[Paddlewise] weather wimp, or just cautious?

happy holidays to you paddlewisers, indeed.  the list is a wonderful place.

here are a few questions and thoughts from Ms. Lowly Rec Boater.  i am a 
rec boater only because i have a physical disability of sorts which makes 
me need a large cockpit.  i bought the beamy perception sierra about 5 
weeks ago, have paddled it 8 times (maybe 9, i forget), and am "moving up" 
to the america, which at 13'" 4" is the length of the acadia discussed 
here.  that's as close to a SK as i am going to get for a while, and that's 
ok with me as my primary objective is mild water, exercise, and birds, 
birds, birds (otter, seal, and bat ray sightings gratefully accepted).

my husband and i got our BSK certificates with a day-long private lesson in 
the Oakland Estuary last week.  our instructor is, to my mind, the Mr. 
Miyagi of sea kayaking.  about 40ish, nothing fazes him, been thru every 
kind of kayaking and condition.  most people have said, "oh, your [lowly 
rec] boat is too beamy to roll; you'll never roll that thing, or need 
to."  Mr. Miyagi said, "absolutely you can develop a roll for that boat, if 
you work at it and believe you can.  i can roll a 17-foot undecked canoe in 
class III rapids.  if you are braced in your boat,  and if you develop the 
skills, you can roll your boat".

k now what?  i believe him.  i'll be at rolling class the next time the 
local kayak-friendly pool is open, jan. 8th.

here is the question.  it's 50 degrees air temp today and a bit windy, and 
i don't have a wetsuit.  guess what i don't want to do?  that's 
right:  kayak.  well, i DO want to kayak, but i don't want to go swimming, 
and i have found that if i "can't" capsize, i am afraid of capsizing, 
leaning, edging, etc.,  brace ineffectively,and i paddle badly.  i have to 
be able to safely, confidently capsize  and rescue or self-rescue to be 
free to paddle well.  that just seems to be axiomatic to my learning curve.

got to call the wetsuit -making lady (at liquidfit.com).

so, am i being a wimp, or am i being responsible?

i don't really care if i'm being a wimp, btw----all i know is that my 
intuition is a very valuable guide and i respect its promptings.

next time i post about Beginner Kayaker Adventures  i'll tell you about the 
Winchester Mystery House of squirrely waters, and how sometimes it's easier 
to get your boat up a really steep bank than it is to get yourSELF up.  and 
how We Hate Mud.

happy paddling and happy holidays,

Ms. Lowly Rec-Boater  (kcd)


kathleen comalli dillon~friend, mom, wife, musician, violinist, writer, 
ailurophile extraordinaire
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"We can do no great things; we can only do small things with great 
love."-Mother Teresa~~"I find a lot of people like chubby 67-year-old 
girls."-Beverly Sills~~"I care not for a man's religion whose dog and cat 
are not the better for it."-Abraham Lincoln~~"Prepare to be 
assimila-----OOOOOoooooo, jelly donuts!"-Homer of Borg~~"I am Boris of 
Borg. Moose and Squirrel are irrelevant."~~

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