Best dive buddy option when out of town?

[Shafqat Ahmed]

I'm 30; I've been diving for about 6 years, 65 dives to date. 16 of them were shore dives in Monterey/San Diego, the rest were all boat dives in tropical locations.

I prefer boat dives in tropical locations, but sometimes I feel the urge and and either drive to Monterey or fly to San Diego for a couple quick weekend dives.

In San Diego, I've always paid to shore dive with a DM, because I thought it was safer to dive with a local professional diver instead of a stranger from a scuba forum. Last time I went, however, the DM was basically a kid, and he and his buddy were horsing around underwater - at one point they grabbed a horn shark and flipped it over to make it immobile. It occurred to me at that point that I'm not necessarily in better hands with DM's than strangers. At the same time - I don't think I know San Diego/Monterey well enough to guide my own dives, and I don't know what to expect from someone in a scuba forum.

I'm headed to San Diego next week - what would you advise me to do this time around?

 

[the3dwizard]

You might post in the Socal forum. Might be able to find someone who dives there regularly and has the outlook on diving that you do. If they are active on the forum then at least maybe they are not a complete unknown.

Cheers!

 

[TMHeimer]

That's what I'd do. I have had reasonable success finding decent buddies on the Deep Dixie sub-forum. But I dived there (FL panhandle) more often solo.
I don't think there is any real way to be sure a buddy is responsible. I've also been lucky on charters with "instabuddies".
I guess you have to be really clear when contacting someone on a forum-- specifics about their experience at the exact spots you want to dive.
I usually did a little research on the area and specific dive I wanted to do (asking at a shop, etc.), assuming it was not a local dive where I live, where conditions would be similar to other places here I've dived.
Another thing would be to take a Rescue course so you feel more independent (or even a solo course?). Then you'd feel better taking your chances with someone you haven't dived with before.

 

[rick00001967]

the DM was basically a kid, and he and his buddy were horsing around underwater - at one point they grabbed a horn shark and flipped it over to make it immobile.

i hope you reported the DM to their boss

 

[formernuke]

The regional area here or look for FB groups in that area.

 

[Justinshepa]

I'm 30; I've been diving for about 6 years, 65 dives to date. 16 of them were shore dives in Monterey/San Diego, the rest were all boat dives in tropical locations.

I prefer boat dives in tropical locations, but sometimes I feel the urge and and either drive to Monterey or fly to San Diego for a couple quick weekend dives.

In San Diego, I've always paid to shore dive with a DM, because I thought it was safer to dive with a local professional diver instead of a stranger from a scuba forum. Last time I went, however, the DM was basically a kid, and he and his buddy were horsing around underwater - at one point they grabbed a horn shark and flipped it over to make it immobile. It occurred to me at that point that I'm not necessarily in better hands with DM's than strangers. At the same time - I don't think I know San Diego/Monterey well enough to guide my own dives, and I don't know what to expect from someone in a scuba forum.

I'm headed to San Diego next week - what would you advise me to do this time around?

Im in san diego all the time and if you wanna go shore diving that sounds fun to me, im relativly new though, groups only have specific dives set

 

[Chavodel8en]

I have found buddies through the local FB scuba group/page, and through the Meetup.com local scuba group. Also regional forums here.

 

[SlugLife]

because I thought it was safer to dive with a local professional diver instead of a stranger from a scuba forum

Despite what dive-agencies love to tell divers, unless you really know your dive-buddy, you're often diving "solo." What happens when your dive-buddy....

• ...runs through their air at the same time as you?
• ...is the dive-hazard?
• ...isn't there, because they swam off to look at a pretty fish.
• ...has an emergency
• ...is incompetent or unable to assist.
• ...has the maturity and ego of a teenager.
• ...has unreliable equipment, or an octo full of mud.

There is always some gamble diving with a stranger, whether it's a DM, someone here, an instructor, a dive-club member, or an insta-buddy from a cattle-boat. That even includes people with fancy titles like "Dive Master," a good number of those are simply rushed through and all it really takes to get that title is some money.

Personally, I would say still dive with a buddy, but also pursue safety as if you were a solo diver. Consider getting a pony-bottle-and-regulators. Consider having redundant buoyancy and cutting devices. Consider what you would do in various kinds of emergencies. Perhaps even take the "self reliant" course when you hit 100 dives.

Based on the type of diving you do, a 13cu pony might be an ideal size. I'd normally recommend 19cu, but the 19cu can be tougher fit when traveling by air.

 

[KenE]

I travel a couple hours to dive because of lack of diving near home. This includes a mountain pass, so I only get over once or twice a month. I have found buddies on local FB sites, the LDS where I get tanks filled, and shop dives from several shops. I have several now and when I plan a trip I start texting to see who is available. I generally only cancel one or two dive trips a year because I can't find a buddy. I believe this to be acceptable considering my circumstances.

 

[MidOH]

Why bother?

For shore diving, all I have to do is toss a float flag in the water somewhere.

After that I can do anything I want to.

If you want to dive with a buddy out there, make some new friends.