Between the Devil and the Deep

Deep underwater lurks a mysterious man-made illness. It has gone by many names over the years – Satan’s disease, diver’s palsy, the chokes – but today, medics call it decompression sickness. You know it as the bends.

In the winter of 2012, British diver Martin Robson joined an expedition to southern Russia which sought to find a submerged cave system never seen by the human eye. On their final day, as Robson attempted to surface after reaching a record depth in the Blue Lake, disaster struck: just seventy-five feet down, he was ambushed by the bends. Forced to gamble on an underwater practice most doctors believe is a suicidal act, he sank back into the water. Soon, his only hope for survival was a dramatic mercy mission organised at the highest levels of the Russian government.

Between the Devil and the Deep is the first book to tell the terrifying true story of what it feels like to get the bends, taking you inside the body and mind of a man who suffered the unthinkable. Writer Mark Cowan also explores the fascinating history of decompression sickness, the science behind what causes the disease, and the stories of the forgotten divers who pushed the limits of physical endurance to help find a solution.