The fragile edge : diving and other adventures in the South Pacific / Julia Whitty

2008 Kiriyama Prize for nonfiction.

Includes bibliographical references (p. 282-286).

A master diver and filmmaker on the mystery, fragility-and heart-stopping adventure-of underwater life in the South Pacific Julia Whitty paints a mesmerizing, scientifically rich portrait of teeming coral reefs in the Tuamotu Archipelago, the Society Islands, and off the tiny nation of Tuvalu. The Fragile Edge takes us literally beneath the surface of the usual travel narrative -- to the underwater equivalent of an African big-game safari, where hammerhead sharks rule a cascading chain of extraordinary underwater from eagle rays to reef sharks, while the sounds of courting humpback whales reverberate throughout the deep. Equally inspiring for armchair or expert divers, The Fragile Edge illuminates Eastern-influenced diving techniques that transform our understanding of diving from sport to breath-inspired art. Whitty reports on the latest ways in which science extends our understanding of unfathomable waters, opening our eyes to the threats facing coral reefs and to why these fragile oases are vital to human survival. On the island of Mo'orea in the South Pacific, she witnesses a group of spinner dolphins caught inside the sieve between barrier reef and coral atoll. In this and scores of other intensely memorable scenes, Whitty emerges as one of our finest writers on the mystery, beauty, and fragility of the underwater ocean world.