Finding a dive buddy?

[BeachJunkie]

A little background. I've been planning to get certified ever since my discover scuba experience some months back. I keep trying to get someone to get certified with me so that I'll have a dive buddy when I want to go. Only problem is, they keep pulling out or aren't able to afford it. So, I keep having to postpone it or some other complication arrises. Now its getting to the point where I'm crawling out of my skin I'm so anxious to get in the water. I can't take it. Honestly, how hard is it to find a buddy to dive with? I know you can probably manage to team up with someone at a dive site (especially the quarries and such), But who's really going to want to have some random new guy tag along with them? Nobody wants to be responsible for the inexperienced diver after they went through the trouble of getting thier own buddy and made plans to do things that the new diver may not be able to participate in. So, to get back to the original question, how hard is it for a new diver to find a buddy? Any suggestions?

 

[Hemlon]

Get certified.

Finding a buddy is not a problem. After all, you have SB!

 

[BeachJunkie]

I'll probably do just that. The LDS here in clarksville dives one of the local quarries just about every weekend, guess I could always just tag along there, plus I'd get plenty of refreshers. I was just curious about people's feelings on having random "insta-buddies" as I see them called. Especially newly certified ones.

 

[Hemlon]

I do a fair amount of solo diving so I have no issue with "insta-buddies".

Of course, I don't dive with people that I dislike just because tolerating them during surface intervals would be awful.

 

[Cacia]

yes, I agree

put yourself out there and get good at picking and choosing your circumstances.

Don't ever wait for somebody else to do something you want to do...you will find those people there.

Having said that, be careful and go at your own pace.

But who's really going to want to have some random new guy tag along with them?

We/I am always good with the "random new guy" if we think they will appreciate the experience.

 

[nereas]

... how hard is it to find a buddy to dive with? I know you can probably manage to team up with someone at a dive site (especially the quarries and such), But who's really going to want to have some random new guy tag along with them? Nobody wants to be responsible for the inexperienced diver after they went through the trouble of getting thier own buddy and made plans to do things that the new diver may not be able to participate in. So, to get back to the original question, how hard is it for a new diver to find a buddy? Any suggestions?

Not true.

There are a lot of diving instructors and dive masters who mentor new divers all the time.

You should plan to take several scuba classes, and make friends within those classes. Basic Open Water, Advanced Open Water, and Rescue are all good courses to learn how to dive and to meet new people as well.

You should then join a dive club. This will give you a chance to meet yet more divers.

Not everyone is afraid to mentor a new diver. Only other novices are afraid, and they should be.

 

[herman]

Welcome to the board.

There are a lot of places to find buddies, if your LDS (local dive shop) has an active club, join it. Take other classes, you may find someone in your OW class you like that needs a buddy too.

Add your location on this board and post asking if any of us live close by, good chance some of us do. Ask if someone will meet you somewhere to dive. I have dove with several who have asked off this board as well as other boards. IMO, it's best if you can find a more experienced diver to buddy with, at least for a while. They can help you avoid some of the novice mistakes that another novice would not.

Instabuddies, they can be great or buddies from hell, you just never know. Some divers will take on an instabuddy regardless of the situation, others will never accept one. Both are wrong IMO. If I have paid a lot for the dive or the dive is somewhat challenging- deep, high current or low vis, I will and have refused unknown buddies. My safety, enjoyment of the dive and my wallet are all important to me. Ask to join me on a shallow reef dive or at the quarry, sure, be happy to have you along. After we have dove together some, then ask to come on the more challenging dives.

An instabuddy tip, it your prospective instabuddy talks too much about how good a diver he/she is or about how many certs they have, decline and find another. Too much talk usually is more BS than fact.

 

[spectrum]

So, to get back to the original question, how hard is it for a new diver to find a buddy? Any suggestions?

It's not that hard once you are certified if you are an active (or want to be active diver who dives with a spirit of continuous improvement.

Diving is a dream and a goal for you. I suspect that you have been drawing some of your less dedicated almost diver buddies into your dream while they themselves were not truly committed. Being an active diver is pretty much a lifestyle change. It will change how you use your discretionary cash and time in a huge way.

Here are some tips that got the ball rolling for me.

Just in taking the class you will meet other peers with whom you can get started.

Pete

 

[MaconBubbles]

Look under Regional Travel and Dive Clubs further down in the forums and find your area. I went through training myself too and it was a challenge in the beginning to find buddies. If you pretty much stick to easy dives in the beginning it shouldn't be hard to find other new divers that are doing the same things. Of course no one will want you to tag along on the Doria...just stick to easy dives. Wear dive T-shirts because other divers are also always looking for buddies. If you work in a cubicle (or wherever you work) put up a dive flag somewhere where people can see it. Put a dive flag on your vehicle somewhere. My Buddy Dale has found numerous buddies for us just walking through our workplace with a dive shirt on. There are some divers here that post every week that they need a buddy for this or that. They usually always get several. It's been less than a year for me, and I now have four buddies and I can count on at least one of them for just about every weekend. We're going to the Oriskany next weekend, but most of the time it's the local lake and several trips to Florida for the weekend. Just get certified and it will happen. And I think there are many, many, experienced divers who get satisfaction in seeing new divers grow and want to help.

 

[TSandM]

When I first got certified, I joined my LDS's e-group and made a plea for experienced divers who'd be willing to go out with a novice. I got several answers, although I only ended up diving with one. But that was one way to find buddies.

Our dive shops organize monthly (or more frequent) group dives, and will help people find buddies if they don't have them.

Scubaboard found me my mentor, and has been a source for quite a few other dive buddies over time.

Classes found me some others, including my favorite buddy.

And to reiterate, some of us really enjoy diving with new divers, so don't assume that because you are new, nobody's going to want to dive with you!