Should I log these dives or not?

[LoneWolf]

I am currently living in Mexico City working at the US Embassy. I go on a big scuba trip about every 6 months. As you all know 6 months of no diving can make you a bit rusty in certain areas, especially buoyancy. I have been looking for somewhere nearby that I can PRACTICE a couple times a month. Veracruz and Acapulco are a 3-4 hour drive so I would most likely need to get a hotel, and hire a dive boat, and the diving in those places is just OK. I'd rather save my money for big dive trips.

Anyway, I think I found a place. It is called Las Estacas and it is a one hour drive and is in Cuernavaca. It is a river and lagoon that is fed by a natural spring so the water is crystal clear. They shot some Tarzan movies there in the 50's. Apparantly several people practice their diving in the lagoone there.

Now my question. While the lagoon is crystal clear and beautiful it is only about 25 feet deep. That will be sufficient for me to keep up on my basic skills but should I log those dives? If I do then my log book is going to be filled up with 25 foot dives.

What would you do?

 

[rmediver2002]

#1 - your log book is more for you than anyone else, who cares what they think about the depth...

#2 - dives in the 0-33 fsw range require more skill as far as basic techniques go. You should be able to master you buoyancy, heck it would be a great place to practice skills with a drysuit if that is something you would like to pursue in the future. If you want to practice for deeper diving you can do most of it on paper at home... Practice your formulas and tables, when you have them down well... Start doing them while intoxicated to attempt to mimick the effects of N2 narcosis (the last part is a joke...)

Log all your dives...

Jeff Lane

I am currently living in Mexico City working at the US Embassy. I go on a big scuba trip about every 6 months. As you all know 6 months of no diving can make you a bit rusty in certain areas, especially buoyancy. I have been looking for somewhere nearby that I can PRACTICE a couple times a month. Veracruz and Acapulco are a 3-4 hour drive so I would most likely need to get a hotel, and hire a dive boat, and the diving in those places is just OK. I'd rather save my money for big dive trips.

Anyway, I think I found a place. It is called Las Estacas and it is a one hour drive and is in Cuernavaca. It is a river and lagoon that is fed by a natural spring so the water is crystal clear. They shot some Tarzan movies there in the 50's. Apparantly several people practice their diving in the lagoone there.

Now my question. While the lagoon is crystal clear and beautiful it is only about 25 feet deep. That will be sufficient for me to keep up on my basic skills but should I log those dives? If I do then my log book is going to be filled up with 25 foot dives.

What would you do?

 

[archman]

25 feet is a definite yes! What do you think people in rivers, shallow quarries, and upper coral reefs do?

It's my understanding that you can log almost anything, as long as the bottom time exceeds ten minutes. I certainly log my river dives, which rarely get deeper than 12 feet. Occasionally you hear arguments that the minimum dive must be at least 30 feet, so that "the dive tables work properly." What a load. Almost all the checkout dives I've participated in are between 12 and 20 feet deep. Those dives were most assuredly logged.

 

[norcaldiver]

Exactly, altho I always thought it was 20 ft for 20 minutes. My computer has hours of time at 9-15 ft. I don't log all my dives like that unless there was something neat that I wanted to remember, but I say 25 ft counts and you're on scuba equip, so who's to tell you that it's not REALLY a dive?

 

[kramynot2000]

Here in Sacramento we frequently go out to the local lake to practice skills: air drills, shooting bags, valve drills, videography, etc. I log everything so I can remember how these drills went, where I need to improve, weight changes, etc. So yeah, I have dives logged that are less than 20'.

 

[ScubaJewel]

Definitely Log them.

Log books are like men the bigger the better...

Julie

 

[Charlie99]

Now my question. While the lagoon is crystal clear and beautiful it is only about 25 feet deep. That will be sufficient for me to keep up on my basic skills but should I log those dives? If I do then my log book is going to be filled up with 25 foot dives.

What would you do?

It's your log --- put into it what will be useful to you in the future.

Perhaps you should log your first dive in detail as to info on dive site, access info, depths, etc. From then on, just jot a note somewhere in your logbook "training dive at Las Estacas" with the date and a reminder to yourself of what you did, and what you need to work on next time.

Log multiple visits to the lagoon on the same page if you don't want to fill up your log.

 

[adshepard]

I log every dive I do. Some of those dives can be quite shallow too. Now I would never count a pool dive or a dive in an aquarium though.

DSDO

Alan

 

[MikeFerrara]

Definitely Log them.

Log books are like men the bigger the better...

Julie

Julie,

The last post of yours I read...

Personally I like a man with a long hose. I use a long hose every chance I get... But seriously I am not allowed to dive my long hose when I divemaster either. It doesent bother me at all. I...

I wonder what Froid would say.

 

[Vettster]

Lone Wolf,
If you should decide to come to Veracruz, drop me a line.
I live hear and would be happy to show you around dive wise.

fjltech@att.net.mx

Dive Safe,
Vettster