Whether you want to explore the sunken German WWI High Seas Fleet wrecks at Scapa Flow, the sunken Japanese WWII wrecks at Truk Lagoon or read about my adventures diving shipwrecks around the world, these books will give you everything you need to know!
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I took up diving in the early 1980s – it seems so long ago now – before even Wham were popular. I developed an interest in shipwrecks after my first dive trip to Scapa Flow in Orkney where the remains of the German High Seas Fleet from Word War I still lie on the seabed – 4 cruisers, 3 gigantic battleships along with many other shipwrecks.
At the time there was virtually no information on the wrecks available for divers – and this led me to come up with the idea of writing a Dive Guide to the Scapa wrecks. The First Edition of Dive Scapa Flow was published in 1990 and soon became the essential and ever present guide to diving in Scapa Flow. Recently it has been totally rewritten and given a 21st century make over for its centenary 6th edition, published to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the scuttling of the German High Seas Fleet on 21 June 2019.
Dive Scotland’s Greatest Wrecks followed in 1992 covering the histories and current condition of the classic Scottish wreck dives – and this was followed by a complimentary book about the top 10 wrecks south of the border, Dive England’s Greatest Wrecks
The Diving Trilogy
Great British Shipwrecks – A Personal Adventure focusses on 37 of the most famous shipwrecks around the UK that I have personally explored. In a coffee table style format, the history of each wreck is recounted and the wreck itself is beautifully illustrated with topside and underwater photographs – and stunning illustrations of the wreck on the seabed today.
Force Z Shipwrecks of the South China Sea – HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse was released in March 2013 at OZTeK 2013 and covers the careers of these two famous British capital ships and their subsequent demise to a massed attack by 85 Japanese bombers – the sinking of Prince of Wales heralded the end of the era of the battleship.
Dive Truk Lagoon – the Japanese WWII Pacific shipwrecks covers the 37 major shipwrecks and aircraft wrecks of the world’s greatest wreck diving location; the legacy of the American Operation Hailstone of 17/18 February 1944.
Dive Palau – the Shipwrecks covers the 20 major shipwrecks of the U.S. Operation Desecrate 1 – that followed just 6 weeks after Truk Lagoon was neutralised in Operation Hailstone.
Shipwrecks of Truk Lagoon is a slim booklet covering 21 of Truk Lagoon’s most famous wrecks in a easy to read, visual format filled with illustrations of the wrecks as they lie at the bottom of the lagoon today.
Many thanks to Bob Anderson skipper of the MV Halton dive boat and to Ewan Rowell for use of their fine photography.
It has recently become clear that illegal salvors have completely removed the Dutch WWII submarines HNLMS K XVII and HNLMS O 16 from the South…
Just back from a fascinating week up in Scapa Flow as part of the Scapa 100 celebrations to mark the 100th anniversary of the scuttling…
Continue reading → 21 June 2019. Scapa Flow – 100th anniversary of the scuttling of the German Fleet
The 1,999grt Type 1D standard cargo ship Shotan Maru was sunk in Truk Lagoon on the second day of U.S. Task Force 58’s surprise 2-day…
Continue reading → 12 June 2019. Shotan Maru, Truk Lagoon – new wreck video tour released
The large 392.5-feet long IJN auxiliary transport vessel Seiko Maru was launched on 14 May 1940 as Japan readied itself for war in the Pacific.…
Continue reading → 11 June 2019. Seiko Maru – Truk Lagoon. New wreck video posted
Just posted another dive video on my YouTube channel, this time of the large Japanese WWII shipwreck in Truk Lagoon, Kiyosumi Maru. This ship started…
Here’s a short video of a dive on the massive 575 foot long dreadnought SMS Konig, lying on the bottom of Scapa Flow, Orkney in…
Continue reading → 2 June 2019. SMS Konig, dreadnought battleship, Scapa Flow
