Log Book

[Rick Murchison]

I never even considered logging my dives for the first twenty five years or so. Just never occurred to me to do so. We did log LORAN coordinates on productive sites, but not dives. It wasn't until I decided to become an instructor that I discovered I needed to have "logged dives" and so started the practice. Now I log 'em all - often just date, site, time in/out, max depth, temp and buddy, but sometimes detailed stats, narrative and even artwork.
On dives where I'm acting as instructor, I document student names, the skills covered, and whether each student performed each skill up to standard or not.
Other odds-and-ends that go in my logbook that aren't "logged dives" include:
Pool sessions - which skills were covered and how each student did on 'em
Classroom sessions - usually just a date and who was there but occasionally a comment as well
Calendar - includes things like class dates, trip dates, VIP/Hydro/equipment maintenance schedule, other events that are important to me...
Tables & charts - weighting, conversion factors, dive tables etc
Address & Phone numbers for Dive ops/hotels/other instructors/students (this part is probably coming out as this info's now in my cell phone)
Dive equipment list with serial numbers
DAN's "Pocket Guide to First Aid"
SSI specific stuff - Training record/Experience record/teaching info summaries
SSI's Risk Awareness booklet (with dive mishap checklist and fill-in-the-blank forms)
A few Dive Site pages
A couple of certification cards
Replacement batteries for dive computer
Rick

 

[utnapistim]

I haven't reached the 'nothing new to this site' phase yet, so I'm logging all my dives. I use my log to check what weights I used with a type of suit before, water temps. last year and and when I switched from 3mm to 5mm and so on.

In Egypt (three months ago) I spoke to a dive buddy before reaching a site: He had a big log-book with very very small writing in it, and was able to check it before the dive and tell me (before the briefing) that it would be a wall drift dive, max depth and so on. Ha had been there a few years before.

Now I also log the type of dive (boat, drift, wall) and interesting details about it.

I also log all the mistakes I do (and there are lots of them) and go over them periodically.

It's a usefull tool.

 

[dpbishop]

I logged the first 60 or so dives in the cheap little log book I got at certification, then nothing until last year when I "reconstructed" a log book before going to Antigua in case the dive op wanted to see it.(they didn't). Before the trip I took my "new" regulator in for service and the tech said it would be hard to do because the piston was so worn. I realized the "new" regulator was almost 20 years old. I decided I should log dives just so I can monitor the usage of the equipment. I've kept a simple one since then on an excell spreadsheet on my PDA that I sync with the computer. I log Date, depth, duration, end of dive time, temperature and location. If I remember I also log when I change batteries on my Lobster light.

Ask yourself this question: If I die while diving, do I want the reporters to say I was an unexperienced diver who was attempting a dive beyond his skill level or an experienced diver who had unexplicable lapses of judgement.

 

[tedtim]

I still log them all - probably a holdover from my flying days. The logbook also has some other useful information such as calculations, phone numbers, maps to sites, etc.

When my small binder gets full, I print out an spreadsheet summary of 100 dives including time, depth, and type of dive. The pages then go into a file. My dive log has space for two dives per page and is printed double sided. Simple stuff like date, location, depth, time, air pressures (good for checking SAC rates over time), exposure protection, temperature, weights, and dive type. I allso have some space for notes, but don't use that much for local dives. And I do occasionally collect a signature or two, just for the heck of it.

On one dive trip the operator asked for proof of experience. I gave them a copy of the spreadsheet and that was sufficient.

 

[boogeywoogey]

I logged on paper my first 250 dives because I was completely mad about diving.

I love diving but I dont dive for a living thankfully.....still mad about diving.

Good on all of you.

 

[AZLAR]

I have difficulty remembering things about dive sites that I might want to share with other divers....location, marine life,operators, etc. Deborah makes a good point...I'll keep logging until I stop learning too!

 

[JohnW]

Logging is part of the whole diving experience for me. I even put photo's in my log book. I'm a newley minted diver, but I hope as I progress I still Log.

I look in my log book to relive the great moments diving, between outings(helps me get through these cold canadian winters).

I've been on 3 Dive trips so far and have been the only one to actually have a log book on the boat with me. Does this make me a "Dive Nerd"eyebrow ?

 

[tjmills]

This is the ONLY thing in my life that I do write down other than flight logs (and thats required for many reasons). I almost consider it more of a journal of my life than referring to it as a log. Since I don't keep anything else, I do keep this. I could care less about how many dives or statistical information at this point but it would be nice to sit down and be able to review my days underwater and remember the experiences that I have had. Good and Bad.

Log what and if you want. It's all about free will.

 

[CathyI8205]

I log my dives. But recently my dives are in a pool. I see these as education and learn something new every time.

I'm trying to come up with usable dive log pages. Does anyone have any suggestions?

 

[Texasscuba]

I logged dives my first 5+ year, then stopped after that. That was sometime back in mid 80"s.