45 Diving Books and Scuba Adventures in the Ocean

People say creativity finds its way through difficulties, adversity, and misfortune.

They argue that happiness is a goal in life, but creatively it is sterile. Cervantes was in jail when he wrote Don Quixote. J.K. Rowlings was a broke mother writing in Edinburgh in the winter, while Ernest Hemingway was depressive, bipolar, narcissistic, and psychotic.

However, if we talk about diving books, things change.

Despite the fact the main character has difficulties in many of the books we present, other diving books talk about incredible places and landscapes or how to improve your skills as a diver in a creative way.

In today’s article, we talk about all of them. Take a look at the table of contents.

1. Best Exploration Books

1. National Geographic A Diver’s Guide to the World: Remarkable Dive Travel Destinations Above and Beneath the Surface (Carrie Miller and Chris Taylor, 2022)

This marine book aims to captivate the reader with the most beautiful and inspiring diving destinations in the world.

It tells dive stories, talks about marine life, recommends the best time of year to visit each location, and provides expert advice on how to plan a dive trip, including how to choose a dive operator, select the proper equipment and stay safe while diving. All are illustrated with impressive photographs from National Geographic.

2. 100 Dives of a Lifetime: The World’s Ultimate Underwater Destinations (Carrie Miller, 2019)

This ocean book features a collection of the most breathtaking and memorable dive sites around the world. The dive book includes more than 350 images from National Geographic and descriptions of each dive site.

It adds marine life information and the best time of year to visit the place. Some sites featured in this scuba diving book include the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, the Red Sea in Egypt, and the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador.

3. Dive Atlas of the World: An Illustrated Reference to the Best Sites (2017)

Leading writers and award-winning photographers such as Jack Jackson and Lawson Wood were responsible for this atlas. The dive atlas of the world is organized by region, with chapters covering dive destinations in the Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Pacific. Each chapter includes region maps and information on marine life.

4. Fifty Places to Dive Before You Die: Diving Experts Share the World’s Greatest Destinations (Chris Santella, 2008)

It’s a list of the world’s greatest diving destinations, as chosen by diving experts. It includes a variety of locations, from tropical reefs to shipwrecks to underwater caves, and provides information about each destination, including the types of marine life that can be found there, the best time to visit, and any necessary diving certifications or experience.

2. Real Underwater Story Books

5. The Last Dive: A Father and Son’s Fatal Descent into the Ocean’s Depths (Bernie Chowdhury, 2000)

This is a non-fiction deep-diving book. It tells about the Chris and Chrissy Rouse tragic accident, which happened in 1979 at the wreck of the Andrea Doria.

They were well-prepared and experienced divers who had made many successful dives at the wreck before. So, this SCUBA book is a poignant and tragic tale of the dangers of diving and the importance of safety in this exciting but risky sport.

6. The same wreck from another point of view tells: Deep Descent: Adventure and Death Diving the Andrea Doria (Kevin F. McMurray, 2001)

The book on scuba diving explores the history of Andrea Doria and the events leading up to its sinking, as well as the efforts of divers to explore and salvage the wreck. It also chronicles the dangerous and often deadly conditions that divers have faced while exploring one of the most challenging and perilous diving sites in the world.

7. Neutral Buoyancy: Adventures in a Liquid World (Tim Ecott, 2001)

This is a great exponent of underwater exploration books. In it, Tim Ecott reviews the history of diving and tells his own adventures, masterfully combining engaging dive stories with heart-pounding action. The result is a diving book, informative as well as entertaining and exciting.

8. Shadow Divers: The True Adventure of Two Americans Who Risked Everything to Solve One of the Last Mysteries of World War II (Robert Kurson, 2004)

The book tells the true dive story of two American recreational scuba divers, John Chatterton and Richie Kohler, who discovered the wreckage of a German U-boat off the coast of New Jersey in the early 1990s. The dive book is a thrilling tale of adventure and historical detective work, that has been praised for its compelling narrative and engaging characters.

9.Pirate Hunters: Treasure, Obsession, and the Search for a Legendary Pirate Ship (Robert Kurson, 2015)

The book tells the true diving story of two treasure hunters, John Chatterton and John Mattera. They search for the legendary Captain Joseph Bannister’s long-lost pirate ship, which was rumored to be loaded with treasure.

As they get closer to their goal, they face dangers and setbacks, including legal battles, personal conflicts, and the perils of diving in dangerous waters.

“Pirate Hunters” is a thrilling underwater story of adventure and determination, as well as a fascinating look at the world of treasure hunting and the history of piracy.

10. Between the Devil and the Deep: One Man’s Battle to Beat the Bends (Mark Cowan, 2016)

Decompression sickness is the protagonist of this diving book. To introduce the disease, he tells the story of British diver Martin Robson who suffered symptoms of Satan’s disease at 65 feet. He knew that if he ascended, he would die. Instead, he went under again and was rescued.

This deep diving book analyzes the disease from different points of view, its history, and those of the divers who suffered from it and whose sacrifice drives the search for solutions.

11. Guía práctica del buceador capullo (Luis Pérez Ruiz, 2017)

We have not been able to avoid the temptation to include this dive book written in Spanish and which is still waiting for an English translation, although it well deserves it.

It is a hilarious, atypical, extravagant diving book with which we will learn to dive badly, with all kinds of true dive stories. To give you an idea, the title of the diving manual in English would be: The Jackass Diver’s Practical Guide

12. Into the Planet: My Life as a Cave Diver (Jill Heinerth, 2019)

Throughout this exploration book, Heinerth shares her journey as a cave diver, including the challenges she faced and the lessons she learned. She also discusses the technical and scientific aspects of cave diving, as well as the psychological and emotional challenges of exploring the underwater world in this amazing cave diving book.

3. Scuba Diving Books and Novels

Nick Sullivan is an actor passionate about diving and diving fiction, as much as he decided to write his saga. His 6 scuba diving books “The Deep Series” are best sellers.

Boone Fischer and Emily Durand are both the main characters who work as Divemasters. These scuba books describe the suspenseful adventure that combines elements of mystery, action, and romance.

13. Deep Shadow is set on Bonaire and Saba.

14. Deep Cut is set on Saba and Sint Eustatius

15. Deep Roots is set in Belize

16. Deep Devil is set on Cozumel

17. Deep Focus set on Grand and Little Cayman

18. Deep Hex set on Turks and Caicos

AJ Bailey Adventure Series is a scuba diving book collection written by Nicholas Harvey and whose main character is AJ Bailey. She is a reluctant heroine who runs a dive boat and becomes embroiled in exciting and suspenseful adventures set in the beautiful Cayman Islands.

19. Cavern of the Lost Souls (Prequel Novella – 2019)

20. Twelve Mile Bank (2017)

21. Gardens of the Queen (2019),

22. Wreck of the Raptor (2019),

23. Ghost Mountain (2020),

24. Solomon’s Well (2020),

25. Queen of the Island Skies (2020),

26. Valley of the Rays (2020),

27. Neptune’s Wall (2020),

28. Spanish Bay Reef (2021)

29. Bloody Bay Rum Club (2021)

30. Half Moon Bay (2021)

31. Wrecks of Key Largo (2022)

32. Anchor Point (2023)

The Fin Fleming Scuba Diving Series by Sharon Ward.

Fin Fleming is a courageous yet vulnerable underwater photographer living in the Cayman Islands who gets caught up in incredible adventures. Murderers, sunken treasures, missing friends, and many mysteries. In addition, the author writes with an exquisite concern for realistic details in the description of diving techniques.

33. In Deep (2021)

34. Sunken Death (2021)

35. Dark Tide (2022)

36. Killer Storm (2022)

37. Hidden Depths (2023)

4. Books On Scuba Diving Techniques and Diving Manuals

The “Diving Compendium” consists of 4 books written by Simon Pridmore, an experienced diver and diving instructor. Each one was written thinking of the readers’ needs at a particular point in their scuba diving life

38. Scuba Fundamental – Start Diving the Right Way (2016) This is a diving course that teaches the basic skills and knowledge needed to safely start diving.

39. Scuba Confidential: An Insider’s Guide to Becoming a Better Diver (2013) The diving book is designed to help readers to improve their skills and knowledge, and become more confident and capable divers.

40. Scuba Exceptional: Become the Best Diver You Can Be (2018) This book on SCUBA diving follows the same didactic philosophy as the other two but with more technical and complex topics.

41. Scuba Professional: Insights Into Sport Diver Training and Operations (2015) Although divers with Divemaster certifications and above are the target of this diving book, any diver can take advantage of the topics covered in it: such as real risk awareness, diving teaching, and how dive operations are conducted in the industry.

42. Deco for Divers: A Diver’s Guide to Decompression Theory and Physiology (Max Powel, 2014)

This is a deep dive book that provides a comprehensive overview of decompression theory and the physiological effects of diving.

The underwater book covers a range of topics related to decompression, including the physics of pressure and gas behavior, the effects of diving on the body, and the use of decompression tables and dive computers to plan and execute safe dives.

43. The Complete Diver: The History, Science and Practice of Scuba Diving (Alex Brylske, 2012)

This scuba diving book is a comprehensive guide a wide range of topics, including the history of SCUBA, the physics and physiology of diving, the equipment used in Scuba diving, and the various types of diving activities and environments.

44. Diver Down: Real-World SCUBA Accidents and How to Avoid Them (Michael R. Ange, 2005)

This is a dive book that discusses the potential dangers and risks involved in SCUBA, and provides advice and information on how to avoid accidents and emergencies while diving.

Some of the topics covered in this book include dive planning, emergency procedures, dive equipment maintenance, and dealing with common diving emergencies such as decompression sickness, air embolisms, and equipment malfunctions. The book might also include real-life case studies of diving accidents and the lessons that can be learned from them.

45. Deep: Freediving, Renegade Science, and what the Ocean Tells Us about Ourselves (James Nestor, 2014)

This scuba dive book tells the diving story of Nestor’s journey to understand the science and psychology behind freediving. It is an engaging and informative read, offering a unique perspective on the ocean and the human relationship with it. It is suitable for readers who are interested in freediving, marine biology, and the science of the human body.