How to log your dives the right way.
Every dive
has a story.
Knowing how to log your dives helps you keep more than a count. Record your experience, learn from each outing and build a useful history of your diving. Here is what to include and why it matters.
The numbers.
The conditions.
The things you learned.
A dive log records where you went, what you did and how the dive felt. Use your computer for recorded profile data, then add the context that makes the entry useful when you return to it.
Date and dive number
Record the date and keep your numbering consistent. Label training sessions and different activities accurately.
Location and site name
Include the country, destination and actual dive site. “Galu, Diani Beach, Kenya” is more useful than “ocean dive”.
Depth and duration
Enter your maximum depth and recorded dive time. Add the profile or average depth where your computer and logbook support it.
Conditions
Note temperature, visibility, current and surface conditions. Mark estimates as estimates rather than inventing precision.
Gas and cylinder details
Record the gas used, cylinder size and starting and ending pressures when available. For nitrox, include the analysed oxygen percentage.
Equipment and weighting
Note your exposure protection, equipment configuration and weight carried. Add comments on how the setup felt.
Buddy, guide and dive type
Record who you dived with and whether it was a reef, wreck, night or training dive. Request verification where appropriate.
Sightings and reflections
Add marine life, skills practised, challenges and one thing to work on next time. These notes turn data into a learning record.
A record you will
actually use again.
At Ocean Tribe, we encourage divers to build this habit early. A useful logbook supports your next dive, your next course and your long-term development.
See how far you have come
Look back at your first dives, the skills you found difficult and the improvements you made. Progress becomes easier to recognise when you record it.
Prepare for your next course
Some training pathways require documented experience. Keep your records organised and check the current prerequisites for the programme you want to join.
Show what you have done
A log helps a dive centre understand your recent diving and experience in particular conditions. A total dive count alone tells only part of that story.
Remember your setup
Keep notes on weighting, exposure protection and equipment changes. Use them as a reference for future checks when conditions or equipment differ.
Find that favourite reef
Remember the site, route and marine life that made a dive special. Your log becomes a personal guide to places you would love to visit again.
Reflect as you develop
If you plan to become a Divemaster or instructor, record more than numbers. Note the experience gained and lessons you can take into future training.
Digital, paper
or a bit of both?
The best logbook is one you maintain accurately. Choose a format that suits your diving, equipment and preferences.
A digital logbook
MySSI brings your digital logbook, certifications and learning materials into one app. It is a convenient option for keeping your SSI diving journey together.
When importing dives from a compatible computer, review the entry and add your own notes. An imported profile cannot describe everything you experienced.
Explore MySSI →A paper logbook
A traditional logbook gives you space for notes, sketches, stamps and signatures. It also makes a memorable record of your travels and diving friendships.
Keep it somewhere dry and photograph important pages as a backup. If you use both paper and digital records, keep dive numbers and details consistent.
Five to ten minutes.
A much better record.
1. Log while it is fresh
Enter your dives at the end of the day. Check your computer data and ask the guide if you are unsure of a site name.
2. Add the human details
Record what you saw, how you felt and what you learned. Add buddy or instructor verification where needed.
3. Save a reliable copy
Check that digital records have saved and synced. Use available backup or export tools, or photograph paper pages.
Keep it accurate.
Keep it useful.
Need help with your logbook after diving with us? Ask the Ocean Tribe team before you leave the centre.
Ask the team →What should I include when logging a dive?
Include the date, dive number, site, depth, duration, conditions, gas, cylinder and equipment details. Add your buddy or instructor, the dive type and notes on sightings, skills and lessons learned.
Should I log every dive?
Keeping a consistent record of your dives helps you track experience and recent activity. Label sessions accurately. Ask your training centre which dives count towards a particular course requirement.
Is a dive computer download enough?
A download can provide useful profile data, but it may not include your site, buddy, equipment, sightings or reflections. Review imported entries and add the missing context.
Do I need a paper logbook if I use MySSI?
You can maintain a digital logbook, a paper logbook or both. Check any verification requirements for future training and keep a reliable backup of your records.
Why are logged dives important for professional training?
Professional programmes have experience prerequisites. An accurate logbook helps document your diving history. Confirm the current dive numbers, verification requirements and other prerequisites with the training centre before enrolling.
More dives.
More stories to keep.
Explore Diani’s reefs with Ocean Tribe. Build experience, develop your skills and finish the day with something worth writing about.
