The popular image of sharks is of a dorsal fin cleaving the surface as it rushes to its next kill, but this is a limited caricature. There are over 500 species to choose from, most of whom are far more frightened of humans than vice versa. In this beautiful book, diving veteran John Bantin recounts many tales of his diving with several species of sharks and other marine animals over the last 4 decades. Accompanied by his own stunning photography, the captivating, spectacular and sometimes shocking encounters show the reader what it is like to get up close and personal to these bizarre and beautiful creatures. The sharks covered range from the great whale sharks to the small blacktip reef shark, in locations extending to all corners of the globe. AUTHOR: John Bantin learnt to dive in 1979 and in 1992 it became his career. He spent over twenty years travelling the world, diving in all the best places, and gaining many different experiences underwater (not all of them good) which has furnished him with a vast store of anecdotes. He is known as something of an accomplished raconteur in the diving industry. 86 colour photos