Dive Master Certification

[FishBoy05]

Still pretty new to diving but I think I may want to work my way up to being a divemaster. I'm logging all my dives but not getting them stamped or signed by the outfit I did the dive with. Is it necessary to get this done to prove it to padi when I do work up to that level or is my basic log entry enough? Right now I'm only AOW with 34 dives, but just thinking ahead.

 

[DM_cappie]

Welcome to scubaboard!
Keeping a log book is always a good idea especially when you first start out diving. once you get comfortable and dive with the same group or shop enough they wont hassle you to see the log book
on a different note if the 34 dives you've already done were with a specific shop I'm sure they'd be happy to sign off on them if you take them your log book.

 

[FishBoy05]

Thanks for the reply. I saw your past posts about working at Sea Island Divers. People keep asking me down here on my trips in the Keys what kind of diving we have back home in SC. I've only dove down in here and don't know much about our backyard but I'm getting addicted. Mostly done reefs, but after this trip I'll have a lot of the wreck trek done for the first time. Would love to do some back up home.

 

[DM_cappie]

Our backyard can be alot of fun. we have some nice wrecks offshore, and we have megalodon fossils in the rivers. I know lowcountry down under and Sea Island Divers both use integrity charters for the offshore trips, and Sea Island Divers does offer inshore artifact / fossil trips off their pontoon boat which are alot of fun.

 

[boulderjohn]

You don't need to prove the number of dives to PADI--you need to prove it to whoever is your instructor for your DM course. PADI takes that instructor's word for it. In my case, I had very few signatures on my logged dives, and it wasn't a problem. Let's face it--if someone is going to fake a log book entry, the signature is just as easily faked.

Keep diving, and get as wide a variety of dives as you can. Try not to go into your training having done essentially the same warm water resort area dive 60 times.

 

[toddthecat]

Some people don't even log dives. It's a matter of personal preference. As boulderjohn said, the instructor verifies it, not PADI. When I did DM the instructors already knew I was over the minimum number based on how much diving I had done with them. PADI won't ask you for a logbook and if you want to get technical about it, there is nothing saying you're required to keep one. It's still a semi-free country.

 

[TMHeimer]

I guess it's a good idea to log all dives. I haven't heard of an agency specifying that they have to be signed or not. Suppose it's a solo dive? I have heard that agencies do have depths/times regulations as to what is an "official" dive. No one has EVER asked to see my log--courses, charters, etc. For me it's just a routine to log every dive, one of many routines I have, as my wife would say. OCS for sure.

 

[aprivetera]

Dive logs are nice for memories. If you have computer, it will remember all the "important" numbers, but it won't remind you of what you saw or how were the conditions that day.

I would avoid going for the DM just because you have reached the requisite number of dives. It's a nice thing to work towards, but unless you plan on going wholeheartedly into the pro diving world I would say its better to take the time to enjoy the Rescue Diver course and explore some specialties. Also, PADI will ask for a Deep and S&R specialty or a specific set of dives geared towards those two topics to complete your DM training, so they would be the two I would recommend before the DM.

The Rescue Diver is where the courses really pivot towards understanding dive theory and accident management, so you will have a better idea of what to expect in a DM course after taking that.