When I first signed up for a blog here, I thought I was going to focus on rolling (because I love to roll!). Then I realized I kept thinking about how and why people start paddling when they are older — like, older than 7 
That’s when I started a second blog called Kayak4Ever. I’ve been putting most of my attention over there, but will be playing more with this Luv2Roll blog soon.
To get started in that direction, I’m curious…when was your first roll? What was your most memorable roll?
This will be the blog I wish I had found when I was learning to roll. I will be scouring the Internet for everything out there about rolling a kayak and posting the stories and tips that look the most fun and useful.
If you have a rolling DVD or other instructional info, please e-mail me the name and link. I’ll make sure your info is posted.
Thanks for reading - and happy rolling!
Jennifer
( luv2roll at gmail.com)
Last night I met Mark and Laurie. It was after dark on the beach of Acworth Lake north of Atlanta. They approached me sort of hesitantly as I clipped my paddling gear together with a carabiner. Mark spoke first. He asked if there was a group event going on. He pointed first at the whitewater kayak I had pulled up on the beach and then he nodded toward a couple of boaters still practicing rolls on the water, barely visible by light cast from the waterside public park.
I said my kayaking club’s weekly roll clinic was wrapping up…that the sessions are open to anyone who wants to learn or practice…and we are there every Wednesday from 6:30 p.m. until dark (at least dark is the official ending time…clearly some of us don’t let sundown force us off the water). But the conversation didn’t stop there.
Last night I realized I have a trait that most kayakers share: If someone asks me about paddling, I am glad to talk, and talk, and talk. Even when I’m standing outside in the dark, wearing wet clothes, ankle deep in lake water, with gritty sand between my toes.
Turns out that Mark and Laurie had this trait, too. I imagine they were drawn by the sight of kayaks and then did the next logical thing. They walked over and started talking with a stranger who was standing in a lake, in the dark, wearing wet clothes. In the world of kayaking this type of encounter is perfectly normal.
By the time I carried my boat to the car, I had learned that Mark and Laurie are sea kayakers who have been interested in connecting with other boaters. Mark wants to practice his roll and Laurie is looking forward to getting a new boat. I happily answered questions about my short boat and invited them to come out to any of the club’s roll clinics (which are free!). I assured them that all boat types are welcome and we eventually parted agreeing it would be fun to paddle together on some future Wednesday night.
Meeting Mark and Laurie sums up an important thing I love about kayaking. Kayakers love to talk about boating almost as much as they love being on the water. We can’t help it. We become giddy at the mere mention of the word “kayak” and this makes us welcome every chance we get to talk about boating.
If you are new to kayaking, feel free to walk up to any boater and ask anything you want to know about paddling. 99.9% of kayakers will be happy to talk with you (and nevermind about the other .1%, they are having a bad day).
You might wonder if there are any silly questions to avoid. The answer is no. Even you ask something the boater doesn’t know, chances are she can point you to someone with the answer. All of us were new to boating at one time, so we know what it feels like to be curious or just starting out.
So the next time you see somebody with a kayak, feel free to walk up and start a conversation. Even if she is wearing wet clothes!