Two things.
If you are a newbie I would not put a tow rope on deck or around your
waste. You may be advertising a skill you are not ready to practice in
moving or tormented water yet. You need the rope but stowing it away
may be the best idea for now.

The feather on the paddle for white water is normally very small. often
flat it would likely be 10 perhaps 30 degrees. a sea paddle will be
longer 220 CM for me at 5'8" and my feathere angle is about 60 or 70
degrees for the sea. When in white water I try to borrow a shorter
paddle with little or no feather.
I use my junky WW paddle or a sea paddle when on the river. not the
best.