Hello! Total noob, but here to learn!

[DaveWKC]

Hello there!
My name is Dave Walden, and I live in the Kansas City, MO, USA area.
Totally brand new to diving, and working toward SDI Open Water certification by the end of next month.
I decided that I wanted to learn with my own equipment, as I plan on taking this hobby pretty serious, so I have been having fun picking up and learning about gear.
I am pretty sure I'll do Nitrox next, and then maybe Wreck Diving, as that really interests me. I have a background in caving and mine exploration, but not sure I really want to pursue cave diving any time soon.

I work as a DevOps/Cloud Architect, so I really enjoy the technical aspects of the hobby. I am also an amateur astronomer, and am pretty heavily involved in the Kansas City Astronomical Society.

 

[rsingler]

Welcome to the Board!
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Welcome!

 

[Lorenzoid]

Welcome, Dave!

If you enjoy dry-caving, you should at some point--no rush--dip your toe in, so to speak, by taking a Cavern Diving course. I haven't dived in any mines, but the first time I floated through a water-filled cave I was hooked.

 

[DaveWKC]

If you enjoy dry-caving, you should at some point--no rush--dip your toe in, so to speak, by taking a Cavern Diving course. I haven't dived in any mines, but the first time I floated through a water-filled cave I was hooked.

So, I live within a reasonable drive to Bonne Terre Mine ( Bonne Terre Mine ) and am really seriously considering that to be a "regular" weekend spot for me. My guess is that I will probably wind up taking that course, but only after I am a lot more comfortable with all of the basics