The Monocle team dips its toe into the world of swimming, revealing 100 beautiful and inspiring places to take the plunge. Swimming is excellent exercise of course, but it’s so much more than that: it can be a transcendental experience, offering us space to reflect and to escape. It’s an antidote to screens and all-encompassing technology. Perhaps it’s the shedding of inhibitions that come with a dip, or could it be that getting somewhere under our own steam is an act that’s health-giving, refreshing and life-affirming? Whatever it means to you, swimming – alone or with others, badly or brilliantly – is about being in the moment. This new book celebrates bathing in glorious full-colour photography, revealing the editors’ chosen spots from inner-city architectural wonders to lakes, beach clubs and bagni. So whether you’re looking to do laps in Italy, tread water in Australia, sink into the icy depths in Iceland – or perhaps just sit on the side and let others do the hard work – this guide includes a setting for everyone. Dive right in.

There are many frustrated sailors out there and with the baby boomers starting to retire many finally have the freedom to indulge their sailing dreams. This book is intended to guide them. Aimed at sailboat owners of all kinds, this reference book contains 200 entries packed with solid practical advice and valuable tips. The reference format offers the reader opportunities to open the book at any page and browse endlessly. Cartoons by SAIL Magazine cartoonist Tom Payne enliven the text. A comprehensive appendix covers some 50 technical topics.

A fascinating, in-depth look at the history of competitive swimming and the people and moments that have defined the sport. From the first modern Olympic Games to the present, Below the Surface: The History of Competitive Swimming covers all the greatest moments, top rivalries, legendary swimmers, and biggest controversies in swimming history. It features athletes like Michael Phelps and Katie Ledecky, who have elevated the sport to an unprecedented level, and individual performances that are groundbreaking and awe-inspiring, such as Australian Fanny Durack becoming the first female Olympic gold medalist in 1912 and Jason Lezak leading the US to a come-from-behind victory in the 400 freestyle relay at the 2008 Olympics. While controversies such as doping and the advent of tech suits have troubled the sport, a new generation of athletes have produced fresh enthusiasm for competitive swimming. Below the Surface offers little-known stories, unique insight, and a detailed history of a great sport with a remarkable past and an exciting future.

Open Water Swimming: A Complete Guide for Swimmers and Triathletes is aimed at all levels of open water swimmer, from beginners right through to competing professionals. It covers all aspects of the sport: its history and health benefits; a through introduction to getting started; a full discussion on training equipment and how it should be used; the safety and legal aspects of choosing a suitable location for swimming; acclimatization for both the beginner and the experienced swimmer. The author then goes on to explain in detail all technical aspects of open water swimming; sighting; drafting; turning around buoys; entraces, exits and transitions.

An eclectic mix of exciting stories every surfer will love

This eclectic mix has something for everyone, from classic tales of monster waves and epic battles to stories of when life among the breakers goes wrong. There are accounts of death and disaster, as well as bravery and triumph. The bizarre and the extreme rub shoulders with perfect breaks and beautiful beaches.

Be thrilled by legendary surfers like Laird Hamilton and Shane Dorian as well as learning about local heroes who never made the headlines. Epic battles among pros like Rob Machado and Kelly Slater are recounted alongside stories of weird waves and secret surf spots. There are fascinating encounters with surfing's true characters, men like Dave Rastovich and big wave world record holder Garrett McNamara; appearances by deadly sharks; stories of big wave surfing by night; and an account of how Agatha Christie's famous disappearance for 11 days in December 1926 might just have been because she was on a surf trip.

Travel from giants like California's Maverick's and Maui's Jaws to tales of Dungeons, dolphins and the derring-do of a man like Colonel 'Mad Jack' Churchill. Turn the pages to flick between the left and rights of Britain, Europe, USA, Australia and many strange places in between.

Each compelling tale has been chosen to stoke the fire of armchair surfers and hardcore wave-riders alike, and some are illustrated with colour photographs.

Looking back at the lives and sailing careers of some of our lifetime's finest yachtsmen, this collection of eleven original, moving accounts is just as much a celebration of the good - tales of hope, achievement and courageous spirit - as it is an account of their tragic final voyages. Included are world-renowned racers, like Eric Tabarly and Rob James, highly experienced cruisers and adventurers, like Peter Tangvald and Bill Tilman, and the notoriously ill-prepared Donald Crowhurst, as well as other famous and some less well-known sailors. Starting with the sad loss of Frank Davison and Reliance in 1949, the book concludes with the amazing last voyage of Philip Walwyn in 2015 - crossing the Atlantic single-handed in his 12 Metre yacht Kate. All of the men and women described were friends with or known to the author, Nicholas Gray, who himself competed in several short-handed long distance races, where he met and raced against many of these fascinating characters. Peppered with photographs showcasing the sailors and their yachts, this is a refreshing look at those who have helped to shape this sport's history, honouring their lives and accomplishments before detailing their tragic last voyages.

For any sea-farer, splicing rope is an essential skill. But the traditional 3-strand rope is fast disappearing. So how do you splice braided ropE? This is the definitive pocket-sized guide to all rope splicing techniques. Most of the techniques are quite easy to master - and also fun to do. See why splices are better - and stronger - than knots or shackles for joining or shortening rope, and follow the step-by-step photography and clear instructions to find out exactly how to splice efficiently.

In Bed with the Atlantic is a travel memoir of a young woman, Kit Pascoe, as she goes from never having stepped on a yacht, to sailing over 18,000 miles - across the Atlantic, around the Caribbean and then back - in three years with her partner. At first, she was dogged by doubt, a belief that she wasn't a `sailor', never would be and that she was in no way capable of such an undertaking. She believed that the ocean was out to get her, that weather needed to be battled and that she would forever be ruled by the anxiety that plagued her. Woven into the narrative of the journey's progression are stories from Kit's childhood and life before the voyage, explaining her battles with anxiety and the feelings of being lost as a graduate in post-recession Britain. The book also relays her struggle with reconciling a life of travel with the expectations and experiences of those back home, at an age when most of her contemporaries were starting corporate careers and families. In her courage to leave everything she knows behind, she learns the history of the islands and their people, swims with turtles, explores strange cave systems, and learns to forage for food straight from the sea. But she also encounters hardships like running out of food and water, battling against storms, trying not to be struck by lightning, and discovering the crippling loneliness of sailing an ocean for months on end. Sailing back to the UK after three years Kit realises the colossal difference that sailing has made to her life and understanding of the world. She ponders how easy it is not to do something, to protect ourselves from risks and ridicule and everything that makes us uncomfortable. But now appreciates that it is only when we take the risk, that we get the reward and that we connect not just with the world at large, but also with ourselves.

In 1935, at the height of the Great Depression, two Canadian Inuit fur trappers ordered the largest private sailing ship ever delivered to be used in transporting their annual catch of fur to Herschel Island on the MacKenzie Delta in exchange for the supplies that they needed to survive another winter hundreds of miles north of the Arctic Circle. Three times she did not make it into port in time and was frozen solid into the ice. This is the story of one of the most historic ships in Canada, who under three owners faced many challenges including; holding land at the entrance of the fabled NorthWest Passage to protect Canadian Arctic Sovereignty, was used in sail-training for Inuit, surveyed the controversial B.C./Alaska border and was chartered to search for mermaids off of the Aleutian Islands. North Star of Herschel Island is now a familiar sight on the Victoria, B.C. waterfront and a regular participant in Classic Boat and Tall Ship Festivals. In 2005 she represented her country as the Canadian GoodWill Ambassador in an international gathering of Tall Ships. This is the true story of a remarkable ship and the people who have known and loved her.

Crowood Sports Guides provide sound, practical advice that will help make you a better sportsperson whether you are learning the basic skills, discovering more advanced techniques or reviewing the fundamentals of your sport. Featured in Swimming - Crowood Sports Guides are information boxes containing Key Points and Top Tips; sequence photographs and detailed diagrams in colour. There is a thorough analysis of the four strokes (Butterfly, Backstroke, Breaststroke and Freestyle). Starts and turns analysis, including the individual Medley are covered and valuable advice on techniques, coaching, drills, training, tapering, nutrition and competition psychology is given. There is also an introduction to rules and equipment.

For readers of Laura Hillenbrand's "Seabiscuit" and "Unbroken," the dramatic story of the American rowing team that stunned the world at Hitler's 1936 Berlin Olympics
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"Daniel James Brown's robust book tells the story of the University of Washington's 1936 eight-oar crew and their epic quest for an Olympic gold medal, a team that transformed the sport and grabbed the attention of millions of Americans. The sons of loggers, shipyard workers, and farmers, the boys defeated elite rivals first from eastern and British universities and finally the German crew rowing for Adolf Hitler in the Olympic games in Berlin, 1936.
The emotional heart of the story lies with one rower, Joe Rantz, a teenager without family or prospects, who rows not for glory, but to regain his shattered self-regard and to find a place he can call home. The crew is assembled by an enigmatic coach and mentored by a visionary, eccentric British boat builder, but it is their trust in each other that makes them a victorious team. They remind the country of what can be done when everyone quite literally pulls together--a perfect melding of commitment, determination, and optimism.
Drawing on the boys' own diaries and journals, their photos and memories of a once-in-a-lifetime shared dream, "The Boys in the Boat "is an irresistible story about beating the odds and finding hope in the most desperate of times--the improbable, intimate story of nine working-class boys from the American west who, in the depths of the Great Depression, showed the world what true grit really meant. It will appeal to readers of Erik Larson, Timothy Egan, James Bradley, and David Halberstam's "The Amateurs."

Explore the world's most thrilling waves with Epic Surf Breaks of the World. From Namibia's wind-swept Skeleton Bay to Java's G-Land, discover the best place to 'hang ten', whatever your surfing ability. Accompanied by a series of stunning photographs, maps and beautiful illustrations as well as first-person stories from surf writers all across the globe, including Pulitzer Prize winner William Finnegan, this is the quintessential guide for surfers looking for their next epic break. With 200 destinations, from Australia's Bells Beach to the coral-flecked islands of the Maldives, you're sure to find your perfect break in this 328-page, hardcover book. Plus, we take you to some of the most adrenaline-pumping breaks in the world, including Tahiti's Teahupoo and Mexico's Puerto Escondido, as well as easier options for beginners, such as Taghazout in Morocco, meaning all abilities are catered for. We cover the planet's newest hotspots, such as Bundoran in Ireland, where world-class waves now lure surfers from all across the globe. About Lonely Planet: Lonely Planet is a leading travel media company and the world's number one travel guidebook brand, providing both inspiring and trustworthy information for every kind of traveller since 1973. Over the past four decades, we've printed over 145 million guidebooks and grown a dedicated, passionate global community of travellers. You'll also find our content online, on mobile, video and in 14 languages, 12 international magazines, armchair and lifestyle books, eBooks, and more.

This is a groundbreaking, technical analysis of yacht design, linked to the theory and testing of how a sailing yacht behaves underway. It is cutting edge - the author (a world expert in the field) has drawn his conclusions from years of research, analytical testing in wind tunnels and tanks, and his results represent the state of the art in performance prediction which underlies all modern yacht design. State of the art and with a revolutionary modern approach, Aero-hydrodynamics and the Performance of Sailing Yachts provides a systematic and completely up to date analysis, complete with colour photographs and diagrams throughout. An essential, and long awaited, work for all professional yacht designers, racing sailors and students of yacht design.

Motor skill acquisition and athlete development practices are rapidly evolving. Positioned at the forefront of this evolution, the constraints-led approach encourages practitioners to consider the athlete as a whole person, with unique traits, abilities, and capacities. Accordingly, an athlete's competitive success lies in the practitioner's ability to adapt their programming to the unique needs of each athlete and to develop an understanding of the athlete-environment relationship. A Constraints-led Approach to Swim Coaching applies contemporary motor skill acquisition and athlete development practices to swimming. This book encourages coaches to re-consider how they approach skill development in a sport that requires considerable physical training and highly efficiency movement. It presents a framework for identifying the various constraints that determine the ability to perform at a high level. It then offers coaches' practical examples to navigate the manipulation of constraints to support the development of physical capacities and the ability to effectively utilize those capacities through efficient movement. These frameworks are broadly inclusive to the global sports programming market. The book is written through a 'conversive' voice and is accessible to a broad audience interested in athlete development and programming such as coaches, sport scientists, support staff, athletes, and parents. At the same time, academics, and students in the areas of sport coaching, biomechanics, motor skill acquisition, strength and conditioning, and related disciplines will find interest in the insights provided from this underrepresented niche in sports.

This new paperback edition of Bill Sayer's comprehensive guide to the sports of rowing and sculling has been further revised and updated since the third edition. British rowing has undergone many changes in recent years and has enjoyed some spectacular international successes, particularly in the London 2012 Olympics. Levels of skill and professionalism are increasing all the time and new developments in training and equipment all go towards further increases in performance. This new edition takes into account these changes and incorporates recent research findings and experience that underpin improved training methods and nutritional advice. Bill Sayer offers invaluable instruction to maximize the athlete's efficiency, strength and endurance on the water. He surveys the basic equipment, the rigging and design of boats and their oars and sculls, the principles and practice of training - including the special requirements of women and juniors and the signficance of environmental factors, nutrition and psychology. The body of the book deals with different techniques required for rowing and sculling, illustrated by new sequences of photographs, and offers advice on steering and coxing and the special challenges of both head-of-the-river and regatta racing. With the aid of over 120 of his own colour photographs, diagrams and tables, Bill Sayer aims to provide every enthusiast, whether beginner or experienced competitor, with the information they need for greater success in the sport.

The popular image of sharks is of a dorsal fin cleaving the surface as it rushes to its next kill, but this is a limited caricature. There are over 500 species to choose from, most of whom are far more frightened of humans than vice versa. In this beautiful book, diving veteran John Bantin recounts many tales of his diving with several species of sharks and other marine animals over the last 4 decades. Accompanied by his own stunning photography, the captivating, spectacular and sometimes shocking encounters show the reader what it is like to get up close and personal to these bizarre and beautiful creatures. The sharks covered range from the great whale sharks to the small blacktip reef shark, in locations extending to all corners of the globe.

Crystal-clear advice for maintaining a crystal-clear swimming pool.

Keeping a swimming pool ready for use requires some chemistry know-how, an understanding of how pool mechanics work, and some time spent doing good old-fashioned cleaning work. Pool Care For Dummies offers a reliable, comprehensive resource for building the knowledge that lets you turn pool maintenance into a do-it-yourself task. Written by a certified swimming pool professional who started taking care of pools when she was 5 years old, this book helps you separate the good advice from the bad as you learn to build an upkeep schedule, figure out what chemicals you actually need and which are less-than-magical potions, and fix the common problems that plague all pool owners.

With so much trustworthy pool care advice in one place, you can finally cut back on time spent searching for swimming pool advice and more time splashing with your friends and family!

• Learn how pools work and get the tools you need to keep your pool running
• Test your water and maintain a safe swimming environment
• Care for your and balance your above-ground or in-ground pool
• Know what to do when unexpected problems arise

Private pool owners who need to know what’s what in the water will love this clear and complete Dummies guide.