One Last Time

[lunatim]

Yep, this is my last time to try and find a dive buddy through mnscuba.  I don't own a car, so it's not easy for me to get up to Square Lake or the other local dive spots without somebody to share a ride.  However, there doesn't seem to be much of a diving community in Minnesota--at least a dive community that reaches out to novice divers like me.  So, is there ANYBODY out there from the Saint Paul area who can give me a lift and would like help with paying for gas?

[Shooter]

I would start by monitoring local dive shop events. When there is something posted contact the dive shop and coordinate. Take a bus to said shop and go diving.
I had trouble finding people to go diving when I first started as well. My gear started out with tech config. About 90% of my first couple hundred dives were solo. The other 8% were spearfishing and my buddy was in the same ocean within a couple hundred yards. I am not advocating solo diving to you or anyone else on this thread. I am simply relating my exp. I have met alot of really good buddies through mnscuba. Give it time..........

[lynnlchan]

Be patient Tim, people will help - it just may not be on your schedule.

[NorthWoodsDiver]

Most of my first 25 dives were solo and I still do 15-30 solo dives a year. It was hard finding dive buddies and even harder coordinating schedules. Top that off with not having a local dive shop and it was nearly impossible to find someone to dive with.

I would offer up but I live nearly 4hrs from the twin cities so its not practical but I'm sure you can figure out ways to dive, with or without a buddy.

Good luck. T

[arcFlash]

None of us have enough dive buddies.

Try PM's to people on the buddy list or posters that sound like they want to go dive/ live near you but don't give up on the board. People respond better to personal invitation than broadcast.

[lunatim]

Thanks for the help, folks!  I have a dive buddy of sorts, but he's not certified, so we're limited to snorkeling.  Worst-case scenario is that I'll just have to stick to diving on vacation...

[Terry]

                      Flash is right Tim, ( probably about a lot of things if his tag line is any indicator) none of us have enough buddies, and you'll be better off to PM people on the buddy list. About 10% of my dives are alone, but I dont recommend that for a guppy. Some of the broadcast invites to dive I've put out there, no one responded to, so its not just newbies there not responding to. I think you should put a pic out here too on your profile that way we can see if, "Lunatim" looks like an approriate title. Just messing with you,,,,,,,,,
                      Hey Steve did you ever score seeing the Como in Mtka with the coordinates I gave you?

[arcFlash]

We had to cancel the dive. I did the math on the lat log and we were off by 180 feet with a 150 foot search we missed her by 30 feet.

[lunatim]

Didnt' realize there was such a serious shortage of dive buddies.  I've tried to persuade my friend to get certified, but he keeps putting it off.  None of the women I date in my co-op seem to have any interest in diving either.  I tried to contact the Trident Dive Team through Northland Divers--I'll have to see how that works.  Now that I have a decent day job and money coming in from my art business, I'll be able to afford a dive trip every year, so maybe that's the best way to rack up the dives at present.  BTW, I put out a picture of me in Hawaii last December--somehow the cheap disposable camera added about #50 to me

[yelloduc]

Don't feel bad. I've been trying to get help with Tech stuff and have decided that I'm going to have to figure it out on my own.

As said before, get yourself hooked up with local shop dives. A few weeks ago I went diving with an LDS group (first time for me). There were about 15-20 divers in the group, each of which would be a potential partner for you.