Does anyone ask to see your logbook?

[boulderjohn]

I wrote earlier that I was asked to show my logbook (other than to qualify for professional status) only once, and that was about 20 years ago in Australia. I was on a liveaboard, and the crew wanted to get an idea of diving experience in order to assign buddies, etc. Some of the other customers did not have a logbook. That was just a minor inconvenience.

For that trip, the dive operation was trying to make a living. My wife and I had booked many months ahead of time, paying a premium price for the premium cabin. About half the other customers were recruited from off the docks in the days before we sailed, likely paying a fraction of the standard price. These people did not have log books with them, and you can bet they weren't going to be thrown off the boat for that reason.

 

[Jayfarmlaw]

Card (DM or Nitrox) yes. What's a log book?

If anyone wanted to see my long gone log book, it would have 4 dives to 20 feet in 2014 when we did openwater.. After that, I guess I would show them my dive computers. The old one comes along as a back up.

safe travels, see you on the reefs!

Jay

 

[SlugLife]

Interesting. I’ve had a different experience with SSI, so I suspect your experience may have been the LDS requirement, and not one of SSI.

In my SSI account, I’m listed as having 191 dives. Not a single one of those dives is in the SSI online logbook. My actual number of dives is higher. That just happened to be the total number at the time of my last certification. I recall being asked by the LDS at the time of my Nitrox cert, as well as at the time that I did Deep, Night, & Navigation to complete AOW.

Likewise, my kids didn’t need to use the online log either. Oldest got an SSI paper logbook. Youngest got a generic paper logbook. Both now use SubSurface, so they’ll have their logs if requested. My oldest is starting to volunteer at a marine rescue this summer. They list in their requirements that junior volunteers will need to show a log of their last two dives. Will see if that is actually asked.

I agree on the SSI online log being garbage. Might be better if you use a Mares computer, but otherwise it’s useless.

I don't know if they do it for every class. This was for Advanced Open Water class.

The fact that they only work with Mares computers is fairly absurd, especially since there are plenty of more popular and better computers on the market.

 

[TMHeimer]

Interesting. I’ve had a different experience with SSI, so I suspect your experience may have been the LDS requirement, and not one of SSI.

In my SSI account, I’m listed as having 191 dives. Not a single one of those dives is in the SSI online logbook. My actual number of dives is higher. That just happened to be the total number at the time of my last certification. I recall being asked by the LDS at the time of my Nitrox cert, as well as at the time that I did Deep, Night, & Navigation to complete AOW.

Likewise, my kids didn’t need to use the online log either. Oldest got an SSI paper logbook. Youngest got a generic paper logbook. Both now use SubSurface, so they’ll have their logs if requested. My oldest is starting to volunteer at a marine rescue this summer. They list in their requirements that junior volunteers will need to show a log of their last two dives. Will see if that is actually asked.

I agree on the SSI online log being garbage. Might be better if you use a Mares computer, but otherwise it’s useless.

I took the SSI Sci. of Diving course last year when it was offered free. They set up an account for me that listed total dives. Every time I do a dive I change the number (don't ask me why, just one of my many routines). Can you not change that 191 total on your account ("edit profile")?

 

[Belzelbub]

I don't know if they do it for every class. This was for Advanced Open Water class.

Well, technically, there is no SSI Advanced Open Water class. AOW is a recognition card not a certification card. Recognition for 4 specialties. In the case I referred to, it was during the specialties that qualified me for AOW.

The fact that they only work with Mares computers is fairly absurd, especially since there are plenty of more popular and better computers on the market.

True, but I do get it. SSI is owned by Mares, so they clearly have a desire to promote Mares computers.

I took the SSI Sci. of Diving course last year when it was offered free. They set up an account for me that listed total dives. Every time I do a dive I change the number (don't ask me why, just one of my many routines). Can you not change that 191 total on your account ("edit profile")?

Honestly, I never tried. I didn’t see the option on the app, so I tried on the website. I was able to edit the number of dives under my profile, and that seemed to remain. However, it did not change the number in the diamond, or move my diver level up, as I do have enough for the next level. I got an error stating I couldn’t change my name if I have completed any SSI certifications, but I wasn’t trying to change my name.

Does the diamond change on yours?

 

[broncobowsher]

I was once asked to help fill out a log book. They were starting fresh and only had a blank book. I fumbled through it for a couple minutes and told them I couldn't help. All my stuff is electronic.

 

[Doc]

I was once asked to help fill out a log book. They were starting fresh and only had a blank book. I fumbled through it for a couple minutes and told them I couldn't help. All my stuff is electronic.

I get young people all the time who can’t write cursive, nor even block printing. They all have Associate Degrees, some have Bachelors degrees.

They can all two-thumb a keyboard like one of Bernadette’s cocaine fueled monkeys, but even then they can’t compose a passable Police report.

I feel your pain.

/jk

 

[Hoag]

I get young people all the time who can’t write cursive, nor even block printing. They all have Associate Degrees, some have Bachelors degrees.

They can all two-thumb a keyboard like one of Bernadette’s cocaine fueled monkeys, but even then they can’t compose a passable Police report.

I feel your pain.

/jk

I can't write cursive. It isn't that I don't know how, it is just that my writing is horrible. I do almost everything except my signature in block letters (ALL CAPS WITH WHAT WOULD TYPICALLY BE CAPITAL LETTERS BIGGER) . Thanks to my drafting teachers in High School.

 

[Centrals]

Sooner or later there won't be any written examination all replaced by keyboard.

Chinese calligraphy.
I have to learn and write in primary school all those yrs ago. Not sure if the practice is still being maintained.

 

[DeltaWardog]

What I've learned from reading this fun thread is that I'm apparently the only person in the world still keeping a paper logbook. I do it because I enjoy reflecting on the dives as I lounge around in the room with a cerveza after all the gear rinsing is done for the day. And it is fun to go back through and remember all the people I've dived with over the years.

I've only been asked to see it once outside of a training class. That was from an insta-buddy from England who wanted to put his verification stamp on my log page. I didn't even know that was a thing, and it's never happened since. Other than 2 instructors, he's the only one that ever 'signed' one of my log pages!