Can I learn to dive by myself, or do I need a friend?

If you want to learn to dive, you are going to need to ask yourself a few questions. Are there dive shops near me? Can I learn to dive by myself, or do I need a friend? Do I have a friend who will be able to dive with me? These are directly related to finding out whether you need a buddy, or if you can dive solo.

To answer the question "Can I learn to dive by myself, or do I need a friend?"
In a nutshell... Yes, you do not need to have a dive buddy to be in a scuba course, with over 80% of people who learn to scuba dive with us registering for the course by themselves. Over the course most students make good friends with others on the course and in many cases these new friends become your dive buddies after the course.

Once you are certified, if none of your classmate’s match with your dive schedule then there are still lots of opportunities to find a Dive Buddy to tag along with you on your future adventures.

1. Ask your Friends
   It may sound simple – and it is – but you might be surprised to find that someone in your friendship group is a scuba diver too. If not, someone may be interested in learning and have just been waiting for the right time to get into it. You never know, your next dive buddy could’ve been right in front of you this whole time.
2. Go on a dive trip with your local dive shop
   Most of your local dive shops will offer diving trips that you can join. These trips vary in length and number of dives, some are just one day while others are a weekend or even longer. Going on one of these trips allows you to visit new dive sites and meet new like-minded people, one of whom might just become your new dive buddy.
3. Join a Dive Club
   Scuba Diving Clubs are wonderful places to meet not just one, but a whole bunch of potential Dive Buddies. Chances are there is a local club right near you, chock full of other passionate divers. Joining a dive club has a few perks, groups often organize regular dives as well as other social activities and they will often have great relationships with local Dive Centre.

The importance of the buddy system when scuba diving

During your Open Water course, beginner divers are taught how to scuba dive using the buddy system. The buddy system is designed to mitigate the risks of both scuba divers while maximizing their fun and enjoyment.
Here are the top five reasons for scuba divers to follow the buddy system:

• Verify your equipment is safe during the predive safety check
• Support you during an emergency
• Help you navigate the underwater environment
• Assist with watching for marine life
• Support you during an emergency
• The experience of diving is best when shared

The buddy system is one of the first things beginner divers learn – and it’s something all divers practice on every dive. You do not need to have a dive buddy to do a learn to scuba dive course, most people who learn to scuba dive do the course by themselves. But during the course most students make great friends with others on the course and in many cases these new friends become your dive buddies after the course.