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

[GenericDiver]

Well if you have to do X "Adventure" dives for AOW course, then I expect you'd have them logged and signed in order for it to count. I've dives to 90 feet and dives after 9 pm in my subsurface log, I wouldn't try to get an AOW instructor to count them as "Deep" and "Night" resp. "Adventures". And besides, I didn't do the math thing on the deep ones, I just photographed fishes. (Oh wait, that's "Digital Underwater Photographer Adventure", I got that one too.)

I know you're joking but of course a dive on your own without an instructor won't count for an adventure dive. You have to do certain things listed on the syllabus in each dive with an instructor for it to count. I do see that "log dive" is part of the syllabus, but I'm seeing anywhere that it needs to be signed to count. My instructor said she can sign our log if we want and when I told her I log electronically she didn't say anything else....I still got my AOW card, so at least according to her, my log didn't have to be signed for it to count for adventure dive and therefore AOW.

 

[TMHeimer]

That whole "minimum number of dives" thing is a whole 'nother conversation. I've watched new divers down at our local dive sites go do five or six dives in a day ... each consisting of 20 minutes sitting on the bottom ... in order to get their numbers up so they could begin their DM training. What it does is help produce some real incompetent DM's ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Good point. Perhaps situations like these are why there is no real description of what sort of logged dive "counts". In the end, it will usually be how you dive in the instructor's eyes as to whether you get your DM (or other) cert., or in some cases whether you are allowed on an advanced charter. Maybe "----------" required logged dives is just something to insure that you actually spent SOME time underwater, or at least took the time to "fake" a log book.....

I've got way more than enough dives deeper than 60' that I would ever need for any course, but still, a very large % of my dives are 30' or shallower. What does that mean?

 

[DavidFL]

I was asked, more-or-less tongue-in-cheek, to show some proof that I had at least 100 dives when I signed up for a Solo Diver class. Tongue-in-cheek because I have been going to that LDS for about 8 years, and both the owner (who was signing me up for the class) and I know I've had my tanks filled there more than a hundred times in the last 8 years. I showed an electronic logbook on my phone and that was that.

 

[Bogtrotter]

Similarly I was asked once for a course, but when I said my log was unconventional and didn't have a lot of signatures the instructor just said to do my best to get them signed... wink wink. I've seen a logbook requested on a dive operation's website in order to do dives, but I gather that is for newer or more recently certed divers...?

 

[dmaziuk]

I know you're joking but of course a dive on your own without an instructor won't count for an adventure dive. You have to do certain things listed on the syllabus in each dive with an instructor for it to count. I do see that "log dive" is part of the syllabus, but I'm seeing anywhere that it needs to be signed to count.

This: Amazon.com : PADI Diver's Blue Log and Training Record (70047) Rev. 3.0 : Diving Equipment : Sports & Outdoors was part of my OW package. Whether its goal is, if I were a PADI instructor and you came to me asking for, say, AOW cert. and claiming you've done your "optional adventure" dives already, I would want to see them logged stamped and signed in that booklet. Somebody else might do it differently, of course.

As a customer, if I paid an op for an "official adventure" dive, I'd have them write it down in there, stamp, and sign.

 

[GenericDiver]

This: Amazon.com : PADI Diver's Blue Log and Training Record (70047) Rev. 3.0 : Diving Equipment : Sports & Outdoors was part of my OW package. Whether its goal is, if I were a PADI instructor and you came to me asking for, say, AOW cert. and claiming you've done your "optional adventure" dives already, I would want to see them logged stamped and signed in that booklet. Somebody else might do it differently, of course.

Now I see what you mean. I actually doubt that just a signed, stamped log would be sufficient for an instructor in that scenario. The said adventure dive probably had to be filed with PADI in some way for another instructor to recognize it. Not being an instructor, I could be wrong. My understanding is that instructors keep their records and students keep their records. One doesn't substitute for the other.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Somebody should turn their tank valves off. At least they'd get a training opportunity out of it.

Not recommended ... these are generally newish divers, and they might get a death opportunity out of it. I've seen someone drown ... it's not an experience I'd encourage.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I've got way more than enough dives deeper than 60' that I would ever need for any course, but still, a very large % of my dives are 30' or shallower. What does that mean?

... that you enjoy shallower dives. There could be any number of reasons for it, depending on where you're diving. Where I dive we're coming up on what I refer to as "lumpie season". A lumpie is that little fish in my avatar ... Pacific spiny lumpsucker. They start appearing in the eel grass beds around mid-October, and can be found there through the winter. I love doing lumpie dives ... they're cute little buggers, and a treat for photographers. Many of my winter dives are 20 feet or less, even through they may last an hour or more, because that's where the lumpies are ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[kelemvor]

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?

The same thing happens when you sign up for dives in the 60-120' depth range with some operations. The determining factor seems to be if the operator is interested in making additional money by forcing you to pay for training or a dm or something like that.

The only time I've been asked to see a paper log was when I signed up to volunteer at my local aquarium. I printed off a couple pages from my log in subsurface, and they had no complaints when I handed them the print.

I have had one or two operators tell me over the phone when I booked that I had to have a recent dive and that they would check my log. However I have never actually had one of them check. In one case, I handed the log to the person collecting waivers and she said "oh, I don't need this - just your card and signed waiver." Sometimes operators don't even ask to see your card.


Name (and shame) the offending salesmen (or saleswomen). That's my opinion.

 

[dmaziuk]

Now I see what you mean. I actually doubt that just a signed, stamped log would be sufficient for an instructor in that scenario. The said adventure dive probably had to be filed with PADI in some way for another instructor to recognize it. Not being an instructor, I could be wrong. My understanding is that instructors keep their records and students keep their records. One doesn't substitute for the other.

Not being an instructor I am entirely unqualified to make this comment so here it is: I expect an $AGENCY instructor should be able to obtain contact information for another $AGENCY instructor, in order to contact them and verify. They do have $AGENCY-issued IDs that are (should be) written down next to the signature.

Also referrals wouldn't exist (where you do the classroom & pool part of course locally then do OW dives on your tropical vacation) if the stamped and signed paper was not sufficient.