Diving in Darkness is a manual of the equipment, procedures and techniques involved in diving environments where there is no clear surface: in caves, inside wrecks, and under ice.
Also read: Gifts for Divers
Coming from one of the world's most accomplished cave-divers, cave-diving photographers and cave-diving instructors, Martyn Farr's book is well-written, clearly presented and very comprehensive. Yet in some chapters it covers many competing techniques without really sticking its neck out and making recommendations.
You could argue that it's ‘horses for courses', but what comes across is that the author is too much of a nice guy to want to offend any particular cave-diving clique.
While many cave-diving techniques are broadly applicable to wreck-penetration and ice- diving, the author's background left me feeling that these topics were something of an add-on. The space would have been better used to expand on the cave-diving part.
Don't let my pickiness put you off. Diving in Darkness is easily the best cave-diving manual I have read. Martyn Farr's history of cave diving The Darkness Beckons has achieved legendary status, and it is by no means an easy act to follow.
John Liddiard
Diving in Darkness by Martyn Farr (Aquapress, ISBN 0952670151). Softback, 128pp, £19.95
