Google up kayaking clubs in your area. Maybe find the American Canoe
Association website and see if they have a list of affiliate clubs that
concentrate on sea-kayakind (aka "ocean kayaking", aka "touring
kayaking").

An example, not far from you (Providence) is the Rhode Island Canoe and
Kayaking Ass'n. (http://www.ricka.org/). I joined years ago to get
their newsletter, because the editor, Alan August, was a whitewater
paddling buddy of mine, but I discovered that most of their members are
sea-kayakers.

Clubs are great because members let each other try out their boats,
they conduct training and rolling classes, and, most of all, because
they schedule group paddling trips whereon you can absorb the lore from
experienced paddlers knowing that if you get into trouble help is right
nearby. The downside is that you must usually provide a boat to
participate in their activities, but even that -- participating in
several trips using a different rented boat each time -- can be a good
way to get started.

-Richard, His Kanubic Travesty
--

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Richard Hopley Winston-Salem, NC, USA
Nothing really matters except Boats, Sex, and Rock'n'Roll
rhopley[at]earthlink[dot]net
OK, OK; computer programming for scientific research also matters
rhopley[at]wfubmc[dot]edu
================================================== ====================


echinacea wrote:
Hi group. I figured I would post this here since it always seems usenet
people are good at sharing information and experiences.

10 years ago I was planning to get a kayak with a friend of mine but we
never got around to it. He had some friends who regularly paddled
around lake powell and in south texas along padre island. Now that I am
living in a condo on the beach in connecticut I noticed a couple other
tenants with kayaks on their porches. I thought it might be fun to give
it a try. I just wanted to ask if anyone had any pointers they would
like to share with someone in my place. I m not athletic but I am not
in really bad shape either so I didnt know if that would factor too
much. Where I would be boating is in long island sound and some rivers
and estuaries around where I live so the biggest waves I would see
would be on the sound. The water is usually cold. Also, I have a pretty
big porch so I didnt know if a 12 foot would be ok or if i needed
something bigger. Transportation wouldnt be an issue except to get it
to my place since I only have a jeep.

Thanks in advance for any replies