Scuba Dive Log for Scuba Divers
Benefits for Sportdivers in Keeping a Logbook to Record Dives
A scuba logbook is a useful place to record the many different pieces of information a sportdiver will encounter during their scuba diving career.
Keeping a dive log can be one of the most fulfilling aspects of scuba diving. Many sportdivers overlook this simple ritual and lose a wealth of information of their diving experience. Most divers start with good intentions, but when the course is over the log book soon gathers dust.
Why Keep a Dive Logbook?
A log book is not only a record of what a diver saw or did on a scuba dive, it can contain information about the condition and location of dive sites. Should the site be dived on high tide? What bearings are needed to put the boat over a particular wreck? Where is the best coral on a reef? What dive plan was used on the last dive at this site?
Another use of a log book is keeping a record of equipment services. When was the regulator last serviced? A note in the log is a permanent record. Also, maybe a diver has been diving in warm water in only a light wetsuit and now needs to use a full wetsuit but isn't sure how much weight to use. If the information is in the logbook it takes a matter of seconds to check.
Logging Dive Trips
On dive trips where diving three or four dives a day it is important to keep a log. Not only for the safety of tracking depths and times, the log can be a record of the entire trip. Years later when discussing the trip with the other divers from the trip the log book can be a great source of memories.
If doing long dive trips, where sightseeing out of the water is a major part of the trip, the logbook can be useful for recording these details. A diver's log book might include information about exploring nearby islands after the morning's dive.
A Logbook Evidences a Diving Career
Some dive resort operators won't accept a dive card for certification. If a diver can produce a log book proving diving experience it can solve a lot of problems.
Surprisingly, a dive log is also useful to keep track of how many dives a diver has done! Some divers brag they've done over 1,000 dives, and have only been diving for five years! This equates to four dives a week, every week, for five years. Needless to say these divers don't have log books to support their claims.
Tips for Keeping a Dive Logbook
The main reason divers give up on a log is because it becomes a chore. After a hard day's diving then washing out a huge pile of equipment the last thing most divers want is log the dive. But to get all the benefits of keeping a log, it just has to happen. Start with the standard facts of depth, time and visibility and the rest will usually flow.
Most commercially available logbooks have a certain format giving space for writing particular points of the dive. This format should be used as a guide only; all the spaces don't have to be filled and extra information can be added. There are many dive log software packages available so dives can be logged electronically.
Some of the new dive computers can be connected to a computer to download dive information. Coupled with free text entry this is a great way to keep a log. And who knows what will be available in the future – digital underwater cameras coupled to dive computers that automatically log and record dives!
Filling out a log book can be tedious but without one a diver could end up at the end of an interesting diving career with just long lost memories. So remember: “log it or lose it”.
