I experienced what you describe. I kept seeing kayaks for sale and really wanted to have a go but didn't have a clue how to start. I took a short taster course but asked if I could use a proper sea kayak rather than a sit on top because I wanted to see what it was like. The course was very poor. Too few instructors with too many paddlers and much too rough conditions for beginners. I was given a sea kayak with no splash deck. I had seen lots of people in kayaks around the coast and it looked easy but my boat was taking on water and I couldn't stay upright and spent a lot of time in the water being hauled out by the instructor who was also towing a little boy who was crying. I suddenly learned that I didn't know what I didn't know. It was at least two years when I got on a better two day course and began to learn the things that I needed to learn to stay upright and in the boat. Since then I've learned a lot from just watching and being with more experienced paddlers but I have reached a plateau in the learning process. I have not managed to get a roll as yet but I am fairly comfortable in rough conditions. We keep talking about doing some work on rescues and in surf but when we get on the water its always easy to say we will push the envelope and get wet next week. Somehow I've got to nearly sixty and I have realised that there is so much that I want to learn about paddling in the sea and I am aware that I could be running out of time.
I experienced what you describe. I kept seeing kayaks for sale and really wanted to have a go but didn't have a clue how to start. I took a short taster course but asked if I could use a proper sea kayak rather than a sit on top because I wanted to see what it was like. The course was very poor. Too few instructors with too many paddlers and much too rough conditions for beginners. I was given a sea kayak with no splash deck. I had seen lots of people in kayaks around the coast and it looked easy but my boat was taking on water and I couldn't stay upright and spent a lot of time in the water being hauled out by the instructor who was also towing a little boy who was crying. I suddenly learned that I didn't know what I didn't know. It was at least two years when I got on a better two day course and began to learn the things that I needed to learn to stay upright and in the boat. Since then I've learned a lot from just watching and being with more experienced paddlers but I have reached a plateau in the learning process. I have not managed to get a roll as yet but I am fairly comfortable in rough conditions. We keep talking about doing some work on rescues and in surf but when we get on the water its always easy to say we will push the envelope and get wet next week. Somehow I've got to nearly sixty and I have realised that there is so much that I want to learn about paddling in the sea and I am aware that I could be running out of time.
Thanks for sharing your experience. It’s important to reflect and learn on these events. :)