Afraid of Your Kayak? Take a Whitewater Kayaking Class!
Whitewater kayaking is a very exciting sport but if you’re one of those paddlers who’s been reluctant to take up the sport of whitewater because of the dangers involved, I urge you to put your fears behind you and try it.
Possibly the greatest fear of most beginner whitewater kayakers is the fear of being trapped upside down in your kayak. To many paddlers this fear can be so overwhelming that it could interfere with your enjoyment of the sport. And it is a legitimate fear. Although rare, there are cases where a wet exit might have prevented drowning. But there is hope for you, and the easiest way to conquer your fear of being trapped upside down underwater wedged inside that cockpit is by taking a whitewater kayaking class.
Taking a kayaking class with knowledgable, confident instructors will increase your confidence in only the first few hours. The first thing you’ll probably learn in a basic whitewater kayaking class is the ever important wet exit. Learning the wet exit can be a stomach churning experience if your anxiety is high – like mine was. In my case I had been canoeing for about twenty years and had been tour kayaking for about five years, but having never actually done a wet exit I was petrified of being rolled in a rapid or current. But once you learn the proper way to wet exit you’ll be surprised at how easy it really is. Once you pop that skirt you simply take you kayak off just like taking off your pants. The water lubes your body and gravity does most of the work. To get the confidence you need you’ll have to practice wet exits until it’s second nature. You know it’s second nature when you can relax underwater for a few seconds before executing your exit. You’ll want to get to the stage where you can attempt a roll several times with confidence that you can wet exit any time you want.
Once you master that wet exit your paddling experience will change dramatically. Ferrying across fast current and doing peel outs will be much more fun. And you’ll find that as your skill level and confidence increased so will your willingness to increase the level of challenge and risk.
Check out the Northeastern PA Kayak School near Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania. They give a two day course covering all the basics, and the instructors are great. You’ll know how to do a wet exit, bracing and maybe even how to roll and surf waves by the end of the course.
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