Not sociable!

[bookymad]

Well, wanted to keep this posting local so put it here...

I finally got certified earlier in Nov, and had great diving in Hawaii in Dec...

Now that I'm back to the mainland, I'm feeling totally stranded!!! I want to get back under water practically yesterday!

Here's the problem. I'm not the most sociable person there is. Really and truly. So, if I wanted to dive with some other people, seems my only option is to do that with a diving club.

I have no other friends who are even remotely interested in taking up scuba diving.

I don't want to join a diving club. I mean, I do and I don't. But I really really really really really hate intereacting with other people!!!!!!!!!!!!

So, what to do???

Do I just go to boat charters solo and just dive with whomever I'm paired up with?

Are there any dive clubs that are really really really small? Like 2 to 3 members small????

Any advice would be appreciated......there must be some other people here who adores scuba diving as much as I do but also dislike interacting with people.

 

[divercooke]

where in so. cal are you?

 

[bookymad]

Sorry about forgetting that information!!!!

Los Angeles, but willing to dive almost anywhere around here....I'm still new in terms of discovering the areas around here to dive.

Places like San Diego, not really up for a drive from here......and so on. Though I've heard that La Jolla is a lovely place to dive at.

Guess it's dependent on the situation.

 

[divercooke]

come to vets park in redondo on Wednesdays at 7:00 pm . go there tomorrow people are going to be there in the morning . go to www.divevets.com . I'm not a sociable person ether .just show up dive go home . if you do what to stay and talk with other divers a lot of them hang out after the dive .but you don't have to do anything you don't want to . its not a club. I'll dive with you if you come out on a Wednesday


drysuit greg

 

[JMdiver]

Hi Bookymad,
Check out the Sandeaters calender once they update it for 07, they schedule dates & locations for people to meet & dive. Also check the board people are always posting when & where they're going diving for people to join in the fun. I am going diving this Sun. most likely at Shaws Cove you're welcome to join us. If you're near Hollywood Divers they have a dive club.

Happy Diving
John

 

[ICY ICE]

Congrats on the cert.

You have many choices....lots of divers in L.A. (and groups)

I try to dive 3 days out of the week (Wednesday/Friday/Sunday).

Post here when you want to dive.

No worries on the "not sociable"....will change quickly with scuba.

 

[bookymad]

Thank you divercooke, JMdiver, and ICY ICY for your responses....

To each response...

ICY ICY, I know most people do become more sociable with scuba diving. Such is the nature of this sport, it does help people to build more of a rapport with each other and so on. Unfortunately, I am not one of those kind of individual. I wish I could be more "social" but I'm not ever really going to be. Nothing is going to change that. It is what it is. Though, I don't mean to be unduly negative, and I know that sometimes people get offended when I go "negative", I'm not trying to be negative, so please don't take offense. It is what it is.

JMDiver and divercooke, Sandeaters sounds like a lovely club, as does DiveVets. They also sound large. Maybe that's a good thing in a way, since it would allow me to blend in more with the anonymity of the crowd. I don't know. It's something I'll have to consider if there is really no other option that I can find. I am truly awful with people, so even basic interactions stress me out.

BTW divercooke, I doubt I was the gal that you saw that day in Vets Park. I did indeed panic in my OW dives, but I don't think I was the same person that you saw, since the way you worded your sentence makes it sound like that lady had a full blown panic attack. I know perceptions vary, but I don't think I had a full blown attack. Shrugs. As for joining you in Redondo Beach on Wednesday, sounds like fun....however that would be a night dive, oui?

That would be my second night dive since the manta ray dive in Hawaii, which as luck would have it, the mantas decided not to show up that night! But in the grand scheme of things in that dive, it was really secondary since I nearly aborted that dive but forced myself to complete it which I'm glad I did. However, I don't know if I can handle Redondo's beach depth. I've heard that it can get deep fast....did I get that wrong? Though the depth doesn't bother me as much as the fact that it would be a night dive. I did do a dive that was 90 feet down, and it was wonderful with the shipwreck.....my first ever!!!!!!!! (Let's keep it quiet that I'm only OW certified, ok? )

Plus, it would be a shore dive, right? I seriously hate them. With a passion that cannot be overstated. I'm a short gal!!!! Both of my own younger brothers are already nearly 6 feet tall, while I'm forever going to remain SHORT. So when I shore dive, each wave is like a holy terror to me! After finally putting on my fins which I kid you not takes forever, everyone gets to the designated spot so quickly cause they can outdkick me so quickly while I'm like "Hello?!?!?!, I'm still here!!!!". Everyone has to wait for me, and they watch me slowly come up to them while they had a lovely time to cool down. Agh!

I don't mean to cut off this thread, nor am I trying to. I understand why people encourage others to join a club or be confident that given the nature of dynamics of scuba diving that it would make me more sociable. I wish that was true. Anyway...didn't mean to wander off the thread so far and I really don't mean to be negative nor offend others. I'm just talking about my comfort zone parameters, which I agree that everyone should learn to push past, but for now it is what it is.

One more thing before people slam me for the shipwreck dive. I did not go inside!!! I am idiotic, but hopefully not THAT idiotic.

 

[xSandman3]

Something else you might consider is taking an advanced or specialty course. Usually, these classes are fairly small, and you'd get the chance to meet other divers with similar interests and skills.

Just a thought...have fun!

 

[tonka97]

Something else you might consider is taking an advanced or specialty course. Usually, these classes are fairly small, and you'd get the chance to meet other divers with similar interests and skills.

Just a thought...have fun!

+1

My impression is that a lot of divers like to 'do their own thing' and don't fit into the 'highly social' category. You may be more in the norm than you think!

 

[MaxBottomtime]

Greg is correct about DiveVets. I am a very anti-social animal. I've been diving Marineland since 1987, about half of my 250+ dives there being solo. The DiveVets divers began showing up on Sunday mornings there a couple years ago and I have met many wonderful people from their group. Greg is one of the best. He loves to take newer divers and show them the ropes. All you have to do is show up at 8o and there will always be someone willing to take you along on a dive.