Treasures, Shipwrecks and the Dawn of Red Sea Diving is a beautiful book, illustrated throughout by 200+ original images taken above and below water by Howard Rosenstein, renowned photographer David Doubilet and others.
The extraordinary story of the entrepreneur who pioneered Red Sea dive tourism with a cast of unforgettable characters. How a diving school in a train carriage at the edge of the desert became a global destination.
In a ground-breaking era of uncharted dives, historical discoveries, and remarkable encounters, Howard Rosenstein unearthed sunken treasures, from Roman coins to unmapped depths, while navigating the complexities of a region still marked by conflict. His adventures were interwoven with brushes with underwater legends, authors, photographers, and world leaders, and he found himself a player in the delicate dance of peace negotiations. Through his pioneering dive centers, Howard ignited a passion for the underwater world in a generation, hoping this shared magic would endure, even as the tides of peace brought inevitable change.
This is the paperback release of the first edition, with additional images, text enhancements and minor corrections.
Reviews of Treasures, Shipwrecks and the Dawn of Red Sea Diving
‘A rare gem in this world and a true inspiration.’– Becky Kagan Scott
‘Some of the stories are absolutely incredible… it’s a brilliant book…. buy it!’– The African and Oriental Travel Company (YouTube)
‘While away the winter evenings with this fascinating true story… a cornucopia of stories from his long, illustrious diving career.’– Dive Pacific
‘The story of this Red Sea diving pioneer is a cross between James Bond, Indiana Jones, and Jacques-Yves Cousteau, all wrapped up in an entrepreneurial spirit typical of his ancestry… And in these difficult times in the Middle East, his contribution remains an example of what yesterday’s enemies can accomplish when people of goodwill sit down and talk about the future.’– En Profondeur
‘A page-turning memoir filled with stories of finding treasures, shipwrecks, and discovering exotic coral reefs teeming with marine life.’– Explorers Journal, Explorers Club of America
‘Unbelievable stories that are most wonderful because they are true.’— Sylvia Earle (from the Foreword)
‘Endlessly entertaining… A vivid memoir packed with characters and anecdotes.’— SCUBA magazine
‘Like a series of well-told, deco beer anecdotes but with a lot more depth, a lot less beer, and many more interesting characters than the average post-dive stories…. A very satisfying read.’– DIVE magazine
‘A fascinating story and one well told.’— Divernet
‘A rollicking fun tale.’—Kathy Sullivan, history-making astronaut and oceanographer
‘Howard Rosenstein had a dream that he made a reality – he built, and they came.’— David Doubilet
‘A fascinating story.’— Marty Snyderman, photojournalist
‘A gripping tale.’— Undercurrent
‘An upbeat tale of success with surprising twists along the way… will enlighten and entertain.’— Jewish Book Council
‘A true pioneer of an industry we modern divers take for granted… There are many books about history on the shelves of diving enthusiasts, but not so many about the history of diving – and certainly not the history of diving tourism. This book rights that wrong, and it is long overdue.’– BritishDiver.co.uk
‘A fascinating story that, if it was not the real-life of Howard Rosenstein, it would make a first-class adventure novel.’— Dan Orr, Diving Industry Consultant
For additional and more detailed reviews, please see Praise for Treasures, Shipwrecks…
About the Author
Howard Rosenstein is a one-off who was inducted into the International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame in 2009. In this memoir, he shares some of the more surprising as well as his favorite stories from the early part of his long diving career.
Foreword writers: Sylvia Earle is a marine biologist, oceanographer, National Geographic Explorer and founder of Mission Blue; David Doubilet is a renowned underwater photographer.
Huge congratulations to our author, Howard Rosenstein, on being announced as a recipient of the 2026 NOGI Award for Distinguished Service — one of the most prestigious honours in the diving world — alongside his fellow 2026 inductees: Jonathan Bird, Christina Zenato, Richie Kohler, and Simon Mitchell.
From pioneering Red Sea exploration to his lifelong advocacy for the industry, Howard’s impact is undeniable, as the judges acknowledged in their reasoning for the award:
“Howard Rosenstein is considered a pioneer in the field of Diving Tourism and education in three geographical regions: the Mediterranean, Red Sea, and Indian Ocean. He played an essential role in opening the Red Sea and Seychelles for scuba travelers, underwater photographers, media and scientists. His Mediterranean Diving Center, Red Sea Divers and Fantasea Cruises operated continuously for 27 years… never ceasing operations through wars, terrorism and even the changing of National sovereignty from Israel to Egypt.
Howard was acutely involved in nature conservation efforts in the Red Sea and pleaded the case for continued diving tourism activity and nature conservation to the joint Israeli and Egyptian Government Bilateral committees.
He was instrumental in organizing the effort to have the area of Ras Mohamed declared Egypt’s very first Nature Reserve, working together with notables in the diving industry, media and diplomatic community to keep the area’s coral reefs protected and open for diving tourism.
Additionally, he has been active in procedures for Diving Safety, Inventions and Product Development, including the ProEar diving mask.
Realizing that digital photography offered many great opportunities for the underwater photographer, he founded Fantasea Line in 2002, with his son, Nadav. Fantasea grew into an international company with the goal of creating affordable quality housings and accessories for photographers. His team designs, tests, manufactures and distributes their products worldwide.
Howard was inducted into the International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame in 2009 and authored his memoir Treasures, Shipwrecks and the Dawn of Red Sea Diving: A Pioneers Journey in 2024.”
Additional reviews for Treasures, Shipwrecks and the Dawn of Red Sea Diving
Gary Johnson on 24 March 2025
Rated 5 out of 5
Howard Rosenstein’s ‘Treasures, Shipwrecks and the Dawn of Red Sea Diving’ is an absolute gem. As a diver who has been visiting Sharm for over 25 years I was utterly captivated by his vivid recounting of the pioneering days of Red Sea diving. This book isn’t just a historical record; it’s a thrilling adventure that transports you to a time of discovery and excitement. Rosenstein’s storytelling is superb, weaving together tales of sunken treasure, encounters with marine life, and the complexities of navigating the region’s political landscape. I particularly enjoyed the personal anecdotes and the sense of being there alongside him as he explored the uncharted underwater world. The inclusion of fascinating photographs further enhanced the experience. This book is a must-read for anyone with a passion for diving, history, or simply a great adventure story. I thoroughly enjoyed every page.
Frank Verspuij
Rated 5 out of 5
Blown away by the magic of the Red Sea, backpacking along the Sinai coast in the early eighties, I was offered a job by Howard Rosenstein. It meant working in divers’ paradise. Howard, an environmental and political impresario on the stage of changing times in rapids, was crossing new borders, working his fingers to the bone in effort to prevent disaster on the unique virgin reef wildlife in the Red Sea. Paradise was at risk and time was running out. Below the surface a spectacular new natural world had just been discovered and Sinai was the epic center in history, again.
Joss Woolf
Rated 5 out of 5
I spent all weekend in the garden reading this amazing book. There are so many interesting historical facts of which, I am sure, few in the younger diving community are aware. Not to mention all those interesting people Howard met. I feel quite envious of him having been there from virtually Day 1!