Shipwrecks of the Dover Strait

Stefan Panis

Whittles

£18.99

When I’m being tossed about in the frequently confused seas off Dover harbour, I try to comfort myself with speculation about the state of the seabed there, particularly the hundreds of wrecks marked on the chart, the history, the drama and too often the tragedy in each one. I approached this title with enthusiasm but must admit to some disappointment. Eighteen wrecks are investigated, an interesting variety, but there’s no map to indicate their locations.

Stefan Panis is an engagingly keen diver, eager to share his discoveries and those of his dive buddies. I’d like to have understood his technical terminology better and also the processes of recording and reporting that make these expeditions more than just underwater rummaging.