I recently went cave diving for the first time with a handful of people I met online through a meet-up group for outdoor enthusiasts. I’d been on a few hikes with the group and really enjoyed it but I was ready to switch up my routine and the pictures I’d seen from the previous cave-diving trip had me fascinated. In each one, people had on cool looking gear and stood covered in dirt, smiling broadly amidst their jagged surroundings. I felt like I’d hit the jackpot. Plus, spelunking is pretty affordable (my dive was under $50 with my group) and most groups have guides who can rent you the gear. So I didn’t have much legwork to do before I showed up at Yankauer Nature Preserve in West Virginia with just a backpack with my hair in a weird, weave-bun-headband combo that I deeply regretted when it was time to strap on our helmets.  I chose the largest one, strapped on knee guards and tested my headlamps at the mouth of the cave before listening to our instructor, Darwin, run through a...