Dive Logs - History ?

[jadairiii]

My basic scuba class in 1975, our instructor strongly recommended keeping a log book. He reasoning was not only keeping the basic information, but to also have a way to look back at conditions and changes over the years for dive sites we would dive consistently. A "Farmers Almanac" if you will. Made sense to a 14 year old at the time, so I have always logged my dives.

And he was right, I have a pretty good recorded history of some sites.

 

[PR_SMITH]

Another very interesting diving thread. Thank you all.

I don't know of any early references to logbooks in France for rec diving, but my guess is, as diving for fun was developed by (ex) Navy servicemen, who were in the habit of logging their dives (any unlogged dive wasn't paid for), I'm almost sure it was a recommandation.

As far as compulsory is concerned, I can't give a clear answer, all I know is that in many diving shops, if you come without your log book, there'll be hell to pay.

Here in North America, I have never been asked to produce a log book.

This is the only mandatory log book, but it's only mandatory if you want renew your certification every 2 years, as chamber operators in Canada are required to do.

 

[John C. Ratliff]

Here is my first ever dive log, a USAF Pararescue Diving Record which recorded all the dives and swims we had to make at the U.S. Naval School for Underwater Swimmers at Key West, Florida in 1967. This was one of the required schools for Pararescue recruits, as we went through our training cycle.

SeaRat

 

[tursiops]

Logs have always been voluntary

Depends on the kind of diving you are doing.
AAUS divers must keep a log of their science dives to maintain certification, for example.

 

[John C. Ratliff]

This dive record records an "Open Sea Training Mission," which I believe involved a parascuba jump from an HC-130 aircraft into the Gulf of Mexico, and then an dive to a depth of 75 feet.

SeaRat

 

[John C. Ratliff]

When we got out into the field, assigned to rescue squadrons, the Pararescue Diving Record changed format. Here on a quarterly basis we recorded the dives and swims that we made. In this particular one, the second entry shows "2 Apollo Floatation/Shelter Water." What that involved was putting on the Apollo floatation collar on a mockup Apollo Capsule in sheltered water. It was my first familiarization with Apollo recovery methods. Later we had to do Apollo Sim-Ex (Simulated Exercises) which involved a ADDRS kit drop (Aircraft Deployed Drift Reduction System drop from the HC-130 aircraft), a parascuba jump on the capsule, and putting on the floatation collar in open sea conditions.

The 19 Dec 69 entry was a currency jump for a night, simulated mission in the open sea.

SeaRat

 

[agilis]

Depends on the kind of diving you are doing.
AAUS divers must keep a log of their science dives to maintain certification, for example.

I should have specified 'recreational diving' in the US.

 

[John C. Ratliff]

In 1970 I started my own dive log, with a little pamphlet that let me log a lot of "stuff." I came back from service in Vietnam, and almost immediately went to Clear Lake to become a subject for diving physiology experiments. This was recorded in my dive log from June 14th through June 16th, 1970. I was wearing a really interesting rig, that Alex McNeill and Joe Russel had put together for their Ph.D. experiments. There were three cylinders, the right one for getting to the experimental setup (a horizontal line at various depths), the middle one for use in the experiment (which recorded air pressure used) and the left one a vacuum cylinder which sampled my exhalations. Behind that was an electrocardiogram which recorded my heart rate. It was an interesting time, and quite a contrast from my role as a USAF Pararescueman in Vietnam participating in combat rescue just a few weeks before these experiments.

SeaRat

 

[Bob Evans]

In 1970 I started my own dive log, with a little pamphlet that let me log a lot of "stuff." I came back from service in Vietnam, and almost immediately went to Clear Lake to become a subject for diving physiology experiments. This was recorded in my dive log from June 14th through June 16th, 1970. I was wearing a really interesting rig, that Alex McNeill and Joe Russel had put together for their Ph.D. experiments. There were three cylinders, the right one for getting to the experimental setup (a horizontal line at various depths), the middle one for use in the experiment (which recorded air pressure used) and the left one a vacuum cylinder which sampled my exhalations. Behind that was an electrocardiogram which recorded my heart rate. It was an interesting time, and quite a contrast from my role as a USAF Pararescueman in Vietnam participating in combat rescue just a few weeks before these experiments.

SeaRat

John keeping a log book was essential to keeping track of the photo locations. My log books are stored in Hollywood vaults Hollywood Vaults for safekeeping. Plus they are full of ideas for future projects.

. One day some young person can follow the thousands of images to log book pages. Interestingly, the white stuff on the Seastars was the beginning of the spread to the community.

 

[Green Frog]

I didn’t get officially certified until 1992 (PADI) and got my first logbook as part of that coursework. However, I took a NAUI based course as a Phys Ed class in college in 1969 or 70. We never did the “open water” portion of our training, just classroom and pool, but I don’t recall ever hearing logbooks even mentioned in that course. We were using pretty primitive gear back then with half double hose regs and the rest being “newfangled” single hose regs. No SPGs, just J valves, very simple back plates w/o any flotation, so minimal weight on our belts.

We did discuss the Navy deco tables and other such “advanced” topics, but again, I can’t remember any mention of dive logs. I wonder what other topics we skipped over?? Things sure had changed in the 25 years before I actually got certified!