The Last Dive

[deepfish]

The Last Dive by Bernie Chowdhury
isbn: 0-06-019462-6

I just finished this book and would like to recommend it to everyone on the board. It is not about spearfishing but it is about diving. It deals with obsession for artifacts while diving deep and the resulting consequences. I'd urge you to take every dish or porthole discussed in the book and replace it with a grouper or hogfish and acknowledge if you see yourself or someone you dive with in the same light. It may make you a better diver.

A quote from the final pages of the book by Capt. Steve Bielienda, owner of the Wahoo, a boat that runs charters out to the wreck of the Andrea Doria:

"Experience is something you accumulate over time. You've got to pay your dues and do lots of dives. Then, when you're doing something underwater and run into trouble, you have some insurance to fall back on and to get yourself out of a situation. If you are doing anything at all underwater, something will happen and you will need that experience to get out of a close call."

[slipknot]

I read it too .A great read,those guy's were some of the true pioneers/guinea pigs, of the sport.And in all reality, that happened not too long ago.

[dagodiver]

Great book.

[Griswold]

I agree. The book does a great job at making you look in the mirror. Learing from other's mistakes beats the heck out of learning the hard way.

It's amazing how far the sport has come in such a short time.

[JustAddWater]

Good read; it couples real faces to tragic statistics as well as a bit of history on the progession of tech. diving. Though I enjoyed it, it was also a lesson on the importance of humility.

[zds3488]

excellent book......couldnt put it down....great examples of what COULD go wrong if one is not careful...........im sorry, but diving the Andrea Doria on air is well...........nevermind

[TGuthrie]

Excellent book!

[Aint Scared Me]

Excellent book and well written and does bring home the message to spearos but after the first chapter my thoughts were OK who is going to die from the cast of characters. It was not a matter of if but when. It was sad but it was almost like a mystery where you try and figure it out while half way through. I did enjoy reading about early computer development - as someone pointed out earlier they were guinea pigs.

[Doc]

I didnt know he wrote this book...I dove alot and "became a wreck diver" on the wahoo back in the day.

The first time on his boat I show up 15 years old with like 40 dives under my belt fresh out of a carribean wreck diving class (I was officially a master-diver now in PADI lingo) having no idea what I was getting myself into; certainly not prepared for a deep, cold wreck dive in the North atlantic. He sized me up pretty fast, laughed at me, and sent me down with a divemaster. He wouldnt let my friend I came with dive, gave him his money back. Just before I jump in he sais "son, youre gonna learn a little something about wreck diving today". He was right. Talked with him for over an hour on the way back in when he invited me up to the pilot house; he gave me advice I still hang onto this day and told me stories I still remember; and told me what I had to learn before I could come back on his boat. Good experience, but pretty scary for a 14 year old.

Didnt have the balls to show up for another two summers or so (when I actually had a drivers liscence); but by that time had another hundred dives or so and took a propper Northern wreck diving class. The next time I came back he reckognized me right away and said "I remember you. I was wondering when youd be back." Now I was prepared and knew what I was doing, earned his respect, and became somewhat of a regular on his boat and others over the next few years... never felt the need to do any of the real deep or technical stuff though; certainly not the AD.

The capt is a good man, has already taught me alot; and Im sure as hell gonna read that book.

[Dangerous]

A couple of themes are developed that are really on target for spearos. Nitrogen narcosis can kill you & ultimately was the primary cause of the fatal & near fatal accidents. Secondly, development of underwater communications could possibly prevent many of the mishaps.

To quote Deepfish on a previous thread, "This can kill you"

[diligaf]

I’ve never read the book, I’ve always thought it might hit a little too close to home, but I’ve heard it is excellent from everyone who has.

The points made by Deepfish, Doc, Dangerous, and everyone are excellent. And I feel anyone thinking of pushing the envelope should read the book along with having the proper experience and training to do the dive.

I think I worry the most about young divers who think they are invincible and who have to find out things for themselves. Often, when I was younger, older divers would tell me I shouldn’t do certain things or to do things in a certain way. I would always think, “yea right old man, I know what I’m doing, and I can get away with it”. But over time I would get myself into trouble doing what they told me not to do or not doing it in that certain way.

Fortunately, I was always able to get myself out of trouble, but some of my friends were not. I know everyone is going to do what they decide to do and that’s the way it should be…but think it through, listen, be trained, and have the proper experience. And remember, when you push the envelope, there is always a price to pay.

PS - Doc - What were some of the things the Capt. taught you?

[zds3488]

DOC, Sounds familiar :D

[dlock]

another great quote from that book was..."All problems underwater must be solved underwater". Definitely a good read! Have any of you guys read "Deep Descent" by Kevin F. McMurray? I read it before I read "The Last Dive", it is also about diving the Andrea Doria and mentions several of the same divers including Bernie. Also a must read!!

[richhermes]

Here's the link to Amazon if you haven't got your copy yet.

The Last Dive by Bernie Chowdhury (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0060194626/qid=1067776076/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/104-6043076-4038351?v=glance&s=books)

[Doc]

Diligaf-

I think the capt saw the propensity for me to become one of those young cocky divers; and talked it right out of me before it ever happened. After that day 15 years ago I realized that I would be a diver for my entire life; and no one dive was worth taking a risk. It really helped me form my philosophy on diving; which I can summarize like this:

You owe it to everyone else on the boat your'e diving from and everyone your in the water with not to **** up. Dive emergencies often lead to double casualties; so you do everything in you power to avoid them; if not for your own sake than for the sake of your partners.

Never depend on anybody else to get you through a dive; if you are not 100% capable of doing it yourself given the worst case scenario; dont do it. Never follow blindly. Use a redundent air source. If there is a CHANCE you wont have enough air to surface safely; leave the damn fish/lobster/artifact alone and come get it later. (Ive got at least two FULL bottles of probation era rum waiting for me on a wreck in NY that were stuck in hardpan in a spot most people would be reluctant to wedge themslves to dig; Ive been waiting three years for an opportunity to go back and finish digging them out.)

There is no reason to ever do anything underwater that could lead you to lose your life; leave large margins of error; never push it.

Hope im not coming of like im on the soapbox here; I know there are lots of divers more skilled than myself; and Im not saying that Ill never need assistance or that ill never screw up; im just sharing a view point.

[diligaf]

Doc - Excellent points!

[junior]

A very good read. Just finished it. Those guys were definately living on the edge. Highly recommended read for any diver.

[spear_friend]

ok. i havent read the book yet. and want to now. so ill bid $5 on anyones copy, since everyone else read it already.

[PAT A]

Excellent book. Just finished reading it, makes you stop and think a little about the realities of what we do. A couple more really great books on the same subject are Deep Descent, and Shadow Divers. Highly recomended....PAT A

[SeaPlusPlus]

Originally posted by PAT A
Excellent book. Just finished reading it, makes you stop and think a little about the realities of what we do. A couple more really great books on the same subject are Deep Descent, and Shadow Divers. Highly recomended....PAT A

I just finished Deep Descent, am most of the way through Last Dive (will finish it tonight), and have Shadow Divers sitting on my desk (will start it tomorrow).

Next up, I've got to start looking for some of those Terry Maas books.

[Undertow]

Can these books be found at a local Barnes & Nobles? I'm going to need something to read once I finish the latest Clancy book.

[PatMyGreen]

If you are reading teeth of the tiger...stop now and walk away.

[PAT A]

Undertow, I found Deep Descent at Barnes & Noble, The Last Dive at Books A Million,Divers direct also has it and I got Shadow Divers at a book store when I was in Vegas a few weeks ago. But any of the larger book stores should either have them or be able to get them for you. You could also try Ebay or Amazon....PAT A

[SeaPlusPlus]

Originally posted by Undertow
Can these books be found at a local Barnes & Nobles? I'm going to need something to read once I finish the latest Clancy book.

I like half.com, as the prices tend to be really low, and every book I've gotten from there has been in like-new condition. And it never takes more than a week or so for the book to come in.


Wil

[Denny]

I read The Last Dive a couple of years ago. Sobering on the one hand, startling on the other. Father and son were diving beyond their limits. The whole book seems to glorify their gung-ho, damn everything, let's go diving attitude. Did anyone find it disturbing that the Two Chris' put together their own expedition and could not afford the gas mixes that they needed? I believe that some of their peers thought that the Chris' were not yet experienced enough to head up such an expedition. I got the impression that the duo acted wrecklessly many times prior to their fatal dive.
Good lessons here. Those guys caused some serious pain to many people.

[SeaPlusPlus]

Originally posted by Denny
I got the impression that the duo acted wrecklessly many times prior to their fatal dive.


I got the same impression, and it seemed to be caused by a constant one-upsmanship cycle between the two of them. More than once in the book they were portrayed as one backing down from something dangerous, and the other egging them into it, even though they both knew it was a bad idea.

It's one thing to have dive buddies who rag on each other. Within the group of guys I normally dive with there is a constant banter and joking and calling each other pu$$ies, but if someone chooses to call a dive, it's a respected decision. From what I read in the book, that didn't seem to be the case with the Rouses.


Wil

[dagodiver]

Amen...a called dive is a called dive, end of story.!
My favorite dive is the one i am doing tomorrow.
Dago.

[Undertow]

If you are reading teeth of the tiger...stop now and walk away.

I am. I've read almost all of his other books, so I can't quit now.

Thanks for the tips on book hunting everyone.

[deepstops]

One more tip for finding cheap books:
http://www.bookcloseouts.com/bc/home.asp

They're selling the Last Dive for $8.99 (retails at $25).

[SeaPlusPlus]

Originally posted by deepstops
One more tip for finding cheap books:
http://www.bookcloseouts.com/bc/home.asp

They're selling the Last Dive for $8.99 (retails at $25).

I've bought from them before, but I always check half.com first. I got The Last Dive for $3.50 + $3 s/h from half.com. I generally pay $5 or less per book from half.com.

Bookcloseouts.com sells books that are overstocked and have never been read. Since I'm not adverse to a little wear and tear, I buy used books from half.com. I usually go for the "like new" books, since I always end up loaning them out. As long as the spine isn't broken, the book is readable for many people to come.

For any folks in the Tallahassee area, you can borrow these books from me if you want. Deep Descent is currently loaned out, and I haven't had a chance to finish The Last Dive yet. If anyone wants to borrow these, though, let me know. I'll handle the borrowers list on a first-come-first-served basis.


Wil

[spear_friend]

ill put the first bid in for $5 to anyone that had read the book already and dont need it now

[Spearo_Fla]

I read both the Last Dive and Shadow Divers. I liked Shadow Divers better. The story in last Dive about the father and son is second hand, from Shadow the story was from the divers that were there. I talked to the author of Shadow and he is aware of the differences in the story lines when it comes to the USCG pick up between his book and Last Dive. He went over this several times witht hecaptian and his first mate.

[WonderBoy]

I have a copy of The Last Dive. Hard copy. Available to anyone that wants it! I don't want any money for it! Just PM me an address and the first PM gets it!
It was a hell of a book. I do belive that they were qualified to do the dive(s) that killed them. I think you're right about the constant competition they felt existed b/w them. I think you're right about not being able to afford the proper gasses. But they seemed to have the ability. It was a hell of a book, and I recommend it to anyone who hasn't read it!

[dlock]

I always liked the quote from that book that "all problems underwater must be solved underwater". Definitely a must read!

[Cuban]

Definetely a great book.