of whales in human culture, from whaling to whale watching, and emphasize how scientists monitor the current threats to whales and the methods they use to conserve their future. Spectacular photographs of whales in the wild reveal the private lives of these fascinating and majestic ocean giants.

'Thrilling' Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall 'Authoritative and furious, urgent and persuasive' Sunday Times 'Compelling ... Roberts is that precious pearl: a practising scientist who not only knows his field inside out, but also understands how to write' Guardian Oceans are the most mysterious places on earth. Their depths remain largely unexplored, yet ninety-five percent of the planet's habitable space lies within them. And now the life they support is in the balance. Callum Roberts uses his lifetime's experience working with the oceans to take us on a panoramic tour beneath the seas, exploring the richness of life in the deep and how it has altered over the centuries. He shows the catastrophic impact of humanity on the oceans, but also how we can restore them to life. 'For anyone who loves the sea, Ocean of Life is a wake-up call, an urgent alert' Daily Mail 'At the heart of this book is a deep love of the ocean and a profound concern for its viability as a resource for us all' Nature 'An impressive history ... one of this book's strengths is the many solutions Roberts outlines' Financial Times

Forty five postcards (3 x 15) illustrated with magical and powerful images from David Doubilet's book Water Light Time

Widely acclaimed as the world's leading underwater photographer, David Doubilet's award-winning book Water Light Time showcases over twenty-five years' of his work under the oceans and seas of all parts of the globe. Sharks and shipwrecks, rare and unusual species, exotic vegetation, startling and vivid colours, Doubilet's pictures inspire awe at both the wonder of the undersea world and the extraordinary skill of the photographer. This is a selection of fifteen (three copies of each) of the most beautiful images from this magical, brightly coloured and sometimes dangerous submarine world.

The Colorado River Basin's importance cannot be overstated. Its living river system supplies water to roughly forty million people, contains Grand Canyon National Park, Bears Ears National Monument, and wide swaths of other public lands, and encompasses ancestral homelands of twenty-nine Native American tribes. John Wesley Powell, a one-armed Civil War veteran, explorer, scientist, and adept federal administrator, articulated a vision for Euro-American colonization of the "Arid Region" that has indelibly shaped the basin-a pattern that looms large not only in western history, but also in contemporary environmental and social policy. One hundred and fifty years after Powell's epic 1869 Colorado River Exploring Expedition, this volume revisits Powell's vision, examining its historical character and its relative influence on the Colorado River Basin's cultural and physical landscape in modern times. In three parts, the volume unpacks Powell's ideas on water, public lands, and Native Americans-ideas at once innovative, complex, and contradictory. With an eye toward climate change and a host of related challenges facing the basin, the volume turns to the future, reflecting on how-if at all-Powell's legacy might inform our collective vision as we navigate a new "Great Unknown."