The Sponge Divers


Book Description

For some 3000 years, the ships on the Greek island of Kalymnos have put out to sea. In recent generations the men have been sponge divers, but then a chemist learned to make a synthetic sponge. A way of life is ending. This is the story of people facing this break in the life of the island.




The Sponge Divers


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The Bellstone


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Guided by his grandfather's poem about sponge diving, one American returns to Greece to reclaim his past.




Bitter Sea


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Freediving - the Story of Stathis Hatzis


Book Description

Stathis G. Hatzis was the head diver among Symi's and the Dodecanese's hundreds of free divers - sponge divers in the early 20th century. In 1913, he dived to a depth of 88 meters, for 4 minutes, in his attempt to locate and tie the anchor of the Italian battleship Regina Margherita which had been lost on the ocean floor. The book is the biography of Stathis Hatzis and follows Stathi in his three day adventure to find and secure the lost anchor, making a total of 16 record free dives from 50 to 88 meters depth. Stathis Hatzis' unique accomplishment was representative of the incredible abilities of this humble sponge diver, as well as his generation's, the last free divers - sponge divers, diving with the kampanelopetra, who disappeared along with a unique in the world tradition, which had endured uninterrupted until then, since the depths of antiquity. In the pages of this book, the adventures and legendary dives of Stathis Hatzis become the reason to chronicle the entire history of free diving in Greece, from its origins in ancient times to the late 20th century. Rare photos and documents reveal the achievements of an island population consisting of thousands of free divers and their families, who, with Symi and the Dodecanese as an epicentre, achieved greatness in the Aegean for centuries, thanks to the precious sponges gathered from the depths of the Mediterranean and traded in the markets of Europe and America.




Neutral Buoyancy


Book Description

"Neutral Buoyancy is a journey filled with exotic, eccentric human characters competing for space with misunderstood sharks, weeping turtles, smiling dolphins and erotically shaped sea slugs. This unique and inspiring insight into our relationship with the deep will allow even the most timid swimmer to lose themselves underwater."--Jacket.




The Sea and the Stone


Book Description

A POWERFUL NOVEL OF ELEMENTAL LOVE AND FURY ON A DOOMED, ENCHANTED ISLAND WORLD.... In the cradle of civilization, rocked by the waters of the blue Aegean, lies the tiny, barren island of Kalymnos. It is cloaked in antiquity and rich with the vibrant life of a proud and passionate people who have stubbornly endured the ravages of man and nature for three thousand years. And yet Kalymnos is dying, its means of survival crushed beneath the juggernaut of progress. Here is a moving story of this doomed, enchanted island, of a strong man and a strange, haunting woman who lived there, of a tormented girl who fled there, and of a wanderer who came, seeking... It is a story of unique power and simple splendor, a fiction rooted deep in truth. “...stirring...It is an elemental story of the raging sea and the rocky land, of the fundamental urges of man and woman...a story of great beauty and surging excitement...”—Boston Herald “...what they have seen, heard, felt in Kalymnos...make a vivid story, written as modern painters paint, not lingeringly, nor sentimentally, but with great splashes of significant color...”—New York Herald Tribune “...a lyrical and rugged account...of a virile race, almost pure descendants from the men who once sent their war galleys to ancient Troy...”—Springfield Republican “...a powerful and sad, beautifully written tale.”—Newark News “This is stark, brutal fiction based on fact. The dynamic, incisive and beautiful prose is worthy of a Hemingway...”—Grand Rapids Herald “Kalymnos as a place is most effectively presented, with a fine feeling for wind and weather, sea and sky, and a sustained brightness of natural detail. Also, the collective life of the islanders is very convincingly treated, with understanding and concern.”—Chicago Tribune “...superb...It paints murals of truth...”—Saturday Review




Alexandra


Book Description

Tragedy forces Alexandra Papadimitrios, a member of a family of Florida sponge fishers, out of her traditional role into a new and dangerous course that leads her into all kinds of challenges, including the attentions of a handsome sea captain.




Sea Squirts and Sea Sponges of Britain and Ireland


Book Description

Sea squirts and sponges are found in most seafloor habitats around the coasts of Britain and Ireland. Despite being the dominant life forms in many areas, these two groups of under-recorded marine animals are often confused with one another, and most divers and snorkellers can recognise and name very few species. In fact, around 500 species of Ascidiacea (sea squirts) and Porifera (sponges) have been described so far in British and Irish seas, corresponding to over 4% of the world’s total. This book is recommended reading for anyone who wants to identify and discover more about these fascinating and diverse animals. Rather than relying on the characteristics of preserved specimens, this guide uses marine photography and detailed underwater observations to concentrate on in situ features, allowing you to record species without collecting them. Most sea squirts found in Britain and Ireland’s shallow waters are included, together with the most easily recognised sponges. Whether you are a student, a diver, a rockpooler or simply an enthusiast, this is an essential companion. ● Over 115 species described in detail with in situ photographs to help with underwater recognition ● Information on size, depth, habitat and distribution ● Key distinguishing features and areas of confusion in identification highlighted ● Details of body structure, life histories, digestive and reproductive processes ● Information about predators, interactions between species, non-native and problem invasive species