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Books > Sport & Leisure > Sports & outdoor recreation > Water sports & recreations > Swimming & diving
'What would it mean to name this place I'm in, to map it? To say:
this is the landscape. It looks like this, smells like this, at
night these are the sounds that carry on the wind.
Almost-motherhood . . .' When Miranda Ward and her husband decided
to have a baby, they were young and optimistic. But five years,
three miscarriages and one ectopic pregnancy later, she is still
dealing with the ongoing aftermath of that decision, and the shadow
it's cast over her relationship to her partner, her body and her
future. In this searing, lyrical and radically honest memoir, Ward
charts her journey through the uncertain landscape of
almost-motherhood, asking questions of geography on the most
intimate scale. How can we learn to be at home in our own bodies,
even when we feel adrift from them? What language do we have for
the spaces in between, the periods of wanting and waiting? And how
do we maintain hope as we navigate towards an unknown future?
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A Life Aloft
(Paperback)
Thomas Gompf; As told to Elaine K Howley; Foreword by Steve McFarland
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R611
Discovery Miles 6 110
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Ships in 10 - 15 working days
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Documenting his legendary performances at the 1972
Olympics--winning seven gold medals while breaking seven world
records--this is the first biography to chronicle the amazing life
story of renowned athlete Mark Spitz. Every aspect of his
roller-coaster career is recorded, from an age-group prodigy and
four-medal "flop" at the 1968 Olympics to an outstanding collegiate
career at Indiana University and a gold-medal haul in 1972 followed
by lucrative endorsements and an unsuccessful stint in
entertainment. Personal stories are also included such as the role
Spitz's father played in his career, stormy relationships with
coaches and teammates, experiences as a Jewish athlete amidst
anti-Semitism and the Munich massacre, and his impact on the
commercialization of swimming. Career insights and
behind-the-scenes anecdotes about Spitz and his competitors shed
light on his complicated personality and round out the details of
this swimming icon's story for old and new fans alike.
Visitors cannot help but be enchanted by the sea lions of Los
Islotes. They emanate finesse and charm without a hint of illusion
or wizardry. There is no incantation or voodoo, just an abounding
sense of play that inspires every visitor. When it comes to wild
animal encounters, Los Islotes is almost nirvana. Few places so
close to a city can truly offer such a convenient and accessible
opportunity to interact with Mother Nature in her untamed state.
California sea lions are the main residents, strangely thriving in
a place so accessible to tourists. Initial introductions begin at
the surface; encounters are then formalized below the water as
Poseidon's ocean ambassadors exuberantly whiz towards and around
diver and snorkeler alike. With vivid underwater photography
throughout by a uniquely positioned author, The Sea Lions of Los
Islotes takes readers straight into the world of these most
charismatic marine mammals.
"When my parents signed me up to Trojan Swimming Club, they had no
idea of the evil behind Gibney's interest in me. As a
thirteen-year-old, who knew nothing but kindness and love, I was
ill-equipped to understand what was happening as he insidiously
dominated my thinking and isolated me from anyone who might come
between us. The process of entrapment was quick, and in full view
of my family and team-mates I became a prisoner - bullied,
manipulated and abused, unnoticed by those close to me. So complete
was Gibney's control of me that not only could I not see a way out,
it didn't even occur to me to look for one." At age thirteen, Trish
Kearney's idyllic childhood was abruptly ended when her swimming
coach - the internationally recognised George Gibney - began
abusing her. Six years later, the Seoul Olympics firmly within her
sights, she sacrificed a promising swimming career to walk free of
her abuser. In her memoir, she describes how suppressed memories of
those difficult years resurfaced after the birth of her first
child, and the momentous journey set in train when a letter arrived
from former team-mate Gary O'Toole, opening the Pandora's box on
the abuse - leading to a failed court case and Gibney's ultimate
exposure in the press as a rampant, controlling paedophile. Above
Water is a survivor's story, of coming up for air after decades of
burying trauma, and of learning to breathe again. It shines a light
into dark places just as it casts its beam outwards, signalling the
healing power of love, family and one woman's indomitable spirit.
Written by renowned author and diver Fiona McIntosh, Dive Sites of
South Africa & Mozambique is a comprehensive atlas and guide to
some of the top dive spots in Southern Africa. With over 157
detailed dive descriptions accompanied by 50 pages of topside and
underwater maps, this guide is a useful reference for both advanced
and novice divers. All dive sites highlighted in the book are
featured with location maps, access points, difficulty ratings,
maximum and average depths, water temperatures, dive conditions and
other area-specific adventure and marine activities to name but a
few. The title also includes a marine species identification guide
with detailed information displaying full-colour photographs,
scientific names and brief descriptions of each of the 150
different species identified.
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