British history is irrevocably tied to the sea. The progress and very survival of this island nation has depended in large part upon the development of its naval fleet and on maritime engineering and overseas trade. For centuries Britannia did indeed rule the waves and at one time a huge percentage of all ships made in the world were constructed in Britain. While those days are now largely over, a tantalizing sunken treasury of Britain's glorious naval past lies waiting to be explored at the bottom of the sea in the countless wrecks that lie around Britain's shores. Dive England's Greatest Wrecks is the perfect companion for any diver interested in exploring England's most exciting shipwrecks, preserved as time capsules of an era of sea power and majesty that has now passed into the history books. Among the ten featured here are the Salsette off Weymouth, arguably England's most famous shipwreck; the SS Kyarra off Dorset; the British submarine M2 and the pre-dreadnought battleship HMS Hood, both lying off Portland; the American Liberty ship James Eagan Layne off Plymouth; and the fabulous P&O liner Moldavia. Along with the history of each vessel and the dramatic account of how it was wrecked, there is essential diver information detailing how the wreck lies today, along with depths, tides, and other points of interest. Each of the wrecks is vividly brought to life by specially commissioned stunning paintings showing the vessels as they lie on the seabed today.
Rod Macdonald is a lawyer and the author of the bestselling Mainstream titles Dive Scapa Flow, now in its fourth edition, and Dive Scotland's Greatest Wrecks, now in its second edition. He specialises in wreck-diving research and has written for most international diving publications. He lives in Stonehaven with his wife and two daughters.
