Logging dives question

[MadScientist813]

I've recently come across a few opportunities to dive at work. Some of these dives are going to be really short (possibly only 3-5 minutes) due to the nature of the work (collecting oysters in a given area for surveying). It will be done in relatively shallow waters and on days with the short dives, there will be multiple dives (10-20). In terms of logging dives in my book, it doesn't feel right logging each dive separately. Do you guys have any advice on how to respectably record these shorter multiple dives? I would like the credit for at least some dives, but logging 20 dives for no more than 2-3 hours of bottom time feels off to me. Thanks in advance

 

[emoreira]

According to the SSI standard (I asume that all standards are similar) a dive is a dive when it lasts at least 15 minutes.
Besides a repetitive dive is when the surface interval is greater than 10 minutes. This is also programed in PDCs. If the SI is less than 10 minutes, it's logged as a single dive

 

[oreocookie]

20ft for 20 mins seems to be whats generally accepted as a dive... but it's your logbook, so you can do it how you want to. If it were me and I wanted to log that, I'd probably put a day's worth on the same page and I probably wouldn't number it. You say you'd like the credit for at least some of it; is that for prerequisites on future courses? If they're all really short and shallow, you'd probably have a hard time finding an instructor who'd count that towards prereqs. If it's just for yourself, again, log it however you want, it's your logbook.

 

[MadScientist813]

yes, I was hoping they could be used for prerequisites. I knew the standard as stated above, i just didn't know if there was an accepted way to correctly document dives like this to be used for advancing my education. Looks like these will be done in the name of science

 

[phishphood]

I would just log it for what it is. If you can, keep track of # of dives, max depth for each, and duration. It helps if you can see a dive profile on your computer afterwards. Let the (future) instructor interpret it as he will.

 

[Diver0001]

If you are using a computer then log whatever your computer records.

If they're very short dives and you don't think it's good enough to use for prerequisites then still log whatever your computer says but cluster groups of dives together for a total of 15+m of bottom time and give them all the same dive # in your log book. So you could end up with 4 or 5 dives all called "dive #1". That way you've logged everything you did AND you have a clear conscience when it comes to signing up for new courses.

R..

 

[TMHeimer]

Aside from questions re "official" dives required for continuing courses, I would probably log yours according to time underwater. Ei.: 1-2 hours = 2 dives. Personally, I won't log anything so short as one dive (ie, your mask strap breaks after 5 minutes), but depth doesn't matter to me. I collect shells from like 5' to 130'. The 5' one may be for 2 hours, but I count it. Everyone has personal preferences. For "official" dives, I made sure I had the (then) required 20 to do PADI Rescue, and had more than enough for DM course. I believe to finish Instructor and to get "Self Reliant (aka solo) Diver" you need 100. No instructor or charter op has ever asked to see my book. Only my wife and those who have signed it have ever even seen it.

 

[MadScientist813]

Thanks everyone. I had considered doing something similar to what TMHeimer and Diver0001 stated but wasn't sure if there was a set standard practice for diving these short but numerous intervals. I will log them best I can and let the powers that be sort them out when the time comes.

 

[iamjblevine]

My two most important dives are two of my shortest. One of them was when I had my first(only) free flow at about 65 feet. The second was with my 10 year old daughter who just didn't feel up to diving after we had swum out to the platform and dropped to 15'. I learned more on those two dives than on a whole bunch of others. My notes on those log pages are gold in my opinion.
In just a few words on the free flow I learned if I don't panic there is plenty of time to figure out a solution. (And that a real free flow is a lot scarier than the simulated one during class)
With my daughter I learned that any one can call a dive at any time for any reason. Even if we just spent 1/2 hour driving to the lake, 1/2 hour gearing up, 10 minutes swimming to the platform. She was a trooper for having the courage to call it!

 

[Divenomad]

So, if your doing survey work, this might be considered a scientific dive, if your organization is a member of AAUS, here is their definition of a dive:

"A Dive is defined as a descent into water, an underwater diving activity utilizing compressed gas, an
ascent/return to the surface, and a surface interval of greater than 10 minutes."

Scientific diving is sometimes odd, with very shallow depths.