logging dives

[SeaHorseWoman]

Go ahead and log anything you want to. Just log it accurately. If you sorted out something about a skill or configuration it's important to capture that. If you feel a pool session is not a dive make it a reference line, just don't increment your dive count.

If you go onto a training level that is dive count based they can review the details and ignore any non qualifying dives per their standards. It's your log and your record and keepsake.

Pete

Pete, I like your answer, and, after reading these and the suggested threads, it sounds like I can choose any answer that suits me. A log book, then, can be a learning tool if accurate and complete.
SHW

 

[cyklon_300]

are for your personal use, there are no standards as to their design/content.

I use an Excel spreadsheet to record dive no., site, date, max depth/BT, backgas used, dry/wet, cave/OW, partner, and a comment field. Log whatever is useful to you.

After nearly 1000 dives in 8 countries, 20 liveaboard trips, and 10 certifications, not a single person has ever asked me to provide a log.

 

[tjmills]

I also agree with Scectrum.

I don't count pool or confined water dives but noting them is ok too and especially what you trianed on is always a good thing.

You do and count what you want. This is YOUR personal record, not someone elses. I think of it more as a journal than anything else.

 

[tjmills]

are for your personal use, there are no standards as to their design/content.

I use an Excel spreadsheet to record dive no., site, date, max depth/BT, backgas used, dry/wet, cave/OW, partner, and a comment field. Log whatever is useful to you.

After nearly 1000 dives in 8 countries, 20 liveaboard trips, and 10 certifications, not a single person has ever asked me to provide a log.

Believe it or not on one of my first dive trips a guy (DM/Inst?) in Cancun asked me for my logbook. Never happened since.

 

[isurus]

Pete, I like your answer, and, after reading these and the suggested threads, it sounds like I can choose any answer that suits me. A log book, then, can be a learning tool if accurate and complete.
SHW

i log everytime i put a tank on other than in the pool so my log includes aquarium dives and dives aborted on descent - why because i learnt something on each of those that i may want to refer to in future and i don't really care about the dive number at the top of the page.

a good way to make your log more useful to you is to design your own pages. if you look at a few of the excellent home made examples on this site you can see different people have amended the logs to ensure they have easy access to info they find particularly useful and by comparing you'll start to get a feel for whats most important to you to know and hence what it might be a good idea for you to log (eg do you fiddle with your weights a lot for the first few dives every time you go on holiday?). if you do decide to keep a detailed log, make an acrobat or photocopy back up - a friend of mine had his stolen (in a bag) and was gutted he lost his dive records

also the log binder is an excellent place to keep other useful info you might want such as DAN details or in my case turtle and fishbase id keys if i'm expecting something new or unusual on the trip.

 

[Diveral]

I haven't had anyone request to see my log book since I got AOW (good thing since methinks the wife chunked all my scuba books including my logs amongst other stuff during fall cleaning). I have only logged the WOW! dives since I made rescue diver 20 years ago. The only thing that I would really need the log for is to count the dives required for Master diver and to remember special dives (this becomes very important once you hit 40) if you count all of the dives needed for OW, AOW, Rescue Diver, and the 5 specialy dives then you are mostly there.

 

[1_T_Submariner]

My $.02
Most of the people I dive with log any dive not in confined (Pool etc...) that your computer goes out of Surface Interval mode.

Now on to a poor attempt at humor...
So by the definition isn't a indoor pool a cave dive? LOL just joking!! I guess as long as you don't put your mask on your Forehead its ok....

 

[dbittner]

As many have pointed out, a log book is primarily for the diver's own use -- a way to remember past dives, see how you've improved, learn from past experiences, etc. Personally, I have only logged two of my confined water dives -- a one-hour dive in the lagoon at West Edmonton Mall last April, and the 45 minute Shark Dive I did at the Maui Ocean Center last August. I've logged these two dives since they were very much like open water dives -- i.e., they were done primarily to experience and explore a unique underwater environment.

I don't log any other confined water dives, since these are primarily done to practice some specific skill or to familiarize oneself with new equipment.

Dave

 

[divinginn]

does anyone know when they started teaching dive logs in ow courses? they didnt in 1980

 

[Jim Kerr]

The only pool dives I've logged were my 4 confined dives that were part of my OW course. They were logged but not counted as part of my logged dives to date. I also logged but did not count my 4 OW cert dives either but that's just me. You are allowed to count your OW cert dives but I prefer to count only the OW dives I made as a certified diver.

When I bought my dry suit I tested it out in the pool before diving with it in OW but did not log the confined pool dive.

There are instances when you might surface several times on the same tank but you do not count each time you descend as a seperate dive. For instance if you lose your buddy and have to surface and regroup you would not log or count it as a second dive when you go back down.

And just like some of the others have said the log book is mainly for your use. Even though some OPS tell you to bring your log the only thing they ever ask to see is your cert card. I've never been asked to see my log book either but I do bring it so I can record the dive info. It's really fun to look back after you've been diving awhile and see how much weight and air you used then and now. Have fun.