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Dorset Shipwrecks by Steve Shovlar
Dorset Shipwrecks by Steve Shovlar
Knowing the how, why and when of a shipwreck provides the scrapyard on the seabed with a fascination which far outweighs the mere look of debris, and is essential for those who want to get the most from a wreck dive.
Which is why Steve Shovlar's Dorset Shipwrecks should be welcomed. There is no quarrel with its sub-title, 'A comprehensive guide to the shipwrecks of Purbeck and Poole Bay', because it is one of the most thorough books about wrecks on a section of the British coast that I have come across.
It tells the stories of more than 100 wrecks between the western side of the Isle of Purbeck and the eastern edge of Poole Bay. The author has adopted the well-tried formula of relating how and why the ship sank, what happened to the crew, the aftermath, her position and, if she has been dived, a short guide to what she looks like now.
The pictures might have been larger but there are plenty of them. Where they are not available, the superb paintings of the marine artist Barry Mason have been used.
One slight drawback in this 244-page book is that ships have been grouped chapter by chapter in date order, not geographically, which entails much flipping about if you are interested in a single area. But there is a good name index. Kendall McDonald |
Dorset Shipwrecks by Steve Shovlar, Freestyle Publications, Alexander House, Ling Road, Tower Park, Poole, Dorset BH12 4NZ (tel. 01202 735090), price £14.95 (1p&p).
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