Greetings from Maryland

[Innsmouth]

Hi everyone. Just found this board and wanted to introduce myself. I'm in the middle of my open water certification with SSI here in Baltimore and with some luck I'll be diving before the end of the year. Hope to see you all around.

 

[miketsp]

Welcome to the board.

Be more optimistic - the end of the year is still a long way off.

 

[Tobagoman]

Welcome to the board! Always good to see someone else on here from the great anti-2nd amendment state of Maryland. Good luck with your course, If you enjoy it I am sure you will persevere!

 

[scbababe]

Hello!

 

[GrierHPharmD]

Good luck with the certification and welcome, to both the board and the sport. Keep us informed as to your progress, and don't be shy about asking questions in the New2Scuba forum. That's what it's there for.

Best wishes and safe ascents,
Grier

 

[cornfed]

I'm in the middle of my open water certification with SSI here in Baltimore and with some luck I'll be diving before the end of the year.

Which shop are you taking the class with?

 

[Innsmouth]

Thanks for the kind words everyone. I really do enjoy it so far and have been ocean obsessed since I was a child (I'm 34). Cornfed, I'm taking the course at Aqua Ventures in Cockysville. Seems like a decent place, my instructor is a good guy with a lot of experience. Grier, yes I'm sure I will take advantage of that forum as I was reading it quite a bit last night and everyone was pretty friendly and forthcoming with their knowledge. Quite a change from other hobby oriented forums where you encounter tons of elitism.

Cheers,
Josh

 

[GrierHPharmD]

Quite a change from other hobby oriented forums where you encounter tons of elitism.

The atmosphere here is the thing that keeps me coming back, day after day...

 

[cornfed]

Cornfed, I'm taking the course at Aqua Ventures in Cockysville. Seems like a decent place, my instructor is a good guy with a lot of experience.

They're a good shop. I live near College Park but they're my favorite place for anything other than fills. They do a good job of promoting local diving. This is very important in my opinion. There is a lot of good diving within a few hours drive but some shops make you think there isn't anywhere to dive north of Florida. Regardless of where you dive your skills will be better if you dive regularly. If your skills are sharp you'll enjoy the dive more because you're not worrying about little things.

Quite a change from other hobby oriented forums where you encounter tons of elitism.

ROFL... you really are new.

 

[Seawitch2]

Hi John,

Welcome to SB. I am also in Maryland. You will enjoy this board. There are a lot of very knowledgable and friendly people here. Good luck with the OW.

SW