'One of the best accounts ever written of deep-water diving and its staggering, haunting dangers' Robert Kurson, New York Times bestselling author of Shadow Divers Deep underwater lurks a mysterious man-made illness. It has gone by many names over the years - Satan's disease, diver's palsy, the chokes - but today, medics call it decompression sickness. You know it as the bends. That's the devil British diver Martin Robson faces each time he plunges beneath the surface. In the winter of 2012, Robson was part of an expedition to Blue Lake, southern Russia, which sought to find a submerged cave system never seen by the human eye. On the final day of the expedition, as Robson returned from diving deeper into the lake than anyone had before, disaster struck: just seventy-five feet down, he was ambushed by the bends. Robson knew that if he continued up to the surface he would probably die before help arrived. Instead, he sank back into the water, gambling on an underwater practice most doctors believe is a suicidal act. Soon the only hope he had of saving his life would rest in the hands of a dramatic mercy mission organised at the highest levels of the Russian government. Between the Devil and the Deep is the first book to tell the terrifying true story of what it feels like to get the bends, taking you inside the body and mind of a man who suffered the unthinkable. Writer Mark Cowan also explores the grimly fascinating history of decompression sickness, the science behind what causes the disease, and the stories of the forgotten divers who pushed the limits of physical endurance to help find a solution.

This brilliant new guide for Londoners reveals hidden rivers, wooded lakes and Art Deco lidos, all within an about an hour of the capital on public transport, perfect for those who love to swim under the open sky. 150 locations cover the best of the Thames, Lea and Medway valleys and the area's numerous swimming lakes. The guide also showcases the best lidos and hotel pools, plus locations with organised swims. > discover secret islands on the Thames with river beaches, bucolic meanders and a bridge to jump from at Desborough Island > find the most beautiful of London's bohemian Art Deco lidos, including its best-kept secret in the heart of Soho > swim in a turquoise blue lagoon, like something from the Caribbean, at St Andrew's lake > spend the day sipping cocktails and eating sushi by the pool at a four-star Tudor hotel - Great Fosters

The recorded history of the diving industry has been fundamentally corrupted over the past 150 years. The result is a complete misunderstanding of how it all began. Who invented the diving helmet? Refer to any encyclopaedia or history book and the answer you will find will almost certainly be wrong. The First Treasure Divers reveals the true and fascinating story. It blows away the myths and deliberate misinformation that have crept into the historical record. Thanks to the painstaking research the author has carried out over the past 25 years, the falsehoods are peeled away to unveil the true, definitive account. It follows the lives of two brothers as they struggle to turn their newly-invented diving helmet to advantage and how they wrestle with apathetic and even hostile authorities for recognition of their invention. It thunders through sunken treasure adventures to the heroism and horrors of the Crimean War. The impact of the invention of the diving helmet is immense. In the 180 years since the Deane brothers carried out the first ever commercial helmet dive off the Isle of Wight on the south coast of England, the diving business has expanded to a global industry with an annual turnover in excess of $3,000,000,000. From another point of view, the life-support technology developed in the diving industry provided the knowledge for keeping the pioneering, high altitude pilots alive, which in turn evolved into the life-support systems of the astronauts who walked on the moon.

The best-selling Wild Swimming series returns to France for an expanded guide to best places to cool off this summer, including new coverage of Central and Northern France. Over 750 locations, including 300 new locations in Normandy, Ile, Champagne, Burgundy, Centre, Limousin, Auvergne and Aquitaine. Dive into the grand cascades of Auvergne, Jura and the Alps Dip in the emerald-green plunge pools and gorges of Provence Swim beneath the great chateaux of the Loire and Dordogne. Discover the unspoilt crater lakes of the Massif Central Soak in secluded hot springs in the woodlands of the Pyrenees. Bathe, picnic and canoe at willow dappled river beaches in Burgundy, Champagne & Limousin Combining dazzling photos, engaging writing and all the practical information you'll need, from maps, directions, grid references and walk-in times to recommendations for canoe trips, bike rides, riverside campsites and lakeshore restaurants.

The ultimate underdog story of a swim coach who could not swim, a swim club that accepted minorities when others would not, and a group of young swimmers who became Olympic champions. Before the United States was the swimming power it is today, a novice coach named Sherm Chavoor formed a swim club that accepted all swimmers—no matter their religion, race, or social status—and started a dynasty. Following Chavoor’s intense and unorthodox coaching methods, his young swimmers quickly began dominating competitions across northern California—and then the world. In Victory in the Pool: How a Maverick Coach Upended Society and Led a Group of Young Swimmers to Olympic Glory, Bill George tells the inspiring story of Sherm Chavoor and his dedicated athletes who rose from obscurity to win twenty Olympic gold medals during the 1960s and ‘70s. They triumphed in two of the most tumultuous and dangerous Olympic Games ever held, the 1968 Mexico City Games and the 1972 Munich Games marred by the terrorist attack that killed eleven Israeli athletes. Mark Spitz and Debbie Meyer were the two most prominent members of the team, but they were challenged every step of the way by teammates and fellow Olympians Sue Pedersen, Mike Burton, John Ferris, Jeff Float, and more. Featuring exclusive interviews with the athletes and with Sherm Chavoor before he passed away, Victory in the Pool delivers an inside look at this unparalleled time in Olympic history. But more than that, it is the story of young people overcoming incredible odds—often in the face of insults and bigotry and under the intense glare of the spotlight—and coming out triumphant.

See how to achieve stronger starts, more explosive turns, and faster times "Swimming Anatomy" will show you how to improve your performance by increasing muscle strength and optimizing the efficiency of every stroke.

"Swimming Anatomy" includes 74 of the most effective swimming exercises, each with step-by-step descriptions and full-color anatomical illustrations highlighting the primary muscles in action.

"Swimming Anatomy" goes beyond exercises by placing you on the starting block, in the water, and into the throes of competition. Illustrations of the active muscles for starts, turns, and the four competitive strokes (freestyle, breaststroke, butterfly, and backstroke) show you how each exercise is fundamentally linked to swimming performance.

You'll also learn how exercises can be modified to target specific areas, improve your form in the water, and minimize common swimming injuries. Best of all, you'll learn how to put it all together to develop a training program based on your individual needs and goals.

Whether you are training for a 50-meter freestyle race or the open-water stage of a triathlon, "Swimming Anatomy" will ensure you enter the water prepared to achieve every performance goal.

'Barnett's well-crafted backlist is big on emotional acuity and this novel is no different, forging from Christina's grief an insistence that we think more creatively when it comes to happiness, and especially to the shapes that our families might take' OBSERVER At forty-three, Christina Lennox thought her future was settled: marriage to Ed, children, a house of their own. But this is not that future: her marriage has ended, fractured by the stress of five rounds of IVF and two miscarriages. Overwhelmed by grief and disappointment, Ed has relocated to San Francisco and Christina's dream of becoming a mother rests on persuading him to let her go ahead with one final round of IVF, using the last frozen embryo they have stored at the clinic. But when Ed drops a bombshell that threatens to undo everything Christina has strived for, she is forced, once again, to realign her plans: is this the end of her dream, or an opportunity to consider a different - perhaps happier - version of her future?

'From a young age, I was flirting with the sea and its power.' says Ben Thompson. This is the colourful and moving story of a boy who realised at an early age that the sea was his calling and followed his dream. By the age of twenty-five, Ben Thompson was being paid to dive the world's most exquisite coral reefs. Few people have worked as dive instructors in such varied locations around the world as he has. From exploring the far reaches of South East Asia by local yacht to off-roading through sub-Saharan Africa looking for new dives, Ben sees the world through a diver's mask. Along the way, he dives one of the world's only vertical wrecks (at a top-secret location) just as it ruptures its gas tanks and causes an international incident, is held up at gunpoint by a militia group in the Philippines, rescued by pirates in Indonesia, and visits the Caicos with America's largest naked diving group. His story will fascinate divers, travellers, seafarers, and adventurers of all stripes. It's an exhilarating tale of escaping the humdrum, and also a cheering love story as his ever-patient partner and dive buddy, Vic, accompanies Ben on his escapades around the world.

'I absolutely loved it - what a wise, brilliant book - so well observed on families and love and the secrets we keep.' RACHAEL LUCAS, author of The State of Grace ***** 'I wish I could buy a ticket and visit Polperran . . . A wonderfully sweet and authentic reminder of what we should treasure in life' Meggy, Chocolate'n'Waffles ***** 'Lived up to all my expectations and more. I could not stop reading . . . Lovely, touching, compelling' Sophie, Book Drunk Sophie ***** 'It's only right that you do yourselves a favour and treat yourself to this book . . . Touching and heartwarming' Karen, Books and Me ***** 'A novel that just felt like a literary warm hug. The world needs more kindness especially just now, and this is the perfect book' Netgalley reviewer ***** 'Reminded me of Rosamund Pilcher's novels . . . I can't recommend it enough' Netgalley reviewer ***** 'At the top of my book buying gift list for friends & family . . . Loved it!' Amazon reviewer Step 1. Help the lonely baker start again Step 2. Find the true calling of the village shop owner Step 3. Call a truce on a decades-old feud Step 4. Forgive me . . . ? The locals of the Cornish village of Polperran are grieving the sudden loss of Bea Kimbrel, a cornerstone of their small community. Now her reclusive, estranged daughter Alice has turned up, keen to tie up Bea's affairs and move on. But Alice receives a strange bequest from Bea - a collection of unfinished tasks to help out those in Polperran most in need. As each little act brings her closer to understanding her mother, it also begins to offer Alice the courage to open her clamped-shut heart. Perhaps Bea's project will finally unlock the powerful secrets both women have been keeping . . . THE KINDNESS PROJECT will draw you deep into the lives of two compelling women who should never have missed their chance to say goodbye. It will break your heart - and piece it back together again . . .

In this stunning and inspiring guide, Kate Rew, founder of the Outdoor Swimming Society, takes you on a wild journey across Britain, braving the elements to experience first-hand some of the country's most awe-inspiring swim spots, from tidal pools in the Outer Hebrides to the white-sand beaches of the Isles of Scilly. Waterfalls, natural jacuzzis, sea caves, meandering rivers - every swim is described in loving detail, taking in not only the gleeful humour of each mini-adventure and the breathtaking beauty of the surroundings, but also practical information about how to find these remote spots. Featuring evocative photography from Dominick Tyler, this is a must-have book for serious swimmers and seaside paddlers alike, and is perfect for the outdoors enthusiast in your life.

The Learn to Swim book is a superb how-to guide for parents and caregivers to teach their baby the basics of swimming and water familiarization in the lead up to, and in conjunction with, swimming lessons. Each chapter focuses on a new skill for the parent and baby to learn together in the bath or pool. The skills-illustrated by detailed photos, key learning points, and troubleshooting suggestions-are for beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels, catering to all stages of learning from those fearful of water to the most water-confident babies all over the world. This book can be adapted to bath time, pools, lakes, or beaches and shows what parents can do with their baby in a safe environment, paving the way for a strong swimming toddler. This book also addresses concerns new parents may have with a dedicated FAQ section that will also answer the age-old question: "Will my baby drink the water?" Finally, key safety information-including supervision, swim wear, floaties, pool fences, and a special chapter on babies with special needs-are all expertly addressed.

This is an exciting new diving guide covering dive sites in England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Explore the wreck of the E39 submarine off Pembrokeshire or the stunning Cathedral Rock off St Abbs to the Unknown Coaster in Portland Harbour. In this title, 100 dives are described in detail from easy shore dives to more demanding boat dives. Dive locations are fully illustrated with specially commissioned maps and diagrams together with full colour photography throughout. All dives are above 18m and suitable for all levels of experience from novice to technical diver. The United Kingdom has some of the best diving available in Europe offering a mixture of scenic reef dives and spectacular wrecks. Wherever you are in the United Kingdom you are only a short distance away from one of these spectacular dives.

Well-travelled divers all acknowledge that the best diving in the world is found in the warm waters of tropical Asia. No other region on earth presents such a rich variety of marine life, and none can boast as many different types of dive sites: tiny, isolated atolls, World War II wrecks draped in beautiful soft corals, shallow, bommie-filled fringing reefs and pinnacles, all swarming with fish and vibrant color. Diving in Southeast Asia is a comprehensive diving guide covering Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand. It presents in great detail the very best dive sites in the tropical western Pacific. Our seasoned diver-authors have an aggregate half-century of experience exploring these waters, and each site receives thorough coverage, including detailed maps, color photos, and a full description of access, conditions, and facilities. This Southeast Asia diving guide features: Practicalities: Detailed travel information for every budget, including accommodations, transportation, prices, seasons, and dive operators. Information: Local history, diving lore, site conditions, and more than 50 maps. Photography: More than 100 color photographs by top photographers.

'This fascinating history of how, where and why humans swim...is perfect reading for those missing a splash-about during the lockdown.' Guardian From the first recorded dip into what's now the driest spot on earth to the recreational swimmers in your local pool, humans have been getting wet for 10,000 years. And for most of modern history, swimming has caused a ripple that touches us all. Splash! dives into Egypt, winds through ancient Greece and Rome, flows mostly underground through the Dark and Middle Ages (at least in Europe), and then re-emerges in the wake of the Renaissance before taking its final lap at the modern Olympic Games. Along the way, it kicks away the idea that swimming is just about speed or great feats of aquatic endurance, revealing how its history spans religion, fashion, architecture, public health, colonialism, segregation, sexism, sexiness, guts, glory and much, much more. As refreshing as jumping into a pool on a hot summer's day, Splash! sweeps across the whole of humankind's swimming history with an irrepressible enthusiasm that will make you crave your next dip.

"Water Fitness Lesson Plans and Choreography" helps new instructors learn the basics of class organization and keeps veteran instructors out of the proverbial teaching rut. This reference contains 72 lesson plans for shallow and deep water--each including a warm-up and cool-down, variations, choreography, and modifications. A total of 576 exercises are described and accompanied by 253 photos that depict the key features and the corresponding choreography.

The lesson plans are organized into two sections: shallow and deep water. Each lesson plan for shallow water has a corresponding lesson plan for deep water. All that instructors have to remember are the specific exercise modifications to take the routine from one end of the pool to the other. This allows instructors to learn, remember, and feel comfortable offering a variety of class formats.

This book describes how to establish and meet class objectives through the three phases of any successful water fitness class: the warm-up, the conditioning phase (for cardiorespiratory fitness or muscular strength and endurance), and the cool-down. It includes other fundamental information as well:

-Four easy-to-use choreography styles to keep classes engaging

-Troubleshooting tips for creating a flowing and successful class

-Key differences between shallow-water and deep-water exercise to aid in selecting the best format to meet objectives

-Common names and anatomical terms for each exercise to help new instructors learn which exercises work what muscles

-Information on modifying the class to attract and cater to various populations

-Tips for cueing, choosing music, and preparing for each class

Over two million people participate in water fitness, so good water fitness instructors are in high demand. "Water Fitness" "Lesson Plans and Choreography" will help new and veteran instructors create well-organized classes so that participants meet their objectives, come back for more, and have fun

The definitive guide to exploring and diving the Shipwrecks of the Cayman Islands. The spectacular natural beauty of the islands hides a treacherous coastline that has seen many ships founder. For the first time in print, there is an accurate account of around 140 of the best-known and identified shipwrecks. This guide relates to how and where these ships have been lost and also gives important information on how to identify details on the various types of sailing vessel that have plied these waters over the last 500 years. Packed with over 200 photographs and illustrations this book will undoubtedly be used as an authoritative reference on how to dive and snorkel the most popular of these artificial reefs.

Triathlon Swimming reveals the rewarding and rigorous Tower 26 program for mastering open-water swimming by the world's leading open-water swimming coach Gerry Rodrigues and former pro triathlete Emma-Kate Lidbury. Triathlon swimming is unique in its challenges and physical and mental limits. Over his lifetime of over 100 open-water swim race wins and over 30 years of coaching, Rodrigues has perfected the art and science of open-water swimming. His famed Tower 26 swimming program trains athletes in both the pool and in rough open water conditions, making triathletes and swimmers skilled, confident, capable, and fast in any condition. In Triathlon Swimming, Rodrigues and Lidbury break down open-water swimming technique and show how triathlon swimming requires different form. From kicking to sighting, Triathlon Swimming describes the best technique for swimming in open water. This guide shares the best gear for open-water swimming, shows how to create your own effective open-water swim workouts, and shares a plan for race prep and taper. Tower 26 offers the best open-water swimming technique. With Rodrigues' coaching approach and Lidbury's first-hand experience and insight, Triathlon Swimming can help you become a master open-water swimmer for faster, fearless racing.

Shifting Currents is an original and comprehensive history of swimming. It examines the tension that arose when non-swimming northerners met African and Southeast Asian swimmers. Using archaeological, textual and art historical sources, Karen Eva Carr shows how the water simultaneously attracted and repelled these northerners - swimming seemed uncanny, related to witchcraft and sin. Europeans used Africans' and Native Americans' swimming skills to justify enslaving them, but northerners also wanted to claim water's power for themselves. They imagined that swimming would bring them health and demonstrate their scientific modernity. This unresolved tension still sexualizes women's swimming and marginalizes Black and Indigenous swimmers today. The history of swimming is a new lens through which to gain a clearer view of race, gender and power on a centuries-long scale.

The all-new bumper second edition of the best-selling Wild Swimming photo guide is now fully revised and expanded to include 200 amazing new wild swimming locations, brand new coverage in the South-East and the Midlands, new information for kids and families, new ideas for pubs, campsites, boat trips and weekends, new ratings on safety and access. This revised and expanded edition of Wild Swimming features the same winning formula of stunning photography, engaging travel writing and practical guidance, and is set to continue as the definitive guide to outdoor swimming in wild Britain.

Swimming is Britain's most popular participation sport. Nearly one in four people swim at least once a month, with around 80 million visits to swimming pools recorded every year. Surprisingly, although public baths have formed a vital part of community life since an 1846 Act of Parliament, their story has never been told in book form until now. Great Lengths, the eighth book in the acclaimed Played in Britain series, traces the development of indoor public baths and pools, from the earliest subscription baths of the Georgian period and the first municipal baths in Liverpool in 1829, to the current generation of leisure pools with their flumes and potted palm trees. In both the public and private sectors the golden era of pool design fell between the 1880s and 1914, when over 600 baths were constructed, many rich in architectural detail and technological innovation. The magnificent Victoria Baths in Manchester completed in 1906 (2003 winner of BBC2 Restoration series) set new standards for opulence. Birmingham's Balsall Heath Baths (1907), London's Haggerston Baths (1904) and similar establishments in Hull, Nottingham and Glasgow equally reflected the civic pride of their creators, as greater awareness of hygiene and physical fitness brought safe swimming and recreation to the urban masses. A further burst of activity between the wars saw a new generation of concrete and glass Art Deco baths and in the 1960s these were joined by classic Modern designs. Great Lengths is no mere exercise in nostalgia. Scores of Victorian and Edwardian baths have been allowed to deteriorate. Dozens remain closed and the subject of long running campaigns for restoration. Yet many modern baths built in the late 20th century have also been found wanting. For this reason, this book will serve as an important reference for anyone involved in the current debate, whether as swimmers or providers.

SHORLISTED FOR THE WILLIAM HILL SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR 2017

A funny and bold account of how women fought their way into the water, and of what they did once they got there

These days, swimming may seem like the most egalitarian of pastimes, open to anyone with a swimsuit - but this wasn't always the case. In the 19th century, swimming was exclusively the domain of men, and access to pools was a luxury limited by class. Women were (barely) allowed to swim in the sea, as long as no men were around, but even into the 20th century they could be arrested and fined if they dared dive into a lake. It wasn't until the 1930s that women were finally, and reluctantly, granted equal access. This is the story of the women who made that possible, a thank-you to the fearless 'swimming suffragettes' who took on the status quo, fought for equal access, and won.

Part social history, part memoir, Swell uncovers a world of secret swimming in the face of these exclusions and shines a light on the 'swimming suffragettes'. It celebrates some amazing achievements, some ridiculous outfits and some fantastic swimmers who challenge the stereotypes of what women are capable of. It's also the story of how Jenny eventually came to be a keen swimmer herself.

Swell is a joyful hymn to the sport and an exploration of why swimming attracts so many women. Ultimately, it is a book dedicated to our brilliant swimming foremothers who collectively made it possible for any woman to plunge in with alacrity, anywhere we choose.