Best way to find a buddy?

[O-ring]

I know it is tough to just show up alone to a pizza parlor where everyone else if friends & u r the stranger

Sometimes you just have to suck it up...I am not an outgoing person at all and would never go into a meeting or something where I didn't know anyone and just introduce myself and start chatting (I stutter at times)...but, my desire to dive outweighed my desire to not embarrass myself or possibly look stupid so I showed up at a local dive club meeting of about 20 people or so and just started blabbing...

Know what happened? I was sitting right next to a guy who had just bought the same gear configuration as I had, was there for his first meeting, loves NE wrecks, and was looking for a training buddy to wreck dive all over the East coast. Damn...and I never would have met him if I hadn't shown up...now we are planning dives together and can't wait to get moving on some advanced classes...

Not to mention I am signed up for two North Carolina wreck dive trips with the club and met a mentor of sorts that does some technical stuff.

For me the question was either shut up and stop diving or get out there and find a damn buddy...man am I ever glad I didn't avoid going to that first meeting

 

[DivePartner1]

I travel a lot for work and try not to miss the opportunity to take some time to get wet if I'm near water. When this happens, I show up at the dive boat and start talking (interviewing people, really, asking about their last dive here, their last dive, their favorite dive, where they've been). If all else fails the DM at the boat will hook you up but the skill level can be very hit-ant-miss.

But dealing with problem buddies can be inevitable, which is why I took the Rescue class. Especially the 'how to deal with panicked dive buddy' part.

I agree with O'Ring and the others that a good plan is to hang at a good LDS, take some of their trips and maybe join a club. It's can be awkward to invite yourself into a group that's been diving together for years, but they know your all there for the same reason. Anything to keep diving!