Moby Dick wrote:

Thanks, Monk. I did a search on Amazon. There seems to be a number of
good books and DVDs. I listed the first 9 book and 2 DVD's below.

1. The Complete Book of Sea Kayaking, 5th by Derek C. Hutchinson (The
one you recommended).

A good book and a fun read, but that's typical of Derek's work.

2. The Essential Sea Kayaker: A Complete Guide for the Open Water
Paddler, Second Edition by David Seidman

IMO, this is the best of the beginner's books. In particular, his
progressive method of teaching bracing and rolling skills works very well.

5. Fundamentals of Kayak Navigation, 3rd (Sea Kayaking How- To) by
David Burch

This is a must have, but it's overly long and I find it to be really
tedious to read. Come to think of it, I've never made it through it
completely.

6. Sea Kayaking Illustrated : A Visual Guide to Better Paddling by
John Robison
7. Sea Kayaking The Ultimate Guide DVD (DVD - 2005)

8. Sea Kayaker's Savvy Paddler: More than 500 Tips for Better
Kayaking by Doug Alderson

There are some really good tips in this one.

I agree with John's recommendation of "Sea Kayaker Deep Trouble". I
consider it a must-read. Every kayak should come with a copy.

Nigel Foster's DVD series is excellent. He's a great teacher and a very
personable guy.

PS: I agree with you on safety. Also, unless something happens, I'll
be in a basic kayaking class next Tuesday and a roll class the
following week.

That's a very good start. It will take time and practice to build your
skills, but you seem to have the proper mindset to make it happen.