Reviews of Wonders of the Sea

On the back cover of this handsome book, the author recommends not reading it, but instead to “look through it.” My recommendation would be to first look at the images, then read carefully what the author has to say about this wild and beautiful section of the California coast. If you have not visited the Central and North Coast of California, this book should provide you with an introduction to the wonders that the area from Pt. Arena to Pigeon Pt. have to offer, particularly to the photographer, naturalist, diver, surfer and angler.

As the author so well points out, this region has some of the richest assemblages of marine life and spectacular coastal scenes in California. Major attractions, such as Point Arena and the north Sonoma coast, are illustrated with photos from both above and below the ocean’s surface and is highlighted with narratives by the author and others.

The main purpose of the author in producing this book was to emphasize the need for protection of this region’s fragile marine ecosystems by the establishment of several protected and conservation areas offshore. I believe he has done this job very well and I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in saving and protecting our coastal resources.

Reviewed by Daniel W. Gotshall, Author of eight books on Pacific Ocean marine life and more than 45 peer-reviewed research papers.