Joseph S. Levine (1)

I have not read this book. ``No experience on land can prepare you for the sensation of night diving in a tropical sea,'' according to Levine, a filmmaker and science educator. The dusk-to-dawn journey through coral reefs begins with frenzied activity at sunset as the daytime creatures return to shelter. Briefly, all is quiet. Then moray eels, squirrel-fish and soldierfish cruise the waters looking for prey. In the dark, corals stretch their tentacles to snag plankton; sea urchins, brittle stars, sea lilies (crinoids) and flashlight fish are active. Shortly after sunrise, the process is reversed. Night diving is hazardous, and Levine devotes a chapter to safety measures and equipment. He examines the state of the world's coral reefs and finds it a cause for concern and further study. Undersea photographer Rotman notes that many animals are easier to approach at night and offers advice on undersea photography. The 110 photographs are stunning but do not offer a sense of scale.… (meer)