Have you been denied a dive because of the lack of paper dive log (w/ signature)?

[GenericDiver]

It happened to me recently and I'm curious to see how common it is.

One of the local shops organized an event called "social dive" at a local (shore) site where they provide a divemaster to check everyone in and out (but doesn't lead the dive) and help you find a buddy if you don't have one. This one happens to be a night dive. The event is free if you have night diving experience. If not, then you pay a (very reasonable) fee to go with an instructor as a PADI adventure dive.

I did Night as one of my classes for AOW and have done a few night dives since. When I called to sign up, I was told the shop needs the page of the log book with the instructor's signature as proof. I explained that my log is electronic (downloaded to Subsurface from the computer) so has no instructor's signature, but I could email the relevant pages. I was told that they need the log page with the instructor's signature, otherwise I could pay to do the adventure dive. Even disregarding the cost of the adventure dive, I dislike following an instructor around, and would much rather do my own thing with just my buddy. So I declined and didn't do the dive.

Let me state that I have no hard feelings at all towards the shop, none. Their event, their rule. In fact, the event was a public spot so I could've just showed up with my buddy and do our own thing at the same time w/o signing up with them! (We decided that it might seem rude so decided not to, plus it was a bit earlier than we like our night dives anyway.)

What I'm concerned about is the possibility of being denied a dive in the future because of something like this, especially if it's on vacation I've already paid for. Should I print out all my AOW dive log pages, track down my instructor and have her sign it so I have a copy just in case? I have heard that the PADI electronic log allows for instructor approval, but I'm not interested in switching to that. Is there anything else I can/should do?

 

[northernone]

Outrageous, but their event their rules... sounds to me it was a marketing gimmicks event and you got the bums rush.

Thankfully this is very uncommon.

Frustrating.
Cameron

 

[MaxBottomtime]

That's one of the big problems with organised dives. They want to mitigate their liability by having everyone sign waivers and show proof of experience. I find diving much more enjoyable when there are no other divers around to stir up vis, kick masks or scare/harass animals.
BTW, I've never been asked to show a logbook for any organised dive, and have only had to show my C-card a handful of times in nearly thirty years.

 

[xmass-Eve]

Why don't you take a screen print of it on your phone? Then you always have a picture of it... I never carry my cards with me. If there is no internet and I can't acces my cards online, then I can still prove it with the picture.

 

[Rred]

If you want to get picky, the whole purpose of a log, whether it is an aircraft maintenance log, a ship's log, or a dive log, is that it must be an unalterable, integral, single piece of work. Printing out pages? Sure, what color would you like them? Jacque, or Phillipe?, Cousteau? Rubber stamps, stickers, signatures, or notarized foil seals?

There are a lot of litigious orifices in the dive industry, all you can do is call ahead, let them know what you have, and see what kind of new hoops they want you to jump through. If it isn't a bound book, with a confirmed page count and all entries in proper sequential order...it ain't a log.

 

[GenericDiver]

Why don't you take a screen print of it on your phone? Then you always have a picture of it... I never carry my cards with me. If there is no internet and I can't acces my cards online, then I can still prove it with the picture.

Having access to the log isn't a problem. The log is on the cloud so I can already access it with my phone. The problem (per the shop) is that it doesn't have instructor's signature. (I do the same thing with my cards.)

 

[xmass-Eve]

Having access to the log isn't a problem. The log is on the cloud so I can already access it with my phone. The problem (per the shop) is that it doesn't have instructor's signature. (I do the same thing with my cards.)

Then they are just dicks... If you can prove you've done night dives before, why should they make you do another Adv Night then...

 

[Scuba-74]

Being a diver with less than 50 dives, I'm very carefully logging my dives in a paper log book, fully expecting being asked to show it for dives that require some prerequisites. For example, in the future I'd like to do a challenging deep (non-tech) dive that requires multiple prior dives to 100+ feet in cold water (under 50F). I don't expect they'll just take my word for it when I say I have that experience.

That said, so far I haven't been asked to actually show the book for anything...

 

[Rred]

"The log is on the cloud .... The problem (per the shop) is that it doesn't have instructor's signature."
And, Photoshop can't fix that?
What xmass said about the shop.

See, that's the reason that "stuff on the cloud" can never be a proper log, unless it is digitally encrypted and signed. And yes, that's been possible since the Carter administration, and binding under federal law when it is done properly. But it is still damned uncommon.

 

[scubadada]

I've never been asked to provide my log book and do not take it with me on dives. I've occasionally been asked to provide dive number and/or last dive date and/or certification level as part of the waiver. I've almost always been asked to show a certification card and nitrox card unless I am already known to the operator.

I"m not much for group dives but you might want to avoid events "sponsored" by this particular shop. This sounds like a thinly veiled attempt to sell night adventure dives or specialty certs. Personally, I've not heard of requirements for a night dive. The only relatively common requirement above OW/nitrox that I have seen requested is AOW, for dives considered by the operator to be "advanced", usually depth related.