Shadow Divers

Shadow Divers is a non-fiction book written by Robert Kurson recounting the discovery of a World War II German U-boat 60 miles off the coast of New Jersey, United States in 1991. The book was published by Random House in 2004.

Overview

The book follows the story of two recreational divers, John Chatterton and Richie Kohler, who discovered the wreck of a sunken U-boat while diving off the coast of New Jersey. The divers spent the next six years trying to identify the submarine, despite numerous obstacles including the danger of deep wreck diving, the lack of any identifying marks on the submarine, and the fact that no U-boats were reported lost in that area.

Plot

The book begins with Chatterton and Kohler discovering the wreck during a dive. They find no identifying marks on the submarine, but they do find several artifacts, including a china plate and a pair of boots. They take these items back to the surface and begin researching the submarine's possible identity.

The divers face numerous challenges in their quest to identify the submarine. They have to deal with the physical dangers of deep wreck diving, including the risk of decompression sickness, equipment failure, and the potential for getting trapped inside the wreck. They also face the challenge of trying to identify a submarine that, according to official records, shouldn't be there.

After years of research and exploration, the divers finally identify the submarine as the U-869, a German U-boat that was reported lost near Gibraltar. The discovery of the U-869's true resting place changes the official history of the submarine and provides closure for the families of the crew members who were lost at sea.

Reception

Shadow Divers received positive reviews for its detailed and suspenseful account of the divers' quest to identify the U-869. The book was praised for its thorough research and for bringing to life the dangers and challenges of deep wreck diving.

See also

• Scuba diving
• Underwater archaeology
• Maritime archaeology