Essentials of Sea Survival
Each year, 140,000 water-related deaths occur worldwide. These deaths are rarely true “accidents,” because most maritime incidents are caused by lack of preparedness. If you frequently participate in aquatic activities, have you stopped to consider the nature of the threat confronting you? What steps can you take to improve your chances of surviving in the water or on a survival craft? Is your knowledge of the basic principles sufficient to enable you to adapt, improvise, and survive?

Reading Essentials of Sea Survival prepares you to avoid disaster, even in the worst-case scenario. The book is a compelling, informative, and comprehensive guide to open-water survival. Drawing on historical anecdotes as well as published scientific research, it examines the nature of the many threats confronting the survivor at sea and outlines, in lay terms, the methods you can use to prevent or minimize the dangers.

Authors Frank Golden and Michael Tipton are internationally recognized experts in cold-water survival. In Essentials of Sea Survival they explain the scientific reasoning behind much of the conventional teaching on open-water survival, dispel many misconceptions about how and why people die at sea, and provide up-to-date information on sustained survival in cold water. The lessons they teach are drawn from classic maritime disasters and personal accounts of near-miraculous survival, as well as carefully controlled laboratory experiments.

The first half of the book deals predominantly with the physiological and behavioral responses to cold, immersion, and drowning. The second half addresses techniques for survival and rescue, either in the water or in a lifeboat. You’ll find detailed explanations of hypothermia, cold shock, drowning, and near drowning; well-researched information on the physiological responses to short- and long-term immersion and exposure; commonsense approach to life jacket, flotation device, and survival gear selection; and step-by-step explanations of how to safely abandon ship, board a life craft, dispense water and rations, divide duties, conserve energy and strength, and proceed with a successful rescue.

Essentials of Sea Survival is a fascinating blend of historical anecdote, scientific fact, and practical application. Historical examples put the scientific content into real-life context, making it understandable and memorable. You’ll also appreciate the easily accessible chapter summaries and recommendations, helpful glossary of terms, and list of references for those who want even more information on the subject.

For more information or to order call 1-800-747-4457.

Reefs and Rain Forests: The Natural Heritage of Malaysian Borneo
Reefs and Rain Forests is Murray Kaufman’s powerful essay about the two most important, primal, and endangered ecosystems on Earth, places Murray describes as “the last living Eden.” For more than seven years, he photographed the beauty and fragility “of a part of the world little known and rarely visited by Westerners.” He shows us the remarkable contrasts and similarities of these two unique environments in an intimate, cohesive, and unprecedented way. And through his photographs, which graphically depict the vital and essential concept of biodiversity, Murray opens the way for a new understanding and a new commitment to conservation of these coral reefs and tropical rain forests.

The book’s three main chapters combine Murray’s stunning images with texts by leading Malaysian experts in the field, to depict a phenomenal array of flora and fauna, including some newly discovered and never-before-seen species.

“Reefs” illustrates the astounding beauty and diverse life of an ecosystem surpassing all other marine ecosystems of the world. From huge shoals of barracudas and jacks, down to shrimp and crabs no bigger than a fingernail, the colors, textures, patterns, and behaviors of the creatures depicted will amaze and delight you.

“Rain Forests” reveals the intense richness of plant and animal life in one of the world’s largest rain forests, where average rainfall may exceed 200 inches per year. The images will bring you eye to eye with many elusive and rarely seen creatures such as the orangutan, Asian elephant, tarsier and slow loris.

“Regarding Conservation” explores the problems of we face today in protecting, conserving and restoring the beauty and biodiversity of these ancient and endangered ecosystems. Seeing images of many wondrous creatures, like sea turtles, orangutans, Rafflesia flowers and Asian two-horned rhinos brings a clear message of the importance and urgency we face in protecting their endangered habitats.

Murray has included a lengthy annotation, “Photographer’s Notes” which includes full-color thumbnail photographs of every image, locations, scientific information and his fascinating personal commentaries. A brief description of his equipment and techniques is given in the “Technical Notes.”

Also, Murray acknowledges the essential work of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF Malaysia) in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo. He writes: “In support of their diverse and wide-ranging efforts to protect, conserve, and in some cases restore the beauty and natural biodiversity of the rain forests and reefs for future generations, a portion of the profits from sales of this book will be donated to WWF Malaysia.”

Reefs and Rain Forests 276 pages, hard bound with 230 full color images. For more information visit http://www.murraykaufman.com on the web.

On-Site Management of Scuba Diving and Boating Emergencies
Safety must be the top priority for all divers. This begins with preparedness and proper techniques. On-Site Management of Scuba Diving and Boating Emergencies was specifically written to include most, if not all, commonly encountered problems a diver may be faced with, and how to deal with them.

Medically related scuba diving conditions are thoroughly reviewed and the on-site treatment is outlined for each specific ailment. In addition, a detailed review is presented of ways to identify a problem in the water, search for a victim, tow a victim, in-water artificial ventilation, exiting with a victim, and a whole host of other specific emergency management protocols.

Boating risks may eventually lead to conditions that could be life threatening. Mechanical failures, fire, accidents, lost at sea, bad weather and a multitude of other scenarios may lead to loss of like if poorly managed. Detailed directions for assessment and management of for these adversities are also included.

On-Site Management of Scuba Diving and Boating Emergencies will help the rescuer tip the balance in favor of the victim.

This book is authored by Dr. Wesley Y. Yapor and published by Best Publishing Company, book number B1041.

For more information or to order visit http://www.bestpub.com on the web or call 800-468-1055.