Water sports and recreations Books

An immersive memoir about a groundbreaking surfing career, and a stunning portrait of Ireland as one of the world’s most captivating big-wave surfing destinations. ”A brilliant story” – Ray D’Arcy Born and raised in Bundoran, with the waves of the west...

THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER A TIMES BEST MEMOIR OF 2023‘Grippingly vivid and pacey’ THE TIMES‘A seven-year old girl on a seventy-foot yacht, for ten years, over fifty thousand miles of sailing’ SIMON WINCHESTER 'An astonishing almost day-by-day...

Dive into 60 of the world's most joyous wild swimming spots and discover a further 120 ideas for uplifting bathing experiences. Packed with inspirational expert insights, immersive photography, and essential trip planning tips, this remarkable book...

Lonely Planet’s Experience East Coast Australia travel guide reveals exciting new ways to explore this iconic destination with one-of-a-kind adventures at every turn. Hike Queensland’s Unesco-listed rainforests, taste a Mod Oz meal in Sydney, spot...

Idyllic wild swimming holes, alluring lakes and magical coves; discover more than 60 locations around the world to experience The Joy of Water with this inspirational new book from Lonely Planet. Tap into the 'water wellness' trend with personal stories...

Experience 60 of the world's greatest adventures on water - from sailing the Nile by felucca and cruising the Canadian Arctic, to exploring Pitcairn Island by cargo ship. With detailed accounts of each route, beautiful photos and practical tips on how to...

Lonely Planet: The world's leading travel guide publisher Lonely Planet's Maldives is your passport to the most relevant, up-to-date advice on what to see and skip, and what hidden discoveries await you. Encounter hammerhead sharks on a dawn dive, find...

Sometimes life’s waves knock you down; other times, life might seem to sweep you along powerless. But the choice is always yours to swim back up to the light. Legendary world champion surfer Shaun Tomson and international bestselling poet-philosopher...

When Damien Cave brought his young family to Sydney to set up the New York Times’ Australian Bureau, they encountered the local pursuits of Nippers and surfing – and a completely different approach to risk that changed the way they lived their lives...

Swim better—and enjoy every lap—with Total Immersion, a guide to improving your swimming from an expert with more than thirty years of experience in the water.Terry Laughlin, the world’s #1 authority on swimming success, has made his unique approach even...

Splash and paddle and float with Grug! This classic Aussie hero is back from the bush to enchant a new generation of youngsters!

Swimming Sydney is a tale of 52 swims in and around Sydney that take place over a calendar year. From Palm Beach to Cronulla, Mount Druitt to Bondi, Chris Baker swims at iconic beaches, municipal pools, harbour baths, tidal rock pools, bushland lakes and...

Move over, dude! The Kook's Guide to Surfing shows what it means to be a real surfer. This clever, often hilarious guide shares with kooks (those guys on surfboards who just don't get it yet) the truths and know-how of a lifelong wave-lover. The secret:...

Twenty years ago, two empty-nesters with a love of the outdoors stumbled upon a vacant beach house on a small island in Clayoquot Sound, part of an off-grid, ten-acre stretch nestled within a provincial park reserve. Our Stolen Years in Clayoquot Sound...

This is a guidebook on the Bear River water trail. This book will be of interest to recreational boaters, white water boaters, birders, wildlife enthusiasts, photographers, outdoor enthusiasts, history buffs, and anglers. Over 167 images of the Bear...

The saying goes, "The second best thing about surfing is talking about it afterward."Gerry Lopez, one of the most revered surfers of all time brings readers into the intimately personal sport with Surf Is Where You Find It, a collection of stories that...

Captured by the Sea is a collection of fine art photographs which documents sun-seekers interacting with the natural environment.

In Triathlon Swimming, the world's leading open-water swimming coach, Gerry Rodrigues, reveals his rigorous method to mastering triathlon swimming technique. Triathlon swimming is different from pool swimming. Over his lifetime of over 100...

Take the first steps to become certified to charter a boat anywhere in the world Imagine having the credentials to charter and skipper a boat in the Caribbean-or anywhere in the world. Grant Headifen and the experts at NauticEd have certified thousands...

Go Simple, Go Solo, Go NowIn 1958, while flying from one island to another, Audrey Sutherland sees the remote and roadless northeast side of Molokai, with its spectacular sea cliffs and waterfalls. Always an adventurer, she decides that she must find a...

In a tale remarkable for its quiet confidence and acute natural observation, the author of Paddling Hawaii begins with her decision, at age 60, to undertake a solo, summer-long voyage along the southeast coast of Alaska in an inflatable kayak. Paddling...

"One of the best accounts ever written of deep-water diving and its staggering, haunting dangers." Robert Kurson, New York Times bestselling author of Shadow Divers Deep underwater lurks a mysterious man-made illness. It has gone by many names over the...

Shifting Currents is an original and comprehensive history of swimming. It examines the tension that arose when non-swimming northerners met African and Southeast Asian swimmers. Using archaeological, textual, and art-historical sources, Karen Eva Carr...

Scotland is famed for its rugged coastlines, pristine beaches, endless rivers and deep lochs. The whole country is a magnet for outdoor enthusiasts from all over the world.In this unique guide, adventurer Mollie Hughes introduces many of her favourite...

'Pleasure beckons at the water's edge.' With these words, Eric Chaline celebrates the physicality and sensuality of swimming - attributes that might have contributed to the evolution of the human species. Chaline's comprehensive account...

'Exciting, funny, and occasionally heart-stopping...readers can stay home and dry, but feel like they are on the high seas.' BOOKLISTA man and his chicken sail 45,000 nautical miles in this powerful story of following your dreams no...

When Richard "Frosty" Hesson was first approached by a young Jay Moriarty in 1990, the skinny kid with a sparkle in his eye only wanted one thing from the icon: his help in becoming a better surfer. Hesson, one of the first to conquer the huge waves off...

The nautical reference book you never knew you needed: a compendium of all superstitions maritime and marine. Learn your A-B-Seas of sailors' guiding magic and mythos - and why you should never stir your tea with a knife, lest you invite trouble and...

An illustrated sailing guide for beginner and expert alike--newly updated! The Complete Guide to Sailing& Seamanship is the perfect blend of captivating sea stories and essential, basic instructional methods for anyone yearning to sail. Topics...

A Classic Comprehensive Guide for Hunting and Trapping AnimalsWhether or not a hunting expedition is in the plans this year, W. Hamilton Gibson's guide to camping and trapping will give you a lesson in self-sufficiency and living simply. Building camp...

Completely updated to reflect the latest in paddling equipment and kayak technology, William Nealy's illustrated kayaking manual is as practical as it is dead-on hilarious. Whether detailing hardcore hippy hairboatersor insane youngsters clattering tiny...

Well travelled divers all acknowledge that the best diving in the world is found in the warm waters of tropical Asia. No other region on earth presents such a rich variety of marine life, and none can boast as many different types of dive sites: tiny,...

Diving in Indonesia is a fully comprehensive diving guidebook for exploring the most notable areas of Indonesia. A chapter is devoted to each of the following important regions in Indonesia for divers: Bali North Sulawesi Central, South and Southeast...

A global history of swimming, from humankind's first dip in what is now the driest spot on earth to the modern Olympic Games.  From the first recorded dip into what's now the driest spot on earth to the recreational swimmers in your local pool, humans...

Mindfulness and Surfing: Reflections for Saltwater Souls

Fifty Places to Surf Before You Die is a beautifully illustrated guide to the most thrilling surfing destinations in the world. Covering quintessential beaches, including: Oahu’s North Shore; Australia’s Gold Coast; and of course, Malibu, California, the...

The Immortals of Australian Surfing celebrates our greatest ever board-riders. It takes the Immortals concept used elsewhere in sport and applies it to the surfing, choosing the best of the best from over 50 years of the local scene and the world tour. ...

A new edition of the essential go-to guide to sailing and boat maintenance, perfect for all levels of experience. The only sailing manual you will ever need, covering everything from sailing basics to making repairs and mastering navigation.  The...

Mindfulness in Wild Swimming explores how swimming in rivers, lakes and seas is the epitome of conscious living, guiding the reader through practical mindful exercises and technique tips, and reveals how wild swimming can be the ultimate...