Looking for local dive buddies!

[Rob Phillips]

Greetings ScubaBoard ~

I'm living in Boynton Beach and recently re-certified. I'm returning to diving after taking a short twenty years off. I've been having a grand ole' time soloing BHB and insta-buddying on boats, but I'm finding that my biggest obstacle to diving as much as I'd like to at the moment is that I know literally no one who dives, and am clueless about shore diving spots.
The wife is afraid of the ocean, and amongst my local friends there appears to be a shocking lack of inclination towards blowing bubbles.
So here I remain #foreveralone.

I'm wondering if anyone can perhaps recommend a dive club - or dive sites that are easily soloable outside of BHB, or anyone who is nearby and dives frequently who wouldn't mind a newbie tagalong. Or maybe you're in the same boat as me, recently certified and looking for buddies.

I'm very interested in exploring the various shore diving sites along the southeast coast - but I lack the requisite experience and knowledge of the local conditions to just go soloing random beaches (plus - the wife won't let me ).
BHB is fine solo since it's reasonably contained, highly populated, and very shallow, and I've gotten to know the site pretty well the last few weeks.
But I'm looking to stretch my legs a bit - beaches, boats, freshwater, I'm not picky, I'm happy to try anything!

I'm currently only OW certified, so just doing air dives at the moment. My plan is to do AOW and Nitrox together once I've completed perhaps another dozen dives.

I appreciate any recommendations!
-dive clubs
-beginner shore dive sites
-dive boats to check out
-anyone local to S. Fla who could use a buddy

Thanks

 

[sheeper]

come visit the Vero Beach Scuba Club on Facebook or at www.verobeachscubaclub.org
we have lots of members (from Jax to Key West!), some great people to dive, with and member deals and discounts for dues paying members.

also visit the dive ops that support our club! Stuart Scuba has boats leaving from Jupiter and Palm Beach (www.stuartscuba.com).

 

[seeker242]

I'm 1/2 hour south of Boynton and I'm always on the lookout for buddies! I try to dive every weekend. A good shore dive site in Broward is Lauderdale By the Sea. We should go sometime!

 

[sportxlh]

Gold Coast Scuba in Lauderdale by the Sea has a meetup.com dive group. It's very active and a nice group of people.

 

[Rob Phillips]

I'm 1/2 hour south of Boynton and I'm always on the lookout for buddies! I try to dive every weekend. A good shore dive site in Broward is Lauderdale By the Sea. We should go sometime!

For sure!

 

[Rob Phillips]

come visit the Vero Beach Scuba Club on Facebook or at www.verobeachscubaclub.org
we have lots of members (from Jax to Key West!), some great people to dive, with and member deals and discounts for dues paying members.

also visit the dive ops that support our club! Stuart Scuba has boats leaving from Jupiter and Palm Beach (www.stuartscuba.com).

I will definitely check it out!
edit: I registered

 

[Rob Phillips]

Gold Coast Scuba in Lauderdale by the Sea has a meetup.com dive group. It's very active and a nice group of people.

Excellent. Just what Im looking for - Thanks!

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

Rob, I have a good buddy looking to shore dive tomorrow morning.. game/?

 

[Rob Phillips]

Yes what time and where?!

 

[sbijou]

Hi Rob,
I'm Steve -Jenny's buddy.Feel free to call me at 954.529.5347
I was planning to dive Vista Park in Fort
Lauderdale at 8 am