Where to Find Hammerhead Sharks

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With their distinct hammer-shaped head, hammerhead sharks are some of the most recognizable fish in the oceans. Unlike most other sharks, they don’t have a traditional head. Rather, hammerheads have an elongated and flattened head that extends out to their right and left sides. If you’re an avid diver who appreciates the unique beauty of these sharks, you might be wondering where to find them. While hammerheads are native to a variety of aquatic regions, there are a few steps you can take to increase your chances of encountering them when diving.

What Are Hammerhead Sharks?

Before we reveal where to find hammerheads, let’s take a closer look at this majestic shark. Contrary to what some divers believe, the hammerhead isn’t a specific species of shark. Rather, the term “hammerhead” refers to any shark featuring a characteristically hammer-shaped head. Most hammerheads are in the Sphyrna genus, though some are categorized in a different genus. The winghead hammerhead, for example, is placed in the Eusphyra genus.

Marine biologists believe that hammerhead sharks have their hammer-head shapes for increases sensory reception. The general belief is that their hammer-shaped head allows these sharks to hunt prey more easily, which certainly makes sense. Regardless, you can easily distinguish hammerheads from other types of sharks by looking at their head. If it’s elongated and flattened, it’s a hammerhead.

Here are some fun facts about hammerheads:

  • While most hammerheads have a gray body, their bellies are white to provide camouflage when viewed from below.
  • During the daytime hours, hammerheads often swim in large groups of up to 100 or more. During the evening and nighttime hours, they swim alone so that they can hunt prey more effectively.
  • Hammerheads have evolved over the course of some 20 million years. Marine biologists believe that modern-day hammerheads are descendants of the ancient Miocene shark.
  • The average length of a full-growth adult hammerhead is approximately 5 to 20 feet.
  • Hammerheads can grow quite large, with some hammerheads weighing as much as much 1,300 pounds.
  • With their hammer-shaped head, hammerheads have a complete 360-degree field of vision, allowing for superior sensory reception when compared to other types of sharks.
  • Hammerheads mate once a year.
  • A typical diet for a hammerhead consists of fish, octopus, shrimp, stingrays and even other sharks.
  • When a hammerhead attacks a stingray, it will use its head to pin the stingray down against the bottom of the ocean floor.
  • The average litter size of a hammerhead is approximately 12 to 15 pups. Some hammerheads, however,m have been known to give birth to up to 40 pups.
  • Hammerhead pups typically swim together until they are large enough to survive on their own.
  • There are nine species of hammerhead sharks, each of which has a distinct appearance.
  • No human fatalities by a hammerhead have ever been recorded.
  • The average lifespan for a hammerhead is roughly 25 to 35 years.
  • Hammerheads are known to perform mass migrations during the summer.
  • Bonnethead hammerheads have been known to consume a substantial amount of seagrass. According to some studies, up to half of a bonnethead hammerhead’s diet may consist of seagrass.
  • Hammerheads are some of the ocean’s most adept predators, primarily because of their high sensory reception attributed to their hammer-shaped head.
  • Like with other sharks, hammerhead teeth are often found as fossils.
  • Hammerheads are considered “gods of the ocean” in Hawaii.

How Common Are Hammerhead Sharks?

When compared to other types of sharks, hammerheads are somewhat rare. The most common type of hammerhead is the bonnethead. Unfortunately, though, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has listed several types of hammerheads as vulnerable, including the smalleye and smooth hammerhead. The scalloped hammerhead and winghead hammerhead have even been given the endangered status, attesting to their rarity.

Where to Find Hammerhead Sharks When Diving

Although hammerheads are somewhat rare, you can still find them when diving — you just need to know where to look. Hammerheads thrive in warm and shallow coastal waters. You typically won’t find them far north or south, nor will you find them in hundreds or thousands of miles away from the coast. Rather, all nine species of hammerheads prefer warm and shallow coastal waters. So, if you’re hoping to encounter a hammerhead, you’ll need to choose a dive site that’s located in shallow, warm waters near a coast.

Costa Rica is a popular destination for divers looking to encounter hammerheads.  Specifically, large groups of hammerheads are often found in the waters surrounding Costa Rica’s Cocos Island. Located roughly 342 miles southwest of Costa Rica’s main island, it features rich coral reefs off the coast. Marine biologists, in fact, have identified over 30 species of coral reefs native to Coco Island’s waters. The coral reefs attract a variety of fish, as well as other marine life, that are commonly consumed by hammerheads.

Another destination where you’ll have a good shot at encountering hammerheads is the waters off the coast of Hawaii. Oahu Island’s Keehi Lagoon, for example, contains large schools of scalloped hammerheads. Scalloped hammerheads are endangered, so you probably won’t see them elsewhere.

In addition to Costa Rica and Hawaii, other coastal waters frequently inhabited by hammerheads include Columbia, South Africa and Ecuador. Keep in mind, though, that hammerheads often migrate to cooler waters during the summer. As a result, you may want to plan your hammerhead-searching dive trip for the early or late summer months.

How to Stay Safe When Diving Around Hammerhead Sharks

While the thought of diving around sharks may sound unnerving, you can rest assured knowing that hammerheads are docile. According to the International Shark Attack File — a global database that records and manages instances of shark attacks — there have only been 17 documented cases in which a hammerhead has attacked a person without provocation. Considering that millions of people swim and dive in the waters where hammerheads call home, that’s pretty impressive. And as previously mentioned, no one has ever been killed by a hammerhead.

With that said, there are still a few rules you should follow when diving around hammerheads to lower your risk of injury. First and foremost, never attempt to touch a hammerhead (or any other shark for that matter). You should also pay attention to your gas supply. When you’re busy marveling a large group of passing hammerheads, you may overlook your gas supply. As a result, you’ll consume a significant amount of gas without realizing it. Regardless of where you are diving, try to get into the habit of checking your gas supply at least once every five to 10 minutes.

You may also want to avoid diving at night. Hammerheads are nocturnal predators that hunt for prey at night. Therefore, they are more aggressive during the nighttime hours than the daytime hours. Of course, another reason to dive during the daytime is because hammerheads swim in large groups during the daytime. At nighttime, on the other hand, they become more solidarity. For these reasons, it’s best to dive for hammerheads during the daytime.

Express your love for this majestic shark by purchasing a hammerhead dive log book today! Featuring a hammerhead shark on the cover, it offers 50 high-quality dive log pages that you can use to record and document your dives. Each hammerhead dive log book is individually wrapped in a poly sleeve to protect your dive logs from damage.

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How to Identify Fish While Scuba Diving

While the exact number is unknown, marine biologists estimate there to be over 33,000 species of fish in the ocean. Regardless of where you are diving, you’ll probably encounter some of these fish. With so many different species, however, you may struggle to correctly identify them. The good news is there are ways to improve your fish-identification skills.

Takes Photos… Lots of Photos

Don’t forget to bring a waterproof camera so that you can take photos of all the fish, as well as other marine life, that you encounter while diving. Without a camera, you’ll only your memory to go by. You may remember some of the fish from your dive, but you probably won’t remember them all. A waterproof camera allows you to capture photos of fish for future reference purposes. When you come across an unfamiliar fish, point your camera in its direction and take a photo. After making your way back to your home or hotel, you can then research fishes with a similar appearance.

For the best photos possible, try shooting up at the fish rather than down. In other words, you should position yourself over the fish to take a photo. If you’re forced to shoot up, the fish’s silhouette may look distorted, in which case the photo won’t be of much use. Of course, you won’t always have the luxury of positioning yourself over a fish to take a photo. If the fish is swimming fast and you’re directly below, your only option may be to take to a photo from below — and that’s okay. When given the option, though, point your camera up at the fish rather than down. Doing so will help you take clearer and more detailed photos that you can use to identify fish.

Observe Behaviors

Taking photos of fish can certainly help, but you should also observe their behaviors. Like with other animals, different types of fish exhibit different behaviors. Groupers, for example, are solitary fish that prefer traveling alone. As a result, you typically won’t see them swimming together. Flounders, on the other hand, stay at or near the ocean floor where they hunt for other small fish or shrimp to eat. Flounders are also very skittish. If you approach a flounder while diving, it will probably skitter in the opposite direction while kicking up a cloud of sediment in its wake.

No two types of fish exhibit the exact same behaviors. By observing the behaviors of fish, you’ll have a better shot at identifying them.

Here are some of the different types of behaviors to look for while diving:

  • Swimming speed
  • Depth
  • Activity
  • Size of school or shoal
  • Solitary
  • Feeding
  • Natural defense mechanism
  • Reproduction

Record Fish Encounters in a Dive Log

You might be surprised to learn that dive logs can help you identify fish. Some people assume that dive logs are only used to record information about diving conditions, but this isn’t true. You can use them to record any relevant or meaningful information about a dive, including fish encounters. Most dive logs feature a comments section where you can record information such as this. Typically found towards the end of a dive log, it’s a highly useful section for keeping track of fish encounters.

When diving, take a mental note of all the fish you see. Even if you don’t know what species a particular fish it, you can make a mental note of its appearance and behavior. After resurfacing from the dive, fill in the comments section with information about the fish. Maybe you recall seeing large groupers traversing a local reef, or perhaps you encountered a school of parrotfish. By recording these fish encounters in a dive log, you’ll have a better chance at properly identifying them.

Keep in mind, you can include other information about the dive in the comments section as well. Unlike other sections of a dive log, the comments section can be used for any relevant or meaning information about a dive. If you felt uncomfortably cold, for instance, you may want to mention this in the comments section so that you can wear a thicker and better-insulated wetsuit the next time you go diving in similar conditions.

Ask Your Divemaster

If you’re struggling to identify a particular fish, ask your divemaster. Divemasters have firsthand knowledge of native fish in the surrounding waters. After performing dozens or even hundreds of dives, they become familiar with the native fish. As a result, your divemaster can help you identify fish. When you come across an unfamiliar fish, ask your divemaster what he or she thinks it is.

Research Fish Online

With a little bit of online research, you can typically identify fish. If you record your fish encounters in a dive log, you should be able to look them up online. There are several ways to research fish online, one of which is to use the Google Images reverse image search feature. As the name suggests, this feature allows you to search for the same or related images on Google. If you have a photo of an unknown fish, Google Images will reveal similar images, some of which may contain the fish’s name.

To perform a reverse image search on Google Images, head over to images.google.com on your desktop computer and click the camera icon to the right of the search box. Next, select “Upload an image,” followed by “Browse.” You can then navigate the image’s location on your computer. Once the image has finished uploading, Google Images will reveal search listings for similar images, which may help you identify the depicted fish.

Pick Up a Fish Identification Book

There are books available that can help you identify fish. Known as a fish identification book, it’s an invaluable resource for serious divers. The Caribbean Reef Life Fish ID Book sold here at Dive Logz contains hundreds of reef-dwelling fish. In this fish identification book, you’ll find descriptions of fish as well as their growth patterns, life stages and more.

The Caribbean Reef Life Fish ID Book includes information on all types of reef-dwelling marine life. In addition to fish, this book will teach you about plants, sponges, turtles and even marine mammals. If you’re planning to dive in the Caribbean in the near future, remember to pick up a copy of the Caribbean Reef Life Fish ID Book. After you’ve finished diving, you can cross-reference your dive log memos and fish photos with the fish described in this book.

Enroll in the PADI Fish Identification Course

The Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) offers a course that’s designed specifically for fish identification. Available to all divers 10 years of age or older who’ve completed the Open Water Diver course or higher, it’s well worth the investment of your time and money if you’re serious about fish identification. During this course, you’ll learn how to identify native fish, fish surveying methods, and how to protect fish and other marine life.

You can learn more about the PADI Fish Identification course by visiting the official PADI website here.

The Caribbean Fish I.D Book is the only book one in existence, with it, you can identify some of the ocean life you come across on your dives!

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How to Achieve the Perfect Dive While Avoiding Spills

When diving, you’ll probably want to bring some personal items like a smartphone, camera, dive log and a fish identification book. Even if you plan on the leaving these items on the boat, though, they may still get wet. Maybe a rogue waved splashed against the boat’s hull and splashed your smartphone with water, or perhaps you or another diver accidentally spilled a drink on your camera. Although it’s not the end of the world, it’s frustrating when your personal items are damaged from water. The good news is that you can still bring your personal items on your diving trips — you just need to take the rig

Don’t Sit Near the Edge of the Boat

When first stepping onto the charter boat, choose a seat near the center rather the edge of the boat. Depending on where exactly you are diving, as well as the type of charter boat used, it may take an hour or longer to reach your dive site. Some divers prefer sitting on the edge so that they can look out at the ocean. If you sit near the edge of the boat, though, you may get splashed from rogue waves.

By sitting near the center of the boat, you are less likely to get splashed. Of course, you won’t always have the luxury of sitting wherever you please. If the charter boat is crowded — or if it doesn’t have center seats — you’ll have to sit near the edge.

Beware of Spilled Beverages

In addition to sitting near the center of the boat, you should use caution when drinking to avoid spilled beverages. Whether you’re drinking soda, iced tea or bottled water, a spilled beverage could damage your personal belongings. Spilling a bottle of water on a smartphone, for example, may destroy the device’s internal circuitry. Granted, some smartphones are waterproof, but most are not. Nonetheless, it’s best to err on the side of caution by avoiding spilled beverages.

Here are some tips to avoid spilled beverages when riding on a charter boat to your dive site:

  • If the charter boat has cup holders, use them.
  • Keep the top or lid of your beverage closed when you aren’t drinking.
  • Avoid drinking out cans, which unfortunately don’t have a resealable top or lid.
  • Invest in a spill-proof cup to use specifically for your dive trips.
  • Always place beverages on a flat and even surface.
  • Secure beverages in place by sandwiching them between towels or other items.

Store Electronics in a Dry Tech Bag

An easy and effective way to protect your electronics from water damage is to store them in a dry tech bag. Like other dry bags, they offer a waterproof component in which you can store small items. Dry tech bags differ, however, in the sense that they are designed specifically for electronics. You can use them to protect your smartphone, tablet, camera, watch and other electronics from water-related damage. Before stepping onto the charter boat, place all your electronics in a dry tech bag.

The Waterproof Dry Tech Bags sold here at Dive Logz not only protects your electronics from water-related damage; they allow you to continue using your electronics. In other words, you can control your smartphone, tablet or any other touchscreen device through the Dry Tech Bag’s waterproof material. Other dry tech bags don’t allow you to use touchscreen devices. If you attempt to tap an icon or other virtual key using one of these other dry tech bags, your touchscreen device won’t pick up your command. You can always take your touchscreen device out of the bag, but doing so increases the risk of water-related damage.

Unless you’re looking to replace your smartphone or tablet, you should store your touchscreen device in one of the Waterproof Dry Tech Bags sold here at Dive Logz. Doing so will allow you to continue using your device while keeping it protected from water-related damage in the process. Just remember to fully close the seal at the top so that water can’t enter the interior compartment. As long as the top seal is fully closed, your touchscreen device and other electronics won’t get wet.

Store Your Dive Log in a Water-Resistant Binder

If you’re planning to bring a dive log, you should store it in a water-resistant binder for maximum protection. Most divers leave their dive log on the charter boat, believing that it won’t get wet here. With charter boats surrounded by water on all sides, though, there’s always a risk for water exposure. And if your dive log gets wet, it could smear the ink and degrade the paper.

To keep your dive log dry, store it in a water-resistant binder. The Scuba Diving Log Binders sold here at Dive Logz feature a heavy-duty water-resistant exterior. They look like ordinary three-ring binders in which you can place three-ring-hole-punched papers, including dive logs, but they are made of a water-resistant material. Just place your dive logs in the binder, at which point you can zip it shut.

The Scuba Diving Log Binders also come with 50 free dive logs. If you’re running low on dive logs — or if you’re completely out — you can purchase a single Scuba Diving Log Binder rather than reordering new dive logs. 50 dive logs will allow you to document and record your experiences for the next 50 dives. You don’t have to take them out of the binder, either. With the Scuba Diving Log Binder, all your dive logs will remain dry.

Use Waterproof Dive Logs

Not all dive logs are susceptible to water-related damage. Some are actually designed to withstand water, making them an excellent choice for divers who are concerned about spills and splashed water. These waterproof dive logs are typically made of recycled stone. Known as stone paper, it’s able to withstand water without turning to mush. Waterproof dive logs usually cost more than traditional non-waterproof dive logs. However, they last longer while giving you peace of mind knowing that your dive logs are protected from water-related damage.

Waterproof stone paper dive logs are also uniquely stylish. They feature a thicker construction and slightly darker tone. For these reasons and others, you should consider making the switch to waterproof stone paper dive logs.

You can still use traditional paper dive logs. As long as you keep your paper dive logs in a water-resistant binder, they shouldn’t succumb to water-related damage. If you’re not planning to use a water-resistant binder, though, waterproof dive logs are a smart investment. With their recycled stone construction, they won’t sustain damage when exposed to water.

Dry Wet Items in a Timely Manner

When you spill a beverage or get splashed by a rogue wave, dry your wet items in a timely manner. Whether it’s your smartphone, tablet, dive logs or anything else, the longer it remains wet, the greater the risk of damage. If you discover that one of your personal items has been exposed to water, use a towel to quickly dry it. For most spills and splashes, you can blot the item with a towel to dry it. By taking immediate action, you’ll protect your items from water-related damage.

Stay away from spills using Divelogz and the new Waterproof Paper Divelogz!

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Underwater Communication: How to Communicate When Diving

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Unless you’re performing a solo dive, you’ll probably be paired up at least one other diver. While you can always converse with other divers on the boat, this isn’t always possible once you’re in the water. Sound waves still travel through the water. In fact, they travel approximately 500% faster in the water than in the air. The problem is that underwater sound waves don’t trigger the same vibrations in your inner ear as those in the air, so you can’t hear as easily when diving. With that said, there are still several ways to communicate with other divers after descending below the surface.

The Importance of Underwater Communication

Although it sounds like a meaningless skill, knowing how to communicate with other divers below the surface is important for several reasons. First, it allows you to convey potential hazards that could otherwise cause injury to either yourself or another diver. If you are running low on air, you can inform your buddy so that you can use his or her regulator. If you want to travel in a different direction, you can communicate this to your buddy so that he or she can follow you.

You can also use underwater communication to notify your buddy about the presence of marine life. While shark attacks involving divers are incredibly rare — especially when diving in groups rather than alone — most divers want to keep a safe distance from these majestic sea creatures. Using the right method of underwater communication, you can let your buddy know if there’s a shark approaching.

Let’s face it, underwater communication makes diving more enjoyable. If you aren’t able to communicate, you won’t be able to fully share the diving experience with your buddy. For these reasons and others, you should learn at least one method of underwater communication.

Hand Signals

Perhaps the easiest way to communicate when diving is to use hand signals. The World Recreational Scuba Training Council has created a set of universal hand signals for divers. Using hand gestures, you can convey information to your dive buddy. It’s an easy yet effective way to communicate when diving.

Some of the most common hand signals used to communicate when diving include the following:

  • Thumbs Up: Raising a single hand and using the thumbs up gesture means you want to ascend.
  • Thumbs Down: Conversely, raising and single hand and using the thumbs down gesture means you want to descend.
  • OK: Creating a circle with one hand by closing your thumb and index finger means you are safe or okay.
  • Hands Over Head: Another way to convey that you are safe or okay is to place both hands over your head. This method is preferred when underwater visibility is limited, as it’s easier for divers to see than the OK hand signal.
  • Raised Hand With Palm Exposed:  Raising a single hand with the palm exposed means stop.
  • Raised Index Finger Turning in a Circular Motion: Raising an index finger and turning it in a circular motion means you want to turn around or reverse direction.
  • Both Hands Cupped Together:  Placing both hands in front of your body and cupping them together means you want to return to the boat.
  • Single Hand Moving Horizontally Across Throat: Placing a single hand and moving horizontally across your throat means you are out of gas or running out of gas.

Dive Slate

Another way to communicate when diving is to use a dive slate. Consisting of an erasable board or waterproof paper, you can use a dive slate to write messages. Whether you want to convey information to your buddy or ask him or her question, you can use a dive slate. Just write your message on the dive slate and point it in his or her direction.

You can’t use just any pen and paper to communicate when diving. Unless it’s waterproof, your messages won’t appear on the board or paper. Dive slates solve this problem by featuring a completely waterproof design. They are typically made of PVC or plastic and feature a waterproof erasable marker or pencil. Some dive slates even use glow-in-the-dark markers or pencils, allowing you to produce easy-to-see messages.

The only disadvantage to using a dive slate is that it requires you to haul additional equipment. If the dive slate isn’t secured to your suit, it may fall off. But if you’re looking for a quick and easy way to communicate when diving, you can’t go wrong with a dive slate. Just remember to keep it secure at all times. Depending on where you are diving, you may lose your dive slate forever if it falls off.

Lights

While not as effective as hand signals or a dive slate, lights can also be used to communicate when diving. A dive light is a special type of handheld flashlight that’s designed to illuminate your surrounding environment when diving. If you’re diving at night, you can use a dive light to increase your visibility. But dive lights are also an effective means of underwater communication.

Some of the most common light signals include the following:

  • Drawing a Circle on the Ocean Floor: Moving your light in a circular manner on the ocean floor means you are safe or okay.
  • Moving Light Up and Down: Quickly raising and lowering the light means danger ahead.
  • Moving Light Side to Side: Moving the light horizontally from side to side means you’ve encountered an emergency.

Voice System

There are voice systems available that allow divers to communicate with each other. Using a voice system, you can talk to your buddy just as you normally would when on the boat or on land. Voice systems are typically embedded in or attached to your dive mask. They consist of both a microphone and speaker. To relay a message to your buddy, you speak into the microphone. Your buddy will then hear your message through the speaker attached to his or her dive mask.

An example of a voice system used in diving is the Lagosease. Developed by Casio, it works within visible range. In other words, if you see your buddy, you can speak to him or her and vise versa. But if your buddy is too far away to see, you won’t be able to communicate with him or her using Casio.

The downside to using a voice system like Casio is that it requires you to keep the regulator in your mouth. As a result, you may struggle to speak clearly. With practice, though, you can learn to speak more clearly so that your buddy can understand what you are saying.

Rope Tugs

You can’t communicate with other divers using rope tugs, but you can use this method to communicate the boat operator or tender. If the tender pulls on the rope once, he or she is asking if you are okay. If you pull on the rope once, you are signaling to the tender that you are okay.

If the tender pulls on the rope twice, he or she is telling you to stay where you are. If you pull on the rope twice, you are signaling to the tender that you are stationary.

Want to create your own custom dive logs? Contact us today to learn more about our custom dive logs.

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10 Reasons to Invest in Custom Dive Logs for Your Business

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Whether you run a resort, dive shop, dive center, dive charter or any other business that sells scuba diving services, you should consider investing in custom dive logs. While custom dive logs serve the same purpose as generic dive logs – to allow customers to document and log their dives – they offer several unique advantages over their generic counterparts. Below are 10 important reasons why you should invest in custom dive logs for your business.

#1) Increases Credibility

Custom dive logs will increase your business’s credibility. They show customers and potential customers that your business is a credible diving authority. Any diving business can print out and use generic dive logs, but only industry-leading diving businesses will take the time to create custom dive logs. When customers and potential customers see your custom dive logs, they’ll view your business as being credible, in which case they’ll feel more confident booking a dive. But this is just one of many reasons to choose custom, rather than generic, dive logs.

#2) Raises Brand Awareness

As a business owner, you probably know the importance of creating and maintaining a recognizable brand. If your target audience doesn’t recognize your business’s brand, you’ll struggle to attract new customers. You can raise awareness for your business’s brand, however, by investing in custom dive logs. You can customize the front or back of your log books with your business’s logo, and you can even include custom pages about your business inside your log books. As customers flip through the pages of your log books, they’ll see your business’s logo and other brand elements, thereby raising awareness for your business’s brand.

#3) Educates Your Audience

You can also use custom dive logs to educate customers about your business. When ordering custom look books, you can add pages with information about your business and what it offers. If your business’s diving instructors are PADI-certified, for example, you can mention this on the page. Of course, you can other information about your business in your custom log books, such as the type of diving equipment offered to customers, duration of dives and more. All of this information will help educate your audience about your diving business.

#4) Sets Your Business Apart From Its Competitors

With thousands of different diving businesses vying for the same customers, you need to distinguish your business from its competitors. While there’s no better way to differentiate your business from its competitors than by offering a superior diving experience, another way is to use custom dive logs. If you use generic dive logs, they’ll probably look the same as those used by your competitors. But taking the time to create custom dive logs will set your business apart from its competitors. Customers will immediately recognize your business upon looking at your custom dive logs.

#5) Encourages Customers to Return

You may discover more customers returning to your business if you offer custom dive logs. After returning home from a dive, customers may review the information recorded in their dive logs. Maybe a customer wants to see how much air he or she used, or perhaps the customer wants to see what type of equipment he or she used during the dive. Regardless, customers will likely review their dive logs after returning home. If you use generic dive logs, though, they may not remember your business’s name. You can help customers remember your business, and encourage them to return in the process, by providing them with custom dive logs featuring your business’s name and logo.

#6) Exposes Your Business to Other Potential Customers

Custom dive logs may expose your diving business to other potential customers, some of whom wouldn’t know about your business otherwise. Divers often share their dive logs with friends and family members. If you offer custom dive logs, these individuals will see your business’s name and logo, which could compel them to book with a dive with your business in the future. Over time, custom dive logs can send countless new customers to your business. Unfortunately, this rarely happens with generic dive logs. While customers may still include your business’s name on a generic dive log, it won’t be prominently displayed like it would with a custom dive log.

#7) Higher Quality Than Generic Dive Logs

The quality of custom dive logs is unparalleled to that of generic dive logs. The custom log books sold here at Dive Logz feature 50 log pages, each of which is individually wrapped in a poly sleeve. The poly sleeves are designed to protect the log pages from damage, which can easily occur to unprotected pages. Customers generally carry their dive logs on the boat when traveling to a dive site. If their dive pages aren’t protected, something as simple as splashed water may damage them. Thankfully, poly sleeves solve this problem by creating a water-resistant barrier that protects customers’ dive pages from damage. The poly sleeves are also resealable, allowing customers to easily remove their log pages after returning to dry land.

#8) Supports Maps

Custom log books support more than just basic dive logs. They are fully customizable, inside and out, and can even feature maps associated with your business’s dive sites. If your business has a half-dozen different dive sites, you can include a map of the surrounding beach or island with markers pinpointing the location of each of the six dive sites. With a map of the area, customers can see the location of your business’s dive sites simply by checking out your custom log books. Generic log books, on the other hand, don’t have any maps or pages of additional information. Rather, they consist entirely of log pages.

#9) Increases Customer Satisfaction

Using custom dive logs may lead to increased customer satisfaction for your business. They provide customers with more information about your business and its diving services. As a result, customers will know exactly what to expect when booking a dive trip, which usually means a higher level of satisfaction. Another way to boost customer satisfaction with custom dive logs is to include coupons. If you order custom log books for your business, you can include special promotional pages with coupons or discount codes. Customers will appreciate the coupons or discounts offered in a custom log book, allowing your business to generate more five-star reviews on TripAdvisor and Yelp. At the same time, offering coupons or discounts in your custom log books encourages customers to return to your business.

#10) Low Cost

Some business owners assume custom dive logs are more expensive than generic dive logs, but this isn’t always the case. Here at Dive Logz, you can add your business’s logo to the front or back of your dive books at no additional charge if you purchase a minimum of just 50 log books. Besides, you should think of custom dive logs as an investment for your diving business. Like any investment, custom dive logs cost money, but they can pay off in the long run. As revealed here, they’ll make your business more credible, raise brand awareness for your business, educate your audience, encourage customers to return and more. So, a better question to ask is why shouldn’t you invest in custom dive logs?

Want to create your own custom dive logs? Contact us today to learn more about our custom dive logs.

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The Beginner’s Guide to Using Dive Logs

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A dive log is an essential record-keeping tool used in scuba diving. For over a half-century, recreational and professional divers from across the world have used them to record their underwater adventures. After resurfacing, a diver can complete the given fields in a dive log to document his or her experience. The creation of these dive logs offers a journal that divers can reference to assess their past dives.

If you’re new to scuba diving, you might be wondering how to use a dive log. Experienced divers are usually familiar with dive logs, allowing them to quickly and easily complete them. But for newcomers to scuba diving, dive logs can be confusing. By familiarizing yourself with the basic elements of a dive log, though, you can take advantage of this tool and the unique benefits that it offers.

What Is a Dive Log?

A dive log is a document detailing the conditions and events of a single, specific dive. It features various fields that you can complete to record your diving experience. While different dive logs have different fields and formatting, they all serve the same underlying purpose of recording your dives. When you go diving, you should complete a dive log to create a journal of your experience.

In a dive log, you can record information about a dive, such as the date and location, equipment used, maximum depth, air usage, average depth, bottom time, water temperature, current conditions and more. Even if you have a sharp memory, you probably won’t remember everything about a dive. A dive log allows you to create an accurate record of your dives, which you can use to plan your future dives and, ultimately, become a better diver.

Common Sections of a Dive Log

 

A standard, non-commercial dive log may contain the six following sections:

  1. Header: Found at the top of the dive log, the header features fields for basic information about the dive, such as the dive number, location, date and time.
  2. Profile: Perhaps the most important section, the profile is used to record information such as bottom time, depth, saturation levels and air usage.
  3. Equipment: As the name suggests, the equipment section is used to record information about the equipment used during the dive. Among other things, you can use this section to record how much weight you used, whether the weights were belt or BCD, size of air tank, material of air tank, wetsuit material and wetsuit thickness.
  4. Conditions: In the conditions section, you can include information about the environmental conditions of the dive, including the water temperature, saltwater vs freshwater, underwater visibility and day vs night.
  5. Comments: Most dive logs feature a comments section where you can include your notes about the dive. Maybe you felt uncomfortably cold during the dive, or perhaps you found the area difficult to navigate. Regardless, you can record these and other thoughts about the dive in the comments section. Some divers also use this section to record the types of fish and marine life they encountered so that they’ll remember which diving locations offered the best experience.
  6. Verification: Also known as the validation section, the verification section is used to verify your dive by a third party. After completing your dive log, you can ask your diving instructor, divemaster or even a buddy to verify your dive in this section. The individual can sign his or her name to verify your dive. With that said, many diving instructors and divemasters use stamps as an alternative to signatures.

In addition to these six sections, dive log books — books featuring dozens or hundreds of individual dive log pages — often feature a separate section for emergency contact and medical information. In this section, you can include the name, address, phone number of an emergency contact, as well as your blood type, any allergies from which you suffer and any medication that you are currently taking.

Hopefully, this doesn’t happen, but if you are injured or otherwise experience a medical injury while diving, the information contained in this section could prove vital towards your treatment and recovery efforts. The dive charter can provide emergency medical professionals with your dive log book to ensure you receive the possible treatment.

When to Use a Dive Log

Unless you’re a professional diver, you aren’t legally required to use a dive log. However, it’s still a good idea to use dive logs because it creates a record of your past dives. No two dives are ever the same, and without dive logs, you may struggle to remember key information about your past dives.

Assuming you dive for recreational or leisure purposes, you can omit certain dives from your dive logs. Many divers, for example, follow the 20-20 rule when using dive logs, which states that only dives 20 feet or deeper with a duration of 20 minutes or longer should be recorded in a dive log. For shallower and/or shorter dives, the information isn’t recorded because it’s not considered a substantial dive.

So, when should you use a dive log? You can either use one with every dive, or you can follow the 20-20 rule. As a beginner, though, completing a dive log for each dive will help you learn the various fields and what they mean. As you become accustomed to using dive logs, you can then switch to the 20-20 rule by only recording dives in which you descent to at least 20 feet and stay underwater for at least 20 minutes.

How to Use a Dive Log

To use a dive log, simply complete all relevant and meaningful fields during your diving trip. While boating out to your dive site, you can go ahead and complete some of the fields in your dive sheet, such as the location and equipment. For others, you’ll have to wait until you resurface to complete them.

But don’t wait too long after resurfacing to complete your dive log. By completing the rest of your dive log immediately or shortly after you resurface, you should remember all the essential information about the dive, which you can include in your dive log. If you wait until the next day to complete your dive log, you may forget details about the dive, thereby reducing the value of this record-keeping tool. Furthermore, if you want your dive log verified — something that’s necessary when seeking certification — a diving instructor, divemaster or buddy must sign or stamp it. To prevent headaches such as this, complete your dive log as soon as possible after you resurface.

When In Doubt, Ask for Help

Don’t be afraid to seek help if you have a question about a particular field or section in a dive log. Most dive charters will gladly offer assistance with your dive log. They can explain what the different fields mean as well as the information to include those fields.

Whether you’re still training for scuba certification, or if you’ve been certified for years, you should get into the habit of using dive logs. Dive logs offer more than just a reference of your past dives. They serve as a journal detailing the unique experience of each dive.

Want to create your own custom dive logs? Contact us today to learn more about our custom dive logs.

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