There’s an easy way to know if you’ll find The Shipwreck Decoder interesting. Would you find detailed drawings of different ship boiler designs useful? If the answer is yes, this book is for you.
Nautical terminology is both broad and detailed—there’s a specific name for just about every part of a ship. Is that winch a capstan or a windlass? These are the types of questions The Shipwreck Decoder answers (for completeness, a windlass spools chain or cable vertically, while a capstan does so horizontally).
The aim of the book is simple: to help divers better understand shipwrecks. There are both academic and practical benefits to divers improving their knowledge of wrecks.
Shipwrecks can be fairly confusing, particularly when explored in low visibility, so simply understanding what the combination of twisted metal you’re looking at actually is elevates the experience. It also helps with orientation—if you identify a feature and understand where it should be, navigating around a wreck becomes that bit easier.
The book is roughly broken down into chapters covering each area of a ship, which then proceed chronologically. It flows logically and makes searching for particular information straightforward.
I served in the Navy for a number of years and my knowledge base is pretty good, but there were still plenty of moments when I thought, “Oh, that’s what that thing is called,” or when I encountered completely new information.
The book predominantly covers vessels from the golden age of sail through to the end of the Second World War. Earlier and later ship features are included, though not in as much detail, but these types of ships are far less likely to be dived.
There’s an impressive breadth to this book, outlining all aspects of ship anatomy and nautical paraphernalia—from anchor types to submarine designs. There is a remarkable amount of detail throughout the 200 pages, principally conveyed through the excellent diagrams.
Verdict
The Shipwreck Decoder is clearly not for everyone, but it is an excellent companion for keen wreck divers. It contains information that isn’t easy to find and serves its purpose well, assisting divers in making sense of the jumble of history that shipwrecks often present. I’ve got a trip planned later this year to dive the wrecks of Scapa Flow, and The Shipwreck Decoder will definitely be in my bag.
The Shipwreck Decoder by Ashton East is published by Dived Up Publications and priced at £20.00
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