This is probably an irrelevant post but...

[emcbride81]

After following the thread on Quarry rangers Divemasters, it made me think of something in regards to visibilty and logging your dives. Most of my dives are fresh water, max 20 ft vis on a really good day, so when I am in the ocean getting 30 ft I tend to log it as "good" vis in my book. How do you do it? Do you log the quality of vis subjectively, by comparing it to what you are used to, or do you judge it by what you expect? Like in Coz I expect 100ft. so 50 sucks.

Like I said, irrelevant, but I am curious.

 

[Cacia]

I'd say write it in feet or meters.

I gauge by some know distance (bottom of the boat, etc) This way, you are developing a more useful skill.

Quantitative parameters will always be more useful than value-laden qualitative ones.

having said that, I am a big viz whiner.

 

[do it easy]

I usually write it in feet, but vis and temp are the last things I worry about- I usually omit it since it's fairly predictable around here.

 

[MurkyRockDiver]

I use feet as anything else varies from person to person.

 

[RICHinNC]

I'd say write it in feet or meters.

I gauge by some know distance (bottom of the boat, etc) This way, you are developing a more useful skill.

Quantitative parameters will always be more useful than value-laden qualitative ones.

having said that, I am a big viz whiner.

God dont you love a woman that can talk sexy ???

 

[hvulin]

horizontal and vertical vis. are not the same so you should log both (I use meters, but don't log dives any more)

 

[Divin'Papaw]

I guesstimate the viz in ft and record it in my log. I'll often discuss it with fellow divers and reach a concensus as to what they thought the viz was. Can you tell I work in Corporate America?! Concensus 'r Us.

 

[spectrum]

I'll note it if it's exceptionally good or bad. I eyeball it during the dive using diver lengths as a reference (6-7 feet per diver with fins) I figure the distance a buddy can be away and still visible is the most meaningful aspect of visibility. This isn't the Caribbean so it's not as reckless as it sounds. Of course lighting and what the buddy is wearing for color will influence this.

Pete

 

[tedtim]

horizontal and vertical vis. are not the same so you should log both (I use meters, but don't log dives any more)

You had better log the slant range vis too because it will also be different.

I would challenge that most of us can accurately estimate the visibility underwater. Like the OP, I rate it as relative to where I normally dive - bad, poor, good, excellent and the like - when I bother to even log it. The log is for my use as a reference.

 

[bottomfeeder22]

I take a depth reading as soon as I can see bottom, subtract that from the total depth, and voila! good enough viz report for me! Only caveat is if there's a muck layer on the bottom, then i'll guesstimate. good enough for me, i don't care about viz sideways/horizontal, or backwards with an inverted twist.