First real boat dive coming up – Log questions

[altaskier]

Other parts of your questions: most of the time you stay out on the boat during the surface interval between dives. The only place I've had it done otherwise was in Belize where some of the dives were a 3 minute boat ride out from the dock.

I have an air-integrated computer and download my dives to my laptop. That way I don't have to remember all of those pesky numbers; instead, I just enter a few sentences per dive, and the location, and (as others have said) my weighting. Still doing it after 320 dives. It's nice to see my air consumption rate in warm versus cold water, my weights for my different gear configurations (3 mm wetsuit and aluminum 80 in warm water, drysuit and HP steel 120 tank in cold water), etc. etc.

And - as others have said - it's up to you to log, or not log. The only place where I've asked to have a paper log seen was at Bonne Terre Mine, because they won't let you go to the next set of "trails" until they see what you've done within the past year.

 

[SouthSideScubaSteve]

When doing boat dives I make an effort to pull out my book just before the dive to fill in the name of the dive site; or even better just after and fill in the name of the site + a few comments ... I go back at the end of the day and transfer the details from my computer to the book; usually with an adult beverage within reach! Earlier this year I did my first live-aboard and this practice served me well!!

As for what constitutes a "dive", when boat diving a dive starts when I hit the water and ends when I climb back up the ladder

All of that said, it's your logbook, do what makes sense to you!

 

[Nasser]

Still log dives, but now using logging software. My dive computer will sync to my cell phone, a tablet, or laptop and upload all the dive info. There are also additional columns where I can enter the weight I had on, type of exposure protection and wet suit thickness, equipment used, dive buddy etc.. so you get a lot of information about each dive.

As far as signatures, I haven't had a DM or buddy sign my log book since 1998.

 

[Freewillow]

Log dives and have them signed by anybody. Most of them should be stamped. It is important to log them if you go abroad. Most places where I have been require a minimum of 50 dives and the logbook are examined.

 

[sheeper]

i write info down on my dive slate before, during and after a dive (one of those tri-page slate that you wear on your arm).I write on the slate the PSI i go in with and the PSI i come out with. My computer (Shearwater Petrel) records dive data (depth, time, temp, etc).

when i get back to my laptop/tablet/PC, i upload my dive comp log to Diving Log 6, then add the info from my slate and various other details like my gear configuration, weight, etc). Nobody has ever "needed" to see my signed logbook. though this is important for any training or education type dives (keep a paper book for any certification dives).

 

[Zieg]

One word, Tattoos. That way you can look down and always remember those dives.

 

[kimbalabala]

When my husband and I first started diving we wouldn't log anything while on the boat (unless we wanted to quickly write down what fish/critter we saw on a dive), and then we would take our log books and computers to dinner in the evening and write everything down. It was SO much fun! We became more familiar with our computers, learning how to scroll through and find our air in/out, dive time, temp, etc - and we learned this new 'dive language' and enjoyed every minute of re-living each dive. The dive shop will have a stamp when you get back to port - and collecting the stamps is also loads of fun. We just went on a dive trip and we didn't log a single dive while on the boat for a week - but we got our pages stamped! Now that we're home we need to go through and log some things - but we're not as detailed as we were at the beginning. The most important - for us - is to keep track of water temp, what we wore, and how much weight we needed.

I hope you are having tons of fun learning this new sport with your wife!

 

[diverrex]

Log dives and have them signed by anybody. Most of them should be stamped. It is important to log them if you go abroad. Most places where I have been require a minimum of 50 dives and the logbook are examined.

Since I've never had anyone ask to see my logbook I am curious where exactly you were asked.

 

[sheeper]

nobody has ever asked for mine either.

 

[Tippytoes12]

I still log my dives....soon to do number 400....we are occasionally asked on liveaboards and in resort's.but mainly my husband and I use them as diaries of our diving. It's good to recheck if we go back to an area. It's also good to check what weight we needed then and now and our air consumption , as well as what we saw.

Like a previous poster we try to catch up with guide after dinner or on the way back on the boat ....it's so easy to forget what you have seen.

You will regret it if you don't get into a habit of doing this.

Best fishes xx