Pool sessions alone?

[JGBrown]

I have finished my OW class, and done a few dives, I'm now diving with a much more experienced(and awesome!) diver.
I'm learning a lot from him, but I was wondering if public pools allow you to bring dive gear in?
I was hoping to practice some of the stuff I find I need to work on in the pool, instead of practicing it while trying to look at the octopuses and exploring.
If pools do let you in, do they typically require a buddy, I'm looking at a 3-4M or so pool, I can get to the bottom and back and have since I was quite a bit smaller.
Would it be ok to go alone rather then dragging someone along who is far past that stage?
I just want to putter along the bottom, practice floating around, practice dropping and recovering my reg, floating in weird positions, mask recovery(swimming along, dropping it, finding it and replacing it then clearing).
and so on.
Who at a public pool would I talk to about that?
the front desk? the life guards?
I have seen people in the pool before but I think they were a class.

 

[red_infinity]

Chances are they won't let you do it alone. If they DO let you, you'll probably need a buddy.

Check with anyone there, but I think it might be hard to get them to let you dive. Tell them it's you and a buddy and not just yourself and you may have a better chance.

 

[1_T_Submariner]

The pool where I live lets us in as long as it is during their open swim hours. They don't ask about buddies etc... I talk to the life guards just to make they know what we are doing.

Edit: Forgot to add. You might want to ask a buddy some would be more than willing to go. I would go with any of my friends if they asked me to go to check out new equipment etc....

 

[CAPNVINNY]

I never have a problem taking my gear in the ymca pool here,a lot of people do before they head out on vacation

 

[Buoyant1]

I would check with the shop that certified you to see if maybe they'd let you tag along on other pool classes. My LDS let's me come along to test out new gear, practice skills, etc. for only paying the pool entrance fee.

Pretty good set up if you ask me! (that's one of the benefits of patronizing an LDS)

 

[mjatkins]

One of our city run pools allows certified divers in the dive tank one night a week for the regular pool entry fee. Try asking at your local dive shop, I won't be surprised if one of your pools has a simillar deal and the shop would know about it. Aside from that, I agree that your shop may well let you in durring one of their classes. I have people doing check outs in the pool more often than not when I'm teaching. Our shop does require that you have a buddy though.

Good luck, your aspiration is well intentioned.

Matthew

 

[sandmanz32]

i say just go find one and jump in! if your a certified diver what are they gonna do? make sure they dont have any anit-scuba propaganda on the rule board and jump in. its always easier to ask for fogivness than permission!