Through all the ups and downs of life, the author has always been pushed toward cave diving. From childhood to the present time, he explains what has shaped and sharpened him for this activity, which is regarded as very hazardous and engaged. He explains how this nonpaid activity is linked with the other parts of his life. The emphasis is put not only on exploration, which is a very central element of caving and cave diving but also on ethical, social, technical, and scientific considerati...

The CompassThis booklet is the companion volume to Map Use. It is the minimal knowledge anyone stepping into the wilderness should have about compass use. This is not an orienteering manual.Written by Mors Kochanski

An investigation into how machines and living creatures fly, and of the similarities between butterflies and Boeings, paper airplanes and plovers.From the smallest gnat to the largest aircraft, all things that fly obey the same aerodynamic principles. In The Simple Science of Flight, Henk Tennekes investigates just how machines and creatures fly: what size wings they need, how much energy is required for their journeys, how they cross deserts and oceans, h...

Since the 1990s, the Ankarana region of northern Madagascar has developed a reputation among globe-trotting gemstone traders and tourists as a source of some of the world's most precious natural wonders. Although some might see Ankarana's sapphire and ecotourist trades as being at odds with each other, many local people understand these trades to be fundamentally connected, most obviously in how both serve foreign demand for what Madagascar has to offer the world. Walsh explores the tensio...

Prince George-based outdoors expert, Mike Nash, shares what he has learned about outdoor safety and survival during more than thirty years of year-round treks into the rugged backcountry of western Canada. This dynamic and up-to-date handbook discusses ways to prepare for and deal with any number of critical situations that may arise in remote and mountainous terrain and is packed with information on:general safety principalswhat to take with youfinding yo...

Now with full-color topographic maps and featuring the latest on electronic navigation, The Essential Wilderness Navigator is the clearest and most up-to-date route-finding primer available. Providing readers with exercises for developing a directional ‘sixth sense,’ tips on mastering the art of map- and compass-reading, and comprehensive updates on a range of technological advances, this perennially popular guide is more indispensable than ever.

The first pilot to fly around the world in a homebuilt plane tells his remarkable story in this memoir of determination, courage and adventure.After beating cancer, Manuel Queiroz was ready to take on a life-changing goal—and decided that he would fly solo around the world. Five years later, he not only fulfilled that dream—setting six world speed records in the process—but did it in a plane he built himself. Now he shares the incredible story of his record-breaking...

Civil engineering produces the structures of all human settlements worldwide and is a vital discipline for many aspects modern life, underlying housing, transport, and our major areas and buildings related to work, study, and leisure. In this Very Short Introduction, David Muir Wood demonstrates the nature and importance of civil engineering not only in the history of civilization and urbanization, but its range of facets today, and its challenges for the future. Beginning with th...

For centuries, Californians and the Japanese have known that they were at risk of catastrophic earthquakes, and prepared accordingly. But when a violent 7.0 earthquake rocked Haiti in 2010, hardly anyone knew the island nation was even at risk for disaster, and, tragically, no one was prepared. Over 300,000 people died as buildings that had never been designed to withstand such intense shaking toppled over and crushed their inhabitants. Now, scientists warn that it won't be long before a s...

Collins Shorts – insight in an instant.Learn the techniques you need to become an expert navigator, without reliance on technology. Discover the basic principles of navigation in this clever and concise guide to how to find your way anywhere in the world – without Sat Nav.Collins Shorts are a fresh look at the ebook short, with the emphasis on vibrant design, animated content and expert authors who can provide accessible insight. They satisfy your thirst for knowledge witho...

Follow George Fetherling as he travels through Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia looking for any remaining traces of the Indochina that was.In Indochina Now and Then, George Fetherling recounts multiple journeys through Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia, keeping an eye peeled and an ear cocked for whatever faint traces of French rule might remain. While doing so he searches diligently in village markets, curio shops, and rubbish bins, not to mention bookstalls along the Seine in Paris...

Laos is a wonderful, peaceful country in South-East Asia. I enjoyed my time here immensely. There is great beauty in the land, and as a backpacker it’s a very interested if laid-back place to venture. I loved my time in Luang Prabang, in the north of the country, where I took a boat on the Mekong River, visited a bear sanctuary and swam beneath a waterfall with shades of paradise. The atmosphere of the town was great, and there were some good places to eat as well. Join me as I travel furt...