Chris and Chrissy Rouse, an experienced father-and-son scuba diving team, hoped to achieve widespread recognition for their outstanding but controversial diving skills. Obsessed and ambitious, they sought to solve the secrets of a mysterious, undocumented World War II German U-boat that lay under 230 feet of water, only a half-day's mission from New York Harbor. In doing so, they paid the ultimate price in their quest for fame. Bernie Chowdhury, himself an expert diver and a close friend of the Rouses', explores the thrill-seeking world of deep-sea diving, including its legendary figures, most celebrated triumphs, and gruesome tragedies. By examining the diver's psychology through the complex father-and-son dynamic, Chowdhury illuminates the extreme sport diver's push toward -- and sometimes beyond -- the limits of human endurance.

Reviews

Extreme sports, such as climbing Mount Everest, are becoming increasingly popular in this country. Among these activities is extreme scuba diving deep diving, wreck diving, and cave diving, often using nonair gas mixtures. Chowdury chronicles the world of these divers, using his own story and that of a father-and-son dive team that died following a penetration-wreck dive at 230 feet using air. Excellently written and a real "grabber" to read, the book includes much information about the history, equipment, and people who make up the world of extreme or "technical" diving. This book should be read by any diver thinking of getting involved in wreck, cave, deep, or mixed-gas diving. One hopes it will change their minds, for there's absolutely no margin for error in these risky ventures. There is also much meat here for those interested in the psychology of extreme sports. Strongly recommended for libraries of all types with interests in scuba diving, sports (especially extreme sports), and the psychology of sports and risk-taking.DMargaret Rioux, MBL/WHOI Lib., Woods Hole, MA Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.

An experienced diver with a personal connection to his subjects, Chowdhury chronicles the tragedy of Chris and Chrissy Rouse, an energetic, quarrelsome father-son dive team who, in 1992, met with disaster while attempting to reach a German U-boat in the waters off the New York coast. Though highly competent in risky underwater-cave diving, the Rouses lacked experience on the open sea. Lured by pride to make the 230-foot dive despite questionable weather conditions, the two fell victim to a cruel convergence of circumstances that led to agonizing death. While Chowdhury tells the Rouses' story well and provides insight into their characters, his best writing is devoted to explaining the history and dangers involved in the sport itself. Readers learn in clear terms about how nitrogen can build up in divers' bloodstreams, leading to the danger of "the bends"; and about "Martini's Law," which describes the disorientation caused by nitrogen, an effect roughly equivalent to drinking one martini on an empty stomach at every 50 feet of depth. These and other clarifications of diving's obstacles are combined with stories from his own experience to produce a highly enjoyable survey of human exploit below the surface. Though the book has weak points, particularly stilted dialogue that bristles with exclamation points, the alluring nature of the Rouses' tale and Chowdhury's clear portrayal of diving will entice anyone who has thought about exploring the deep. (Oct.) Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.