Liz wrote:

I'm new to newsgroups (so hopefully haven't made a pig's ear of it!)

No...

and new to kayaking. What I'd like to know is as a 35 year old
beginner, are my chances of becoming a great paddler less now than if
I'd started as a child or does age not enter the equation?

Your chances of becoming "great" are certainly less. But as long as you
become great *enough* to get something out of it, does that really matter?
In kayaking, as any other sport, the great majority of the participants
are not "great" at it. I'm not-great at a lot of sports (kayaking
(surf, river and sea) included), but participate in and enjoy many of them.

not old but I seem to be the eldest novice in my local club, lol.

You'd be about par for the course in Tayside Sea Kayak. We've had
retired folk come along to take it up.

Also, as a complete "Humbug" I was wondering if any instructors out
there would be willing to give me lessons over the Christmas break. I
live in Southampton, and am yearning to get out of the pool and onto a
river. I'm trying to boycott Xmas this year and can't think of a
better way to spend it : )

Surfing! ;-)

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch University of Dundee
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Medical Physics, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/