Catching up on Logs w/o a stamp?

[bluesbro1982]

So, reading the "log or not to log" post, and talking to some instructors / owners of the numerous LDS's in SoCal, I may have a PADI Issue...

When I asked them what their bigest issue is with new divers, and PADI divers in particular, a couple people highlighted the fact that in their experience new divers don't log their dives, making it difficult to determine their real experience level (The guy who said this was SSI, but I have heard the same from other indie instructors).

So, I've determined that being a part of the problem is not for me, and I'm trying to retroactively remember + log 30 + dives that I did in Mexico before it becomes 60 dives that I've done all over. I am still young enough where I can remember most all of the max depths, more memorable wildife, and any mishaps that happened. The locations were multiple dives and days at the same spots on a regular schedule, so that's not a problem. However, I know the log won't be nearly as complete as one done on the spot (Hence why one logs in the first place... lesson learned).

The biggest question I have is if the resultant logs "Count" for anything if I don't have a shop stamp / buddy signature. I won't be forging logs / falsifying stuff if I am not SURE I remember something happening, but I can understand how that would become an issue. My dive partners are currently in either another state or on the high seas on another ship somewhere.

Any suggestions on what to do / how to handle the stamps and / or noting information much after the fact?

 

[SparticleBrane]

As you and I have spoken over PM, I can assure you that it's quite hard to get someone to stamp/sign an Excel dive log.
For brand new divers I don't see why signing anything would be a big deal. I haven't personally had someone sign off on my dives except for my instructor on my certification dives. To me it's one of those "Do it if you want and it makes you happy--if not, don't." kinda deals.

 

[RICoder]

Err...I stuggled with that myself in the beginning. At this point, I look at my log (and its all from my dive computer) and I think that if someone is going to give me a hard time about them not being "official" or some such nonesense because they aren't signed, I'll just go elsewhere.

The only instance I can think of where they are going to check (and it matters) is when you take a class, and the odds are in favor of you knowing the people at the shop well enough for them to know you have the dives required. On a boat or otherwise, I've never had someone question my log book's authenticity.

 

[packman]

Very few of my logs have my buddy signature on them as I usually don't fill out my logs until the end of the day, sitting in front of my TV. I do usually try to write down the name of the person I dove with. The only logs that I have stamped were from dives I did as part of a class with a dive shop.

 

[gregmontalbano]

I may have a PADI Issue

Join the club.
That's pretty crazy though...

 

[Zeeman]

It's a personal log, not a legal document that will be used to cinvict someone in the supreme court.

Z...

 

[bluesbro1982]

It's a personal log, not a legal document that will be used to cinvict someone in the supreme court.

Z...

lol. That's what I was hoping. Well, I'll hope to have some dive log solution in a couple days, be it paper or Excel (Hi Sparticle...

Thanks all for the responses.

 

[spectrum]

I do my log on Excel and include some computer input plus a lot more.

I do run a tab in the workbook with contact info of those I have been diving with. I don't get signatures on my dives but I do log the buddies and the contact info is there for verification purposes. So far that has been more than adequate.

Unless you have professional or technical aspirations nearly anything should suffice.

Above all don't lie or fabricate if you don't have a detail leave it blank.

Pete

 

[in_cavediver]

Unless you have professional or technical aspirations nearly anything should suffice.

Above all don't lie or fabricate if you don't have a detail leave it blank.

Pete

I'd say even if you did have professional/technical aspirations, don't worry about it. The fact is by the time you want to do either, you should have more than enough expierence/dives to make the question moot. That and the first dive of either class will show the truth anyway (in case you decided to log some internet dives).

The log is for you. It gives you a picture of what you have done and where.

Mike

 

[Stormbringer]

Agreed, its a personal log first and foremost. In my case, I was forced to reconstruct as much as I could remember as my original log book was stolen along with other dive equipment.