Have more fun, dive with your gang!

All Open Water Scuba divers, regardless of the certifying organization, have heard the mantra to never dive alone, and unless you have been trained to dive solo (PADI Self-Sufficient Diver) it is the only way you should dive. Personally, I feel a special connection with the ocean when diving with a competent, trusted dive buddy. I know where they are and what they are doing and I the dive is about the ocean and not keeping track of a buddy.  I have also been on plenty of dives where my buddy is not as experienced and I feel a greater sense of responsibility and that comes with a different sense of fun due to the goal of helping them to be better divers and watching their skills and comfort levels improve. 
Finding that perfect buddy can be a challenge sometimes, especially if you are new to an area.  The dive community has developed a system for that through dive clubs.  Here in Hawaii there are more dive clubs than I can list.  Every dive shop (LDS) has a club, and every club has it's benefit for joining (or else, why join). The downside is that all LDS clubs cost money to join, the benefit is free or significantly discounted air fills and boat dives, some clubs will get you club exclusive hats, clothes, decals or other SWAG, and some have exclusive dive sites only available to club members.  Most areas also have a number of clubs that are free to be a member, these typically don't get you any 'stuff' for your membership other than a group of friends to dive and coordinate activities with.  While it may appear that the LDS clubs get you the most benefit, and they profit greatly from this appearance, don't ignore the free clubs for some great benefits.  I have dove much more with the free clubs than I have with the one I pay for, to include some very discounted boat dives with folks I know, dive with often, and trust. The primary club that I dive with has turned from a group of folks that kept gravitating toward each other during other clubs dives, to a stand-alone gang of scuba addicts that know and trust each other to be safe and look out for each other during dives.  We have members that have certain local expertise that we rely on.  It is what a dive club should be.
At the end of the day, finding a group of friends to dive with can make your scuba experience truly memorable.  Whether growing as better divers, sharing video and pictures of the amazing critters, swapping tips, tricks, or gear, or simply talking trash about air consumption over beers after the dive, having a gang to dive with makes all dives better.
Happy Diving!