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Books > Sport & Leisure > Transport: general interest > Ships & shipping: general interest > General
As daring and defiant as Kirk Douglas journeying 20,000 Leagues
Under the Sea, there's no stopping diver Hawk Ridley as he takes
the plunge into a briny world of untold riches and danger. The
Caribbean is a fortune hunter's dream, salted with the gold of
galleons long ago claimed by the deep. Now Hawk's headed for the
Windward Passage of Haiti to stake his claim. But a rival team has
also picked up the scent, and they're willing to turn the sea red
with blood to get to the gold first. Fighting off ruthless
competitors is nothing new to Hawk...but fighting off a beautiful
woman is a different story. Is she an innocent stowaway or a
seductive saboteur? Between the cool millions lying on the bottom
of the ocean, and the boiling-hot race to grab it, Hawk's about to
find the answer and make a discovery Twenty Fathoms Down that will
blow you out of the water. When it came to research, Hubbard was
not one to head for the library. He always went to the source-in
this case a U.S. Navy deep-sea diver who agreed to show him the
ropes and the danger. Hubbard admits it was daunting-even
frightening-but he returned from the experience with all the
first-hand knowledge he needed to fathom the true nature of life
and death underwater. "Primo Pulp Fiction." - Booklist
Southampton Docks is one of the most important maritime centres in
the UK, and here Andrew Britton explores its rich history. From
four-funnelled liners and flying boats to power stations and
refineries, this volume depicts all that happened in the docks, the
living heartbeat of the city. Herein see previously unpublished
behind-the-scenes shots of the dock at work, of captain's logbooks
and tickets - even some ships' menus; it all gives the true flavour
of dock life. Using the original port map of Southampton and
historic artefacts, the lives and times of Southampton Docks are
brought to the fore. This edition is lavishly illustrated with rare
and unseen images, providing a real treat for anyone interested in
Southampton and its docks.
In the late 1960s, P&O established ferry services in the North
Sea and English Channel. Roll-on/roll-off operations and
containerisation were introduced and new ships, facilities and
investment was needed to take advantage of developments. What
followed was several decades of growth, buyouts and divisions. The
twenty-first century saw the closure of several routes as the
ferries saw increased competition from low-cost airline and the
Channel Tunnel. Throughout this period, P&O attracted a loyal
customer base and became one of the most recognisable names on the
sea. Utilising a selection of rare and previously unpublished
images, maritime historian Ian Collard delves into the story of
this iconic company and its ships.
In The Great Escape and Papillon, Steve McQueen embodied the tough
guy on the run from captivity and injustice. But when it comes to
toughness, McQueen is following in the daring and determined
footsteps of Captain Spar. Wrongfully accused, Spar has been
condemned to suffer the brutality of the guards and the conditions
on Devil's Island. But they haven't broken his will, and now,
escaping, he has one mission in life: revenge. Spar's out to kill
the man who put him into the devil's hands. But he'll have to take
on a gallery of rogues who are as treacherous as the waters of the
Caribbean. Pressure is rising and a storm is brewing. But even in
the face of a natural disaster, Spar discovers that nothing is more
volatile than human nature-as temptation and danger are about to
collide with Hurricane force. In 1937 L. Ron Hubbard wrote to one
of his editors: "You might have noticed that I am intensely wary of
becoming any kind of a story specialist. I have sold the gamut of
types: air war, air, western, detective, love, terror. . . . My one
passion is to build a name for variety. . . . I like my freedom. I
fight hard for independent individualism. I love to tie into a yarn
and make it blaze in print." Hubbard's passion for writing,
creativity and individualism certainly blazes across the page in
stories like Hurricane. "Hurricane will keep you on the edge of
your seat from beginning to end as it unfolds." -Mommy's Favorite
Things * An International Book Awards Finalists
In April 1951, the disappearance of HM submarine Affray knocked
news of the Korean War and Festival of Britain from the front pages
of national newspapers. Affray had gone to sea on a routine
peacetime simulated war patrol in the English Channel. She radioed
her last position at 21.15 hours on April 16th, 30 miles south of
the Isle of Wight--and preparing to dive. This was the last signal
ever received from the submarine. When divers eventually discovered
Affray, they found her resting upright on the sea bottom with no
obvious signs of damage to her hull. Hatches were closed tight and
emergency buoys were still in their casings. It was obvious that
whatever had caused Affray to sink and end the lives of all on
board had occurred quickly. Fifty-six years later, in this
compelling maritime investigation, Alan Gallop uses previously top
secret documents, interviews with experts, and contemporary news
sources to explore how and why Affray became the last British
submarine lost at sea--and possibly the greatest maritime mystery
since the Marie Celeste. This is a fascinating recreation of the
last mission of this doomed submarine, the effect it had on the
families of those who perished, and on British public opinion at
the time.
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