Explorations: My Quest for Adventure and Discovery Under the Sea

An expert in marine geology and underwater adventurer recounts his greatest discoveries, including the canyons and plateaus of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, the wreck of the Bismarck, the lost ships of Guadalcanal, and the remains of the Titanic.

Ballard's discovery of the remains of the Titanic in 1985 finally brought him worldwide fame, yet he had pioneered in deep-ocean exploration for nearly two decades. A marine geologist at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute in Massachusetts, he has participated in numerous expeditions using deep-diving submersibles. Here he and McConnell (Challenger: A Major Malfunction) give a gripping account of his undersea adventures. He has worked with French expeditions mapping the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and the Galapagos Rift; at the latter site, he discovered molten lava on the sea floor and an unexpected oasis of life?giant clams and tube worms. Ballard examined the sunken ships of WWII's battle of Guadalcanal; he found the lost submarine Thresher and the wreck of the Bismarck. Deep-sea explorers and astronauts share extreme hazards and dependence on high-tech equipment; for the excitement of discovery, Ballard and his fellow scientists have the edge. Photos not seen by PW. Author tour.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

This fast-paced autobiographical work reveals Ballard's strong self-confidence as he describes his discoveries of the wrecked Titanic (which made him famous), the sunken submarine Thresher, and the German battleship Bismarck; his exploration of the undersea Mid-Atlantic Ridge; and discovery of deep-sea hot springs with previously unknown flora and fauna that form a hydrogen sulfide-based food chain. Currently the director of the Center for Marine Exploration at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Ballard will leave in 1997 to establish the Institute for Exploration at Mystic Aquarium, where he will focus on marine education. This lively account of his scientific voyages, the politics and salesmanship needed to maneuver through academe and obtain funding from government sources, and the workings of large-scale international oceanographic projects will interest readers in public and academic libraries.?Judith B. Barnett, Pell Marine Science Lib., Univ. of Rhode Island, Kingston
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.