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.
“Shark Bytes is a wonderful collection of first-hand encounters with sharks by diving verteran John Bantin, accompanied by his compelling imagery”. Dive Magazine
“If you've ever fancied diving with sharks but have never quite been able to pluck up the courage to do it, this could be the book for you. Diving expert John Bantin shares his experiences of dozens of dives with everything from hammerheads to dugongs, each illustrated with stunning close-up photography.” BBC FOCUS Magazine
“John Bantin’s … easy-flowing and informative style is present in this text … adorned with lots of sumptuous underwater photographs of sharks.” Jeremy Stafford-Deitsch
“John’s memory for detail is impressive, and he brings many a scene to life with subtle flashes of colour that many writers in this genre are not capable of summoning …. John knows you have to be entertained to keep turning the pages, and every page here is packed with amusement as well as insight. I’d recommend Shark Bytes to anyone with an interest in sharks and diving.” Scuba Magazine
“Diving journalist John Bantin has been getting up close and personal with the most feared of ocean predators all over the world. His new book, Shark Bytes, brings together sharks and marine mammals from hammerheads to wobbegongs and from dugongs to lemon sharks.” The Guardian
“Shark Bytes by John Bantin uncovers the magnificent reality of getting up close and personal to the bizarre and beautiful creatures of the ocean. These captivating, and sometimes shocking, encounters are accompanied by the author’s own stunning underwater photography. Tales of outstanding natural beauty and mesmerising underwater serenity rub shoulders with dramatic accounts of razor-sharp teeth and voracious, deadly predators. From floating alongside grey reef sharks in an enticing azure lagoon to a heart-stopping confrontation feeding tiger sharks on a shallow sandbank, this enlightening and inspiring collection of true stories gives you a taste of the magical diversity of the underwater environment, from all four corners of the globe.” BBC Wildlife Magazine
"It is a wonderful book to read because John writes in a fun and humorous way about what he has experienced. The stunning photographs make this all complete." Diver Magazine