We’re at the point this summer where I have my open water certification, but now what do we do? I want to keep diving, but how? Research is needed.
Research
I started researching. This is what I do. I work professionally in IT and have for about 28 years. My biggest skill (my superpower, if you will) is that I am really good at research. There is a lot of stubbornness that’s part of that. I usually don’t stop until I’ve usually gone far past what was needed.
There are a lot of web sites for divers to join, forums, and social media groups, especially on Facebook. I’m not advocating or pushing any particular place. I’m just telling you what I found. Your best first choice will be your training center. Almost all of them have either a club or some sort of method for divers getting together to explore underwater.
Find Local Groups
I tried to focus on groups in the Midwest United States. The ideal is a drive to a site, some diving, and a return home in a day, or at most with one hotel stay. Fortunately, there are several groups effectively local to me, including one run by the same place I got my training. Of course, my default dive buddy is my son, but as new divers, we both realized we needed a few more with someone more experienced before we stepped out on our own. The certification says we don’t, but common sense and a wish for our own safety says otherwise.
Our next dive opportunity arose around the Independence Day holiday in the US. I went to the Diventures Scuba Club Springfield group to post an inquiry for anyone who would be diving that weekend. I never did post a query. Doug, an experienced dive instructor, posted first, asking if anyone wanted to go diving. Doug has a boat docked at Table Rock Lake. I replied that my son and I were interested. No one else said anything so we made plans to meet a new friend, dive in a new lake, and improve our skills.
Some Tips
Be safe. Remember that any group online can have good and bad people in it. Try to stick with a mix of new and known people. Use some common sense. Be sure you know the experience level of everyone you are diving with, so you don’t find yourself in a situation where people are diving beyond what they have learned. If you really want to learn, try to find experienced divers and listen to them.
