I got OW certified about 30 years ago, AOW cert 25 years ago, and nitrox cert about 12 years ago. I never really bothered to keep up with a log book, but I'm sure I have at least 200+ dives. I didn't do much diving for 10 years, but last year went to Cozumel, spent nearly 2 weeks diving and had zero issues--pretty much like riding a bike, no? No problems with buoyancy control, controlling my breathing, my descent / ascent rate, etc.. All-in-all I felt very comfortable in the water.
HOWEVER, I couldn't use a dive chart or fill out a dive profile if my life depended on it! For the 1st week in Coz I simply stayed w/ my buddy (who had a computer) and followed him--when he went up, I went up. The second week I rented a dive computer and did whatever the "beeps" told me to do.
I'm guessing that I'm not the only one who's forgotten all the classwork instruction, paper/pencil & chart skills, etc., & it seems like everyone dives with computers these days, as long as my skills in the water are solid does the classroom stuff really matter?
HOWEVER, I couldn't use a dive chart or fill out a dive profile if my life depended on it! For the 1st week in Coz I simply stayed w/ my buddy (who had a computer) and followed him--when he went up, I went up. The second week I rented a dive computer and did whatever the "beeps" told me to do.
I'm guessing that I'm not the only one who's forgotten all the classwork instruction, paper/pencil & chart skills, etc., & it seems like everyone dives with computers these days, as long as my skills in the water are solid does the classroom stuff really matter?