Log books

[JahJahwarrior]

And seeing things is nice. Certainly I loved seeing a sea horse. I guess I don't really care...what I saw. Sure I like seeing fish, but...

...what I saw is not what it is about for me....

What was that again?

It takes seconds to log a dive, and then you can remember the lovely sea horse much better...if you decide you want to, that is.

I know I easily get things confused. I enjoyed a wreck dive I did in Jupiter, Florida last year. But what was it? There are hundreds of wrecks, I couldn't pick it out to save my life. Thankfully, I found the log and was able to remember what wreck I preferred for the next dive.

 

[idocsteve]

I guess when I dive, I am looking for the feeling of diving. The relaxing ability to just float and breath. I like to be warm. And seeing things is nice. Certainly I loved seeing a sea horse. But I logged about 10 dives in the begining and then just stopped logging them. I guess I don't really care what depth I went to, or what I saw. For me, it is all about the relaxed nature of the sport. I am often happy just sitting on the deco safety spot for a long time. Sure I like seeing fish, but don't have the initiative to figure out what kind of fish.

Must just be a defect in me. The where, when, how deep and what I saw is not what it is about for me....

Um..hmm..

First of all it's not a "deco safety stop" it's a "safety stop". While there is some "decompression" taking place, the word "deco" implies a mandatory obligation and a virtual ceiling. Safety stops are optional. Mincing terms can get you into trouble but that's as much as I'm going to say on that lest I'll veer this topic completely off the rails.

Generally speaking, a dive log needs to contain the following:

Location, time and date, bottom time, and depth.

Many divers like to add the exposure they were wearing, the temperature at the bottom (as per their computer), their weights, and any problems or memorable experiences during the dive.

That way, when they dive again, especially if it's been a while, they have a good idea of what sort of exposure to wear and what weights to use, so they can RELAX AND ENJOY the dive without being too COLD, or over or under weighted which can cause them to over exert themselves and get fatigued and use more gas and shorten the dive unecessarily. If they made a mistake..which happens quite frequently, by writing it down for future reference there is much less chance that it will be forgotten and repeated, especially if diving is done only a few times per year while on vacation.

You see my point? Dive logs contribute to the dive experience, they don't detract from it.

And unless you're taking some sort of underwater naturalist or fish counting specialist, you don't have to say one word about the fish you see.

 

[JahJahwarrior]

I guess I should add that I've never been asked to show a logbook. I know I need to send a copy of some dives in with a signed instructor signature to earn some safe cave diving awards, and then again to gain access to a few sites in the future. However, I don't carry a logbook with me.

If my collection of cards isn't enough, then I figure I can find a better way to spend the afternoon. For people with less cards, it might be an issue.

 

[idocsteve]

If my collection of cards isn't enough, then I figure I can find a better way to spend the afternoon.

Really? Let's take JahJah's hypothetical example as he posted it.

You've just booked a week long vacation to a popular Scuba Diving destination. You show your stack of cards, the dive shop owner slowly shakes his head side to side and says "No way I need to see a logbook" and you say "Never mind I'll just find a better way to spend the afternoon".

JahJah please pardon my ignorance, but what would that be, exactly?

 

[Garrobo]

Wel, just don't keep a log if you don't want to or are too lazy to. Then when a dive shop operator says: "So you want to do a double-dip on the Speigle Grove with us this afternoon, eh? So, let's see your log that shows that you have done at least three 80+ foot dives in the last six months please." And you say: "Sorry, I don't have that information." And he says: "Sorry, Dude. No can do. See you around, Clown." That's why one should keep a log.

 

[ScubaVideo]

I've always kept a log book. At first I had to have my buddies signature and when diving on boats a stamp to go with that. Then I went to downloaded logs from my computer and I could no longer get the signature or stamps. But now I have started using Dive Log 5.0 and Dive Log on my iPhone. The Dive Log for the iPhone allows for signatures, so I have gone back to getting all my buddies signatures. Even Nada's, Nun's, and Hans Solo's sig's can be put on all my old dives.

With the iPhone I could show the log, if ever anyone needed to see it. But I can't say that has ever happened.

I do like looking back at my old dives, where I have been, the names of sites - it's worth it in the long run.

 

[Wookie]

Wel, just don't keep a log if you don't want to or are too lazy to. Then when a dive shop operator says: "So you want to do a double-dip on the Speigle Grove with us this afternoon, eh? So, let's see your log that shows that you have done at least three 80+ foot dives in the last six months please." And you say: "Sorry, I don't have that information." And he says: "Sorry, Dude. No can do. See you around, Clown." That's why one should keep a log.

I think you'd be more inclined to hear them say "for an extra $50 bucks, you'll have to hire a guide". I'd bet that 50% of the divers on the SG haven't done 3 dives deeper than 80 feet in the past 6 months, unless they've done them on that trip.

 

[flw]

While I've never been asked for a log book by an operator in the UK, I have when abroad on holiday. There are minimum requirements for many trips/sites and it's up to you to produce evidence of that or possibly not dive, which is fair enough
I've always kept a log over the last 23 years, initially because I was still training, but mostly just for my own interest - I dived a site I'd not been to in almost 20 years at the end of last year, then it was deep and dark and scary - this time it was equally dark, but my perception had changed completely and my log describes an easy relaxing pleasurable dive. When my kids started diving they reread some of my earlier logs which produced huge hilarity

 

[oldnotdead]

If your card shows your certification date, there may not be a problem. OND

 

[lmorin]

I've never been asked to show a logbook, but I do keep one. I quickly stopped using one of those paper-wasting PADI logbooks and found a 3x4" diary type booklet with lined paper. I log 3-4 dives per page, often just the #, place and date. It's also the logbook of my buddy (my wife, who has no interest in keeping a logbook). And, it includes things such as restaurant reviews, addresses and phone numbers of people we have met, dimensions of windows in our condo in Bonaire (Sand Dollar A15), plus information about things we saw above and below, and reminders about things that need to be looked up in reference books at home, plus any miscellaneous information that we think might prove useful at some point.