How important is a log book?

[Walter]

Then you misread what I said. Lots of folks log their dives, lots don't. Those who do log their dives never regret doing so. Some later stop, but they don't regret logging. Some who don't later regret that decision. When they do, it's usually 30 years into diving and probably 1000+ missed dives. If you've been actively diving for 30 years and don't regret your decision, then you know you made the right decision for you.

 

[GrimSleeper]

I'm with Walter. Probably? Do I know? 3000? Dives... And it didn't take me 30 years. I'd say the biggest - probably the only - regret that I have as a diver is that I stopped logging somewhere round 150 dives and now have no idea exactly how many dives I've made, or where, or when, or what I saw on which dive. I've got my dive plans for every mixed-gas dive I've done on computer because I save them, but that's not a log of the actual dive, and as for the air dives - I have no real idea. I drum into every student I teach that, no matter how many dives you do, no matter how much it might just end up being 'just another dive': log it. Nothing will ever replace having an actual record of what you've done. If you - bfw - don't care, then that's fine. But for anyone who's done less than 100 dives and is reading this thread: keep logging. If you don't, you'll eventually regret it.

 

[GatorKev]

I But for anyone who's done less than 100 dives and is reading this thread: keep logging. If you don't, you'll eventually regret it.

Agree.... I have been diving for about 18 years and I am also one who never logged dives. Now that I would like to possibly go into DM training I am finding myself having to call my buddy and try to reconstruct some of our dives. If you think there is even a small chance that you would like to advance your diving certs beyond AOW I would keep a log... If nothing else log dives up to a certin point then just keep adding a few "update" dives here and there to show it as current.

 

[peterbj7]

Well I always logged every dive until well past 1000, then lost the lot thanks firstly to a thief and then technology failure.

 

[jupitermermaid]

I can't trust my memory to recall events from yesterday accurately, let alone rely on it to remember previous dive locations, conditions, buddies at that particular site, gear set-up, depth, EAN mix, etc. for various dives. I enjoy looking back to see where I've been, deciding if I want to return to a particular site or not, and yes, even shake my head when I see some of the dives I "survived" when I allowed a bad buddy lure me into making as a new OW diver with very few dives under my belt. I feel it's made me a better diver by logging every dive with info that I will find useful for future dives. Granted, I'm only at dive #84 at this point, but I hope I never lose the enthusiasm I get when I make another entry in my logbook.

 

[lmorin]

Interesting to compare diving with skiing. Similar emphasis on equipment; probably similar injury/death rate. I've skied all over the world and never logged a run or a location, except in my head or by taking photographs. Never documented windspeed, air temp, snow type/temp, wax used, skis selected, edges sharpened.

On the other hand, I do log dives and will continue to do so. However, I am about to exhaust my second PADI dive logbook and will not get another. I'm just going to get a notebook and record info of interest, such as novel biology seen, water temp and my reaction to it or anything else of immediate interest. Plus, I will use the notebook to write more info about the place visited, accommodations, restaurants, etc. Most dives will be relegate do no more than an inch of page space.

 

[Noboundaries]

Hmmmm, all this discussion about keeping a log or not keeping a log reminds me of another question people ask concerning......uh.......partners. Take a guy's number and divide by at least 5, but it could be 10 or 20 or 100 if compulsive exaggeration is in his nature. Take a woman's number and multiply by 3.....done. Personally, I didn't keep that log, but I feel confident after almost 38 years of partners the unlogged number is easily in the neighbood of oh, say............3000+.

Now, if anyone wants to know how many dives or flights I've had, I got a log.

Oh, and don't tell my wife that other number. We'll just keep that to ourselves.

 

[Charlie59]

I don't keep an official log book, but I keep track of my "real" dives (not training) by using a wrist computer that I have had since early in my dive career. The computer is a Suunto Mosquito that I use as a back up to my main computer and it has a running log of the dives. Download it to the computer, add some info and you should have the data you need for "going pro". It is no more or less official since you can always fake a written log too.

Since I take pictures on most trips, I know where I have been from that dive diary. The pictures also kind of prove I was there.

Good luck no matter how you keep track. And don't get too excited about the log, most times no-one really wants to see it anyway.