Question about logging dives.

[aquaknott]

Hello everyone,

I wanted to get peoples opinion on when you should log a dive or not. My scenario is that lately I have been doing some salvage dives for a gravel pit that lost a very expensive auger bit. It fell off in the water and they are unable to find it much less retrieve it. That is where I come in, as a diver I have been combing the bottom looking for this item on numerous days. The water is so turbid you can not see anything and there is a certain degree of risk, but me and friend were discussing wether I should log these dives or not. My deepest depth has only been to 15' but again like I said it is very dark and there is some risk involved. My friend says that these are technical dives and should be logged as such no matter what the depth. I merely want to feel good about the integrity of the dives that I log. I want to become more experienced and log as many dives as possible but I want to do it right. Advice please. Thanks.

 

[BrianV]

I'd be logging them if it were me. I've logged dives in the carribean that were shallow reefs around 15'.

 

[speedhound]

I'd log them, and write down as many useful things seen/done/felt during those dives. Today the water is turbid and 15'. Some day you may want to remind yourself of what (not) to do when in poor viz at another site, or in deeper/darker water.
Your friend seems to have the right idea in using and logging the dives as a learning experience.
Dive Safe and Have Fun!

 

[KentFrazier]

I once participated in a Project AWARE clean up in a pond that was only 12 feet in depth and I logged those dives. Beng in Southern New Mexico, I also logged it as an altitude dive.

Personally, I log anything that is not your standard swimming pool, and I'm now considering keeping a seperate log for those, just to keep track of my time spend underwater.

Kent

 

[aquaknott]

I just wanted to make sure that I would not be logging dives that are not seen as legitimate to other divers. I hear stories from time to time about people who falsely log dives just to look experienced. This is not my intent. I simply want my experience and my training to be ethically achieved and not pencil whipped. So to speak. Thanks for your input guys.

 

[El Orans]

Personally, I log anything that is not your standard swimming pool

Agree.

Now for the second question: how much value should you place on a high number of logged dives?

 

[aquaknott]

To me and my limited experience I tend to think that someone that has a high number of logged dives typically is someone who knows what they are doing or at least is someone I could learn alot from. Generally the dive shop I am affiliated with the people with alot of logged dives are the instructors/dive cons and they all seem to be full of good knowledge and therfore meet the above criteria.

 

[MikeFerrara]

I use my log primarily as a tool to record anything that I think I might want to reference at a later date. Why would a minimum depth or time be required in order to log a dive? Training dives have minimum requirements regarding depth and time in order for them to count but that doesn't have anything to do with how you use your own log.

I disagree with your friend that your dives were technical but that doesn't mean that there isn't value in putting an entry in your log. As far as documentation for others, it does document low vis experience too.

I've refilled my logbook pages enough times without knowing where I stored the old pages that I don't care anything about keeping track of exactly how many dives I've done and there are many unremarkable dives that I don't see any value in logging. On the other hand I have looged some pretty short and/or shallow dives because there was something about the dive that I did see value in recording. My log is for me and I'll write what I want in it.

 

[Walter]

Log it. Is the bit ferrous? If so are you using a magnet?

 

[aquaknott]

The bit is ferrous and I started using a metal detector last night. I purchased one the other night and it came in yesterday. Even with the metal detector I still have not found it. The metal detector works though, I did find a coke can around 2' below the surface. LOL. I have run grid pattern after grid pattern and still have not found it. But the owner is still willing to pay me to look for it so the search continues.