The Art of Underwater Exploration

Here's a bumper blog entry for you to enjoy.

Ladybird Books are familiar to generations of readers from all over the world. In 1967 they published the tenth book in the "Achievements" series, Underwater Exploration. Unfortunately I haven't been able to find out anything about the artist, B. Knight but he produced some nicely atmospheric paintings. (Click for larger images.)

The first edition that I have doesn't carry the famous Ladybird logo but it was added to later editions.

"In the eternal darkness of the deep, lives plants and animals which man has not yet seen. This book describes man's exploration and achievements in this strange world of the sea."

The strange world of the sea

Divers at work on the Royal George

I like the way the diver on the right is just casually standing there below the cannon being winched up!

Diving dress and equipment

A diver about to start work

Working on a wreck

Here one of the divers seems a little concerned by the one-eyed octopus climbing ominously over the railings!

A diver climbs into a decompression chamber

Diving armour - for work at great depths

Behind you! (I think he'll be okay in his armour!)

Escaping from a submarine

Aqualung divers in action

I hope he's not intending to spear that ray. Bad aqualung diver!


Danger approaches

Here's a situation familiar to long-time Art of Diving followers - Cousteau and Dumas and their encounter with an Oceanic White-tip.

Modern divers working on an ancient wreck

Treasure on the sea bed

A bathysphere descends into the unknown

A jet-propelled diving saucer

And finally, here's the good old SP-350 "Denise", aka Cousteau's Diving Saucer.