Once qualified, how easy is it to find buddies

Ally · 09-27-2007, 06:28 AM

Once everything has been done and someone is qualified, how easy will it be to find diving buddies to go on dives at home or abroad?

Where do you look & how do you know if they are legitimate or not?

Scuba Mama · 09-27-2007, 02:36 PM

The first thing I did was to join a dive club. I checked out different clubs while at the local dive meeting in Chicago.

The other thing is to sign up with dives with the shop you trained with.

Last websites, just finding someone with a common interest, and meeting at a dive site. I have a buddy I met this way and we have dove together many times.

Scuba Mama

P.S. I interviewed my internet buddy before diving, made sure we were about the same level and had similar interests.

**dalehall** · 09-27-2007, 03:21 PM

Also talk about diving when you can. I have a buddy here that contacted me because I was the only person around she knew that dove and she was interested in getting certified. After she was qualified, we started talking around others along with wearing some diving related shirts. Next thing we know, divers are coming out of the wood work. 1 year ago, there were two of us here that we knew dove. Now, we have a "social" club of divers consisting of close to 30 members where people can meet and greet and go diving together. I've met some great folks and made some really good friends from diving.

MgicTwnger · 09-27-2007, 03:26 PM

I live about 4 hours south of of the Chicago area where Mama is. There are no local clubs except the one at my LDS. Their activities consist of getting togeather once a month to eat, drink, and BS. And for the shop to sell them trips to exotic locales where they can eat, drink, BS, and do a little diving on the side. Nobody there is interested in the great local diving we have here: wrecks in the Great lakes and caves within a day's drive.

I have met my dive buddies in two ways: getting out to the local lakes and quarries and diving, plus diving boards like this one. If I meet anybody on the net I will dive with him/her at a quarry to check out his/her skill level. I have met a lot of people in these ways who are now my usual dive buddies and good friends.