Reconstructing a Logbook?

[Teufelhunden]

Any thoughts on the propriety of reconstructing a lost logbook?

I spent nearly every weekend for the better part of a year diving while stationed in Okinawa 15 years ago. Just doing the math, I am pretty confident I logged well over 50 dives that year since we did five or six each weekend we went out (1 Friday, 2-3 Sat, and 1-2 Sunday - doesn't take many weekends to add up), but I have long since lost my logbook. I can still remember many of the dive sites and weekends, but obviously not all.

I know there isn;t a logbook police, but since some operation (and certifications) require a logbook, I was wondering if anyone have any thoughts on whether I should just recreate the dives I can remember as best I can?

 

[Diveral]

Since I mainly use my logbook as a personal journal of my dives i would say yes. I have never had anyone ask to see my logbook anyway. I don't know how it would affect any classes you may take in the future.

AL

 

[Charlie99]

Simple. Put in ONE entry ---- something along the line of "approximately 50 dives, Okinawa, circa 1990" and perhaps a general description of the general type of divesite and depths. That's sufficient info to give a general feel for your experience level to an instructor that wants to see your logbook before a course.

If a DM or dive charter operator asks how many dives you have done, the proper answer is "about 50 dives 15 years ago, and XXX dives since I started diving actively again last year (or last 6 months or .....)", or something similar.

It isn't a case of "propriety". Its a question of how do you accurately portray your experience level; and 50 dives 15 years ago is a lot different than 50 dives in the last 6 months.

 

[Teufelhunden]

I am aware that the elapsed time certainly takes the edge off the experience, but at the same time, I would like to have credit for the experience...

mostly I am concerned about qualifying for specialty/advanced courses that I want to pursue...

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

It's your call, just like golf. Before my IDC I created a log book of less than half my pre-certification dives (80ish out of 250ish). If I dove badly, my instructors would have thought I was either full of BS or had done quite a few lame dives. By the end of my instructor training I had more than enough post-certification dives so the log book didn't matter. In the long run log books only matter to you.

 

[Tigerman]

If youre trained with PADI (and this probably goes for other organizations as well) having the basic cert alone basically qualifies you to take the 2nd course.. from there its just a matter of packing more fresh dives before you can go on i guess.. Its not all that many you need before you can go on anyways..