How do so many folks have so many dives

[MXGratefulDiver]

I logged all my dives and always bring the latest log book when I go diving overseas. There are places that insisted to check the log book. And on couple of occasions, liveaboard, everyone had to do a check out dive regardless of experience and qualification.

Checkout dives are pretty routine ... but I've never had to show a log book to anyone, anywhere ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[boulderjohn]

Checkout dives are pretty routine ... but I've never had to show a log book to anyone, anywhere ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

I had to show it to get my DM and instructor certifications. I was also asked to show it on a liveaboard in Australia 13 years ago. It was part of their way of assigning buddies, etc. If I had not had one, it would not have been a big deal.

 

[Wookie]

At the end of the day, after 100 dives no one cares how many dives you have. I have ~6000 of them, give or take some number. I don't expect to impress anyone with that number except for me. I'm not particularly impressed with anyone's number, including mine. This is a case of a big fat "who cares"?

 

[Lorenzoid]

I was told Israeli dive centers ask to see a logbook. I don't recall if I was asked, but I know I didn't have my logbook and I did dive there.

 

[100days-a-year]

Even when I was just diving recreationally I could get near 300 a year.Jan Feb Mar Apr @ 3 a day x 4 days per month.May June July @ 3 per day x 6 days per month.August in the Keys 100 dives.Sept Oct Nov and Dec @ 3 per day x 6 days per month.Some years are logged here in posts. as are most of the last 10 years of 400 per year commercially.Most of my peers have 5-10k and a couple even 15k dives.

 

[The Chairman]

I don't care how many dives a person claims to have. I only care how they dive if I'm their buddy. In that vein, I really don't care what they think of me either. I dive for me and I couldn't tell you how many dives I have since I first started diving in 1969.

 

[EFX]

BD,
Seems you have a log book for everything, even life in general
Do you have a secret label for the wife in this planning book, perhaps 'deco stop #1'?

It can't be a secret label. His wife has to sign off in his log book regarding his performance on that specialty.

I first took that same specialty many, many, years ago. I was pretty good at it -- a natural says my wife. She said I didn't need to finish all the required dives; I could get my c-card right away and the rest of the dives would be fun dives. Fast forward to today. Recently, I asked my wife if we could do a fun dive. She said "Not today. Let's postpone it until next week." I said, well uhhh...OK, but I won't have anything to write in my log book. She said "Why don't you write that we talked for a while and had a great time". I said, OK sure, but the last 22 entries say the same thing and I thought we could try something different this time. She said, "You have a one-track mind. That's all you bring up and besides we did a fun dive just two weeks ago." I said, nooooo, I did a SCUBA fun dive at the quarry and you weren't there. Don't you remember? She said, "If I wasn't there how can I remember"? I said, uhhh, yeah, ummm....... (at this point she's already walked out of the room). I'm feeling totally dejected and even the cat is giving me a pitiful look. So, she walks in with a laundry basket and asks "Why are you just sitting there doing nothing. There's a lot of things to do and you're just sitting there".

 

[gypsyjim]

I don't care how many dives a person claims to have. I only care how they dive if I'm their buddy. In that vein, I really don't care what they think of me either. I dive for me and I couldn't tell you how many dives I have since I first started diving in 1969.

I have no real idea how many dives I did between 1970 and the mid 90's, when I took a PADI course that required a dive log. The course director and I sat down and reviewed my memory, and created a believable estimate, and I began to log from there. Our wild-ass-ed guess could have been high, could have been low, but no one really cared, as long as my skill level supported that rough estimate. Having already been allowed to be an in water extra pair of eyes for both of my children's OW certifications, that skill level had been satisfactorily established as far as the course director was concerned.

Now, I do log pretty deliberately. It's not for a high count, since I live far from warm water, and I don't enjoy cold lakes and quarries, only going there if I want to do some training. My dive count will never be impressive, but then I never needed to count coup. I log, so I can review changes in conditions and equipment. As I am aging I find having such information at my fingertips to be quite handy.

 

[fire_diver]

She said "Why don't you write that we talked for a while and had a great time". I said, OK sure, but the last 22 entries say the same thing and I thought we could try something different this time. She said, "You have a one-track mind. That's all you bring up and besides you did a fun dive just two weeks ago." I said, well, yes, I did a SCUBA fun dive at the quarry and you weren't there.

As long as she doesn't start telling you to start solo-diving instead!

 

[Centrals]

Exaggerated one's own diving experience might be common but how about fabricated one's own record? That is extreme!

---------- Post added September 19th, 2014 at 07:59 AM ----------

Where have you had to show your log book to dive? The only thing I've ever had to show was a C-Card (appropriate to the dive/gas planned) and a credit card. I've never, not even once, been asked to show a log book.

Couple of times in Philippines(tec dive in Puerto Galera and Subic Bay) and once in a liveaboard in Australia(Taka II).
It doesn't bother me because log book is on my packing list.
My buddy once forgot to bring his Nitrox card but his log book saved the day, also happened in Puerto Galera.
I was refused diving once in Playa de Carmen because I did not have the C-card and my DAN card was not acceptable. No real big deal because I was passing through with my mates on a backpacking holiday in Mexico. I was just looking for an alternative activity and diving was not in our original agenda. Since then I always packed the C-card with my DAN insurance card.