Liz wrote:
Hello

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

It's refreshing to see someone realise they can post something worth
reading first time round, especially as this group is in need of more
positive input :-)

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

My Dad must have been in his mid 50's when we tricked him into starting
to paddle. He has no ambitions beyond grade 3 but I'm sure there is
plenty of grade 4 he could be running (convincing him to come paddling
with us is more tricky). He is a level 2 coach and spends a lot of time
coaching, fla****er paddling and on easier grade stuff - I would say he
paddles more than me if not as hard! He also likes sea kayaking - which
is a wonderful leveller, endurance being worth more than speed, where
the youngsters can find themselves disadvantaged compared to older
paddlers! I wouldn't class him as a great paddler but he gets absolutely
everything he wants and possibly more out of the sport, and you are 20
odd years younger, so no worries!

Sure the human body deteriorates and as we age we might need to build in
extra exercise (or get out more often on fla****er) to maintain it for
the sport but the governing factor really isn't age, it's enthusiasm and
determination!

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 : )

I'm too far away to know specifics for your area, but most paddling in
the UK is done over the winter - people will be running rivers over the
xmas break, although these might be trips for the more experienced.
Obviously there are different ways things can run - there is club style
training for free, and there is commercial training for a price - if you
are interested in the latter I would say get in touch with
kayakojacko.com and see if they will be running anything over the break.
If all else fails I'm sure they will be spending time on the weirs so if
you are at a stage to try playboating that might help.

Most clubs arrange some kind of trip over the xmas/new year period, some
go away for the period, others have a local run they always do - these
things vary in difficulty but there is bound to be someone doing
something at your level from your area. Personally I'll be in the
highlands waiting for a warm, wet spell to make the hard rivers/burns
runnable!

Good luck, there are a lot of fanatical paddlers who would paddle rather
than do xmas if they could get away with it, you just have to track down
ones that can! Which reminds me of a xmas eve spent on the Tees white
water course with my Dad, brother and a friend - at one point 2 other
people appeared....... a nice quiet day out!

JIM