Sam, I'm not sure what your personal situation is, and I know having people who care on SR isn't quite the same as having RL relationships. What do you like to do? Is there a class or something you could join where you'd meet like-minded people? Do you like amateur dramatics or singing?
There are plenty of safe ways to reach out to new folk who don't put drinking as a priority. The good thing about meeting new folk sober is that right from the start you can make it clear you don't drink, you don't have to say more than you wish to but they will only ever know you as a non drinker.
We can't expect life to give us what we want if we don't at least reach out towards it, but we also don't have to do everything at once.