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In a series of brilliantly detailed portraits, this history of the daring art of diving recounts the eccentric exploits and sense-defying feats of the men who turned underwater adventure into a modern science. Spear fishermen and conservationists, treasure hunters and archaeologists, photographers and philosophers -- these pioneers invented and experimented with all sorts of amazing devices to enable them to explore the secretive and seductive depths of the sea. Among the colorful adventurers from the past two centuries included in this volume stand the likes of Guy Gilpatric, who wrote a film for Humphrey Bogart, invented snorkeling, and shot his wife; Roy Miner, who wore a bucket over his head and stole a coral reef; William Beebe, who sealed himself in a metal coffin to dangle a half mile undersea; and John Haldane, who learned how to control human breathing and prevent bends.