Requirements for diving (logs, cards, etc)

[SlopeBrooklyn]

Hi all -

New member here. I'm planning a dive trip for my husband and I to the Caribbean. Currently thinking of Bonaire or Guadeloupe.

I am a divemaster and have medic-first aid but from a looong time ago (20 yrs). I have nearly 200 dives under my belt, but none in the past several years. My husband is Open Water 1 certified and has fewer than 10 dives.

My question is what documentation will be necessary to dive in the Caribbean? I've heard that Bonaire is pretty easy going while Guadeloupe is strict. I lost my dive log book a long time ago and my certifications are all outdated. Frankly, I'm 100% comfortable under the water and know how to set up equipment, etc etc but I'm very rusty in dive planning, haven't used a dive computer, and would prefer a bit of hand holding in the dive planning department.

Any suggestions for me? I think a refresher course here in NYC is necessary regardless, but I'm wondering how things will go when i show up w/o a log book and with my old divemaster card.

 

[dmaziuk]

I think standard procedure is to ask how long it's been since your last dive. I don't think they care about the date on your card, only that you have one they recognize. Nobody's asked me for the log so far.

 

[Altamira]

I did not dive Guadeloupe but every dive op I have used in other Caribbean islands has asked to see the cert card, but I have never been asked to show a log. I carry one just in case, but so far it has stayed in my dive bag. As dmaziuk stated, they will want to know when you last dove, also how many dives you have. You will also likely have to fill out a medical history section on their dive waiver form. If you answer yes to any of the medical questions, be prepared to show them a letter from your physician stating you are cleared for diving.

 

[gypsyjim]

The only time a dive shop questioned my C card was in 95', in St Thomas, and THAT had more to do with the condition of my 1970 YMCA card than its age.

The poor card had gradually eroded in my wallet until it was roughly a 1"x2" shard of a card, and not truly recognizable as a C card ( except it appeared, to me).
Even then, all they asked was for me to jump in the pool and show basic skills. (Along with a suggestion that I get a replacement card)
On Bonaire you will be asked to produce your card, whatever it is, and you will fill out a routine form, which will ask when you last dived, as well as ask the typical liability, medical questions.
You will then do a check out dive at whatever op you are using, under rather loose supervision (in my experience), but unless you appear to be a danger to yourself and others, you will then be clear to go.


As side note: I am a firm believer in doing refresher training whenever you have been dry for very long. Even a short pool session, just to sharpen muscle memory, and regain the calm of a relaxed dive, can avoid problems on a trip.

I learned the wisdom of this the hard way, and it was a painful lesson, indeed.

 

[broncobowsher]

20 years, take a refresher. While the basics and physics have stayed the same there has been a slow evolution. I took 5 years off and learned that times change. Took a refresher just to understand what all these new divers were doing that was different. 20 years off, a refresher just to get you up to speed. Computers, SMBs, Nitrox, DIN connections, weight integration. Things have changed that you don't realize.

 

[gypsyjim]

In the 80's I discovered that those new fangled BCD's, while quite a simple concept, required a bit more finess to employ than the fellow renting me my first one at the LDS made it seem.

My express elevator ride from 75' resulted from a lack of actual practice on a new toy, before using it, and could have resulted in far more damage than this lucky fool experienced.

After that trip I became a believer in periodic refresher courses, even if I have remained active, and especially if I have been dry for more than 12 months.

 

[KeithG]

Hi all -

New member here. I'm planning a dive trip for my husband and I to the Caribbean. Currently thinking of Bonaire or Guadeloupe.

I am a divemaster and have medic-first aid but from a looong time ago (20 yrs). I have nearly 200 dives under my belt, but none in the past several years. My husband is Open Water 1 certified and has fewer than 10 dives.

My question is what documentation will be necessary to dive in the Caribbean? I've heard that Bonaire is pretty easy going while Guadeloupe is strict. I lost my dive log book a long time ago and my certifications are all outdated. Frankly, I'm 100% comfortable under the water and know how to set up equipment, etc etc but I'm very rusty in dive planning, haven't used a dive computer, and would prefer a bit of hand holding in the dive planning department.

Any suggestions for me? I think a refresher course here in NYC is necessary regardless, but I'm wondering how things will go when i show up w/o a log book and with my old divemaster card.

Your c-card is a training certificate, not a license. It is still valid proof that you took a training course. "IT" does not expire - your retained knowledge and skills do. So yes take a refresher - somewhere...

As mentioned above, the things that generally matter are:
- are you certified?
- when was your last dive?
- and some times...what level of certification?
- and hardly ever...how many dives have you done?

You are both certified, so the first base is covered.

Last dive time - many operators highly recommend a "refresher" of some sort if you have been out of the water for more than 12 months. At the simplest this could involve hiring a private DM for a few dives and spending time covering your points of concern. The other extreme is an agency recognized refresher "course" with a well defined curricula. If you walk down the street you may be able to find an operator with different rules.

Bonaire vs Guadeloupe is a different issue. Guadeloupe is French. The French actually have scuba diving laws. So yes, Guadeloupe will most likely be more strict than Bonaire. In Bonaire all you need is an OW card and you are good to go. Guadeloupe may impose depth restrictions based upon your certification level?

My recommendation would be to go to Bonaire and hire a DM for 2 dives on your first day and then 2 more dives on your second day. You are old and rusty, hubby is brand new. After the second day you can buy more private DM time or go alone as a buddy pair.

Note that many people may suggest a DM for "just" your first dive. That is necessary. I claim it is most likely not sufficient. By the end of the second day (4 dives) you should have had enough time to ask all of the stupid questions you can think of and to have re-mastered all required basic skills.

 

[KeithG]

...On Bonaire you will be asked to produce your card, whatever it is, and you will fill out a routine form, which will ask when you last dived, as well as ask the typical liability, medical questions...

Medical questions? We have never been asked medical questions on Bonaire. We simply sign a liability waiver that requires us to acknowledge many times over that diving can be dangerous.

 

[gypsyjim]

Medical questions? We have never been asked medical questions on Bonaire. We simply sign a liability waiver that requires us to acknowledge many times over that diving can be dangerous.

No medical questions?
Have you actually read the waiver, before marking each box, No?

 

[tkaelin]

Bonaire is fairly relaxed as far as requirements and a great place to go to get back into diving or for a beginner. The best advice is to check with the op you are going to use re your length of time not diving, c-card and log book questions. I think everyone will require a c-card and will not care how old it is or what agency. I doubt anyone will ask for log books. As far as your hiatus, it is becoming more prevalent throughout the Caribbean to either require or recommend refresher or even recert if out for a certain period of time. I don't think this will be the case in Bon that is why checking in advance with the particular op is the best way to go.

As far as refreshers and guides, that is a personal question and depends on your comfort level with your skills and that of the new divers. I went to BON in '09 after 12 years out of the water. My wife dove with me who had been out of the water even longer and with much less experience. We also had or 12 & 15 years with us who were doing their open water. I was completely comfortable getting back in the water with no issues. Bon is perfect for this. My wife and kids loved it. We dove through a dive resort with lockers, tanks and entry right on the property. The entry consisted of walking down steps into the water that was about 6-8' deep in rubble/sand. There were plenty of shallows to get used to your equipment and get reacquainted with diving and diving skills. No surf, no waves, no current. There was a rope from the steps out to the reef to follow once you were comfortably reacquainted with diving. It could not be easier.

Before we went we did review some basic dive info and reviewed our dive tables. The biggest new things for us was nitrox which was not a thing or widely known when I was last diving and the use of computers. Both were easily learned and incorporated into our diving. I think I bought a computer for the trip and learned how to use it before the trip and obtained a nitrox cert for the next trip to Bon.

Happy diving and welcome back.