‘I’m Game’: Kayaking

One in an occasional series of first-person accounts of first-time attempts at a new sport or activity.Activity/sport: Kayaking
Coach: Rick Kelly
Organization: Plum Island Kayak
Location: Newburyport
Takes about: Three hours
Cost: $45-55
I love being in and around water, yet had never thought to go kayaking, partially because I didn?t know what to expect and didn?t feel that I?d be able to do it without some proper instruction. The folks down at Plum Island Kayak, though, made my first kayaking excursion a fun, stress-free and enjoyable experience.Plum Island Kayak owner Ken Taylor told me to come up for the morning tour in the middle of the week. Three tours, each three hours, run every day, one in the morning, afternoon and at sunset. I joined a group of 11 people whose ages ranged from under 12 to over 50, which shows that this sport truly is accessible to a majority of people. Some joined their partners or children in tandem boats while others, like myself, were hooked up with the smaller singles. One experienced kayaker on the trip explained to me that the tandem boats can move quickly if both people are rowing in unison, but can also pose some challenges.We were sent out with two guides, Rick Kelly and Cloud Bogart, a junior at Amesbury High School. Kelly helped us all choose our boats and gave the group a quick lesson in paddling.
My main concern was flipping over and falling into the water, and the thought of trying to hoist myself back into the kayak in deep water was enough to make me pretty nervous on my way to Newburyport. Kelly gave some reassurance to those in tandem boats – he said those very rarely tip. Single kayaks, on the other hand, well, Kelly said that about one in every 125 boats they send out go over, but it?s really not as common as I was expecting.
Kelly said that the staff spends weeks at the beginning of each season training to help people who tip, and that no one is ever left to get themselves upright alone. In fact, Kelly told us all if we flip over, we should “hold onto the kayak and scream like a 5 year old” until a guide comes over to assist.I got into the kayak and Kelly pushed the boat into the water. The first few minutes were wobbly and nerve-wracking. Every time I paddled I felt like the boat was going to tip. But surprisingly, it took just a few minutes to get used to paddling.
?It?s the first 90 seconds. If you?re a beginner, you?re thinking, ?I know I?m going to fall in.? But then you find your balance point, and then you?re worried you?re never going to get it going straight, but after five minutes, you?re right with everyone else,” said Taylor. “The learning curve is like 10 minutes long. You shoot straight up, and then you don?t get any better, unless you go to a different level and start learning different skills. But recreational paddling, 10 minutes, and you?re right there with everybody else.”
I wanted to believe I was just a natural, but according to Kelly, my experience was a pretty common one.?Some people don?t ever get it and look stiff all the way through the trip,” said Kelly. “It?s difficult to explain to people how to paddle. What you really have to do is explain the basics, and then say, ?Go paddle.? Then you can tweak it when you?re out there. But most people with any athletic ability figure it out.”From that point on, I started feeling more and more confident and comfortable. Kelly kept an eye on the beginners in the group to make sure we were getting it and to tweak our techniques.The excursion lasted three hours, and went up the Merrimack River from the Route 1 bridge to the I-95 bridge, with a brief and relaxing detour through Boggy Meadow. Kelly pointed out all of the islands we passed and had plenty of interesting info and stories to share throughout the trip. We also made a pit stop on an island with a rock ledge that jutted out 10 feet above the water. A few people jumped off the rock and convinced me to do so, which was terrifying but ultimately prett