buddys on the net

[O-ring]

I met half of my dive buddies right here on scubaboard and they have all been good people and good divers.

 

[subdude]

One is an excellent diver that I would dive with under any circumstances, a true friend as well.

subdude

 

[jepuskar]

I'm thinking of doing a return trip to Bonaire this Feb or March and ofcourse I dont want to go solo. I have a buddy who might go, but I dont think that will pan out, so I will turn to my LDS, but they have soo many other trips to promote I'm not sure how they would help me....soo that leaves the net.

I havent crossed that path yet, but as long as they are willing to do 3-4 dives a day for about a week or maybe a tad longer and fun to hang out with then thats all I'm asking for. Obviously its much cheaper to stay in one room which brings up a whole other issue......imagine bunking with a stranger for a week or so.

that could interesting....hahaha

 

[O-ring]

jepuskar once bubbled...
I'm thinking of doing a return trip to Bonaire this Feb or March and ofcourse I dont want to go solo. I have a buddy who might go, but I dont think that will pan out, so I will turn to my LDS, but they have soo many other trips to promote I'm not sure how they would help me....soo that leaves the net.

I havent crossed that path yet, but as long as they are willing to do 3-4 dives a day for about a week or maybe a tad longer and fun to hang out with then thats all I'm asking for. Obviously its much cheaper to stay in one room which brings up a whole other issue......imagine bunking with a stranger for a week or so.

that could interesting....hahaha

Shame you can't do it over New Years...SillyGrendel and I were just kicking around a New Years Bonaire trip idea and we could use a couple more people..

 

[jepuskar]

Make it for early January and I could defintely be a willing participant. I was just there 2 weeks ago and obviously I'm itching to go back. I will go back early 2003.

Me and Alice in Wonderland have another date to make.

Let me know.

 

[MNScuba]

All of my dive buddies have been from online... Of course starting a local dive website helped my chances of finding dive buddies... After doing my OW course I learned that 8 out of 10 people in class were going to be 'vacation only' divers, hence the reason for creating the local site. Diving in Minnesota isn't as bad as I had anticipated, it's actually very interesting. Of course I only have Minnesota, Iowa and Wisconsin to compare anything to. Lake Superior, though extrememly cold (38 degrees) was very nice!

Anyway... my online dive buddy experiences have been nothing but pleasant.

 

[MikeS]

No mater where you make initial contact, via the Internet or in-person, there is a “feeling out” process that has to take place. You have to decide if you feel safe diving with them and perhaps just as importantly are they fun to be around? The only reliable means to accomplish this is to go diving.

I like to start out with a relatively easy dive like at the quarry, first going to the platform and checking out buoyancy and maybe staying above 5o feet for the first dive. An OOA drill will tell you a lot about a prospective buddy (as well as yourself). This is a lot better than diving with a new buddy for the first time at 120 fsw off North Carolina with surf and a current.

As mentioned above, whether the prospective buddy is fun to be around is just as important as safety, because it’s supposed to be fun. Nothing ruins a dive quicker than a constant complainer or someone compelled to constantly tell you how great he or she is.

So far all of the people I’ve met on Scuba Board and dived with have been great and I’d dive with them anywhere (that I’m qualified and willing to go). That can’t be said of all the people I’ve met through the LDS.

Mike