Log books mandatory?

[Paladin]

I have been diving since 1965 and I have never bothered to keep a log book. The guys I had been diving with didn't keep logs and I hadn't even heard of divers' logs until sometime in the late '70s. I just didn't see the need for one even after I learned of their existence.

Recently, a friend of mine who owns the only LDS that I will use told me that dive ops require a log book and won't let you dive from their boats without one. If this is the case, what is a diver like me supposed to do?

 

[rongoodman]

Book another boat? I started logging mine again when I got DiveLog for my iPhone.

 

[carrielsal]

Showing your log book is "proof" that you are an active diver and the types of dives you have been doing. It is not unreasonable. They don't know you. I didn't log dives for many years and thought it was no big deal. A couple of years ago when I decided I want to take more advanced training, I didn't have the logs to prove me experience.

 

[Louie]

In my experience, dive operators are more stringent with log books for those with fewer dives and with new less experienced divers. This is probably to ensure that a diver has the adequate number of dives, certification level and experience in order to dive safely in the conditions ahead of them (especially in current).

There's a lot of difference between dive number six and dive number sixteen but the difference between number 806 and number 816 would be less significant for the purpose of experience and ability.

 

[eponym]

I have been diving since 1965 and I have never bothered to keep a log book. The guys I had been diving with didn't keep logs and I hadn't even heard of divers' logs until sometime in the late '70s. I just didn't see the need for one even after I learned of their existence.

Recently, a friend of mine who owns the only LDS that I will use told me that dive ops require a log book and won't let you dive from their boats without one. If this is the case, what is a diver like me supposed to do?

It varies widely. I've been on boats that never even asked to see a cert card. I've been asked "how recently did you dive?" but not asked to show "proof." And I know at least one Red Sea dive operation asks to see recently logged dives in a divelog or else requires you to do a "checkout" dive.

In that last case the operator eventually conceded that seeing a recently-dated dive entry on a dive computer was sufficient proof of recent diving. So sometimes a dive computer can stand in for a divelog. If you don't want to start keeping a physical divelog maybe a dive computer memory will suffice--for some operators.

Had I started diving early in life (I'm a bit older than you) and not keeping logs I think I would now start one with a reasonable starting number (1000, 2000, whatever) and log my dives going forward.

-Bryan

 

[Rhone Man]

If this is the case, what is a diver like me supposed to do?

Showing the history on your dive computer is sometimes a good alternative.

 

[Paladin]

It varies widely. I've been on boats that never even asked to see a cert card. I've been asked "how recently did you dive?" but not asked to show "proof." And I know at least one Red Sea dive operation asks to see recently logged dives in a divelog or else requires you to do a "checkout" dive.

In that last case the operator eventually conceded that seeing a recently-dated dive entry on a dive computer was sufficient proof of recent diving. So sometimes a dive computer can stand in for a divelog. If you don't want to start keeping a physical divelog maybe a dive computer memory will suffice--for some operators.

Had I started diving early in life (I'm a bit older than you) and not keeping logs I think I would now start one with a reasonable starting number (1000, 2000, whatever) and log my dives going forward.

-Bryan

Thanks. That's a good idea. Why didn't I think of that? I don't use a computer, so that option is not available to me, but starting a new log with an approximate dive number should do the trick.

Thanks again.

 

[OceanLover91]

Personally I like my log book, I don't have many logged dives, (only four, lol) but in the future once I have more I think I will appreciate it even more. I am able to look back and tell how deep I went, for how long, what my air consumption was, when I went, what time of the day, the visibility, what I wore, and I can add comments about whether I liked the dive spot, what I would like to change (i.e. lower my amount of weights, maybe thinner wetsuit, etc.), and whether or not I think it's worth going back. I guess it is a personal preference whether or not you want to keep up with one, but they are usually required for further education and I have heard some locations and boats ask for them as well.

 

[carrielsal]

A log book is good for many other things than just putting a number with a dive. In my log I put water temps, conditions, what gear I was wearing and how much weight I needed. If I had a problem, I make a note about it. If I'm on a trip I might make a note, good or bad, about the dive shop I used or the boat I was on.

 

[Straegen]

Dive logs are only as good as the honesty of the diver. If they will lie about how many dives they have done they can lie just as easily in a log book. Asking and a proper waiver should be good enough IMO.