DiveHQ
A centre's dive log is different from a diver's personal logbook. It records every dive your staff led: where, when, how deep, for how long, who was in the group and anything that went wrong. Guides often treat it as paperwork for the end of the day. It is worth more than that, and it is far more accurate when it is written on the boat, straight after the dive.
What to record for each dive
| Field | Notes |
|---|---|
| Date and dive site | Agree one name for each site, so the same site is not logged under three names. |
| Boat or shore | Which boat, or a shore entry. |
| Guide | The guide or instructor who led the group. |
| Entry and exit time | From the guide's computer or watch, in local time. |
| Maximum depth | In metres, from the guide's computer. |
| Bottom time | Definitions vary, for example the total time from descent to surfacing. Choose one and use it every time. |
| Gas | Air, or the nitrox mix, for example EAN32. |
| Start and end pressure | For each diver, in bar. |
| Visibility | An estimate in metres. |
| Current | None, light, moderate or strong, with the direction if it matters for the site. |
| Water temperature | At depth, from the guide's computer. |
| Divers in the group | Every diver's name, and anyone who sat the dive out. |
| Incidents and notes | Equipment problems, a missed safety stop, a fast ascent, a diver who felt unwell, or anything else unusual. |
Record pressures for each diver, not an average for the group. A diver who surfaced with far less gas than the others is exactly what the guide needs to know before the next dive.
Dive log template
One row per diver per dive, with columns for site, guide, times, depth, gas, pressures, conditions, sat-out dives and incident notes. Opens in Excel, Google Sheets and Numbers. Replace the example rows with your own.
Why the log matters
Safety
If a diver reports symptoms after a dive, the people treating them will want the depth, time, gas and any fast ascents or missed stops. A written log gives those details accurately, hours or days later, without relying on anyone's memory. Over a season, the log also shows patterns: a site where the current regularly catches groups out, a group that keeps surfacing low on gas, a regulator that free-flows more than once.
Invoicing
If you charge by the dive, the log is the record of what each guest actually dived. Invoicing from the log rather than from the plan catches the dive a guest sat out, the extra afternoon dive they added on the boat and the nitrox they used. Check the log against each invoice before checkout, not after the guest has left.
Guests' logbooks
Guests want to log their dives, and many ask the guide for the depth, time and conditions at the end of the day. A complete log means any member of staff can answer, even after the guide has gone home. It also helps divers who need to show logged dives for further training.
Logging on the boat
- Log each dive before the next one starts, while the computers still show the profile.
- Enter the site, times, depth and gas once for the group, then one row per diver for pressures and notes.
- Take depth and time from the guide's computer. Where divers have their own computers, note any large difference.
- Mark divers who sat out as sat out, with a reason, so they are not charged and the record is complete.
- At the end of the day, the lead guide checks the log is complete and initials it.
Recording incidents
Keep incident notes factual: what happened, at what time, who was involved, what was done and who was told. Take times from a watch or computer and avoid opinions about the cause. For anything serious, follow your training agency's incident reporting procedure and inform your insurer. Do not edit the original entry afterwards: add any later information as a separate, dated note.