Best advice I can give you.. if you can keep neutral in 3' of water.. you are good at buoyancy
I wonder how many people can accomplish this by resting their bellies on the bottom and having their arses sticking out of the water............
As for local buddies, you can also try going with local dive shops if you're ever having trouble finding people. Some of them organize weekly dives at no cost (apart from fills, rentals, or whatever else you need)
