I'll be going on my third dive trip soon, and unlike my first two on this one I'll be solo. I'm just wondering what it's like trying to find a buddy on the fly. Do you just walk up to random people and ask them if they'd like to dive?
And if you do go diving with a complete stranger, what's it like?
I'd ask the dive op if some help could be provided matching you up with a buddy.
In my experience, insta-buddy experiences can be really good or really bad but most are somewhere in-between.
For the most part, my experiences buddying up with newly certified divers have been relatively positive.
I've had good and bad experiences buddying up with experienced divers.
I'd recommend steering clear of the people with large photo rigs if you like to cover a lot of ground on a dive.
If I am by myself and need a buddy (which isn't often), asking random people on the boat is definitely an option. It would be best to seek out another lone diver who has the same dive goals and sensibilities as you. Don't take it personally if a lone diver or dive team politely declines your offer to buddy up. Experienced divers understand that a buddy can add or detract from the enjoyment of a dive. Throwing in a stranger/unknown quantity can add stress/risk to the dive equation. Many people refuse to take the risk of spoiling a dive by accepting a stranger as a buddy.
If you do buddy up with a stranger, please make sure that you spend time getting to know the person and his gear prior to the dive. The two of you should be on the same page with respect to emergency procedures, lost buddy protocol, hand signals, dive logistics, etc.
I'll be going on the morning boat dives each day, and taking a course each afternoon. I won't need to hunt up a buddy for either of these activities. But if I wanted to go on a night dive, or an afternoon shore dive, I'd need a buddy.
You might get lucky and find a compatible dive buddy on one of your morning dives or in class.
If you do, you could offer to buddy up with them for more dives later on in the day.