But I didn't live near water, or have time (whine, whine), and years passed. Then on a trip to Monterey, I went kayaking a couple of times, and then on a trip to the Poconos, I went again... but two months ago, I moved to Connecticut, and last month I bought a kayak (a red Storm), and I've been trying to learn here on the Sound.
It's not white-water, but it's fun. And someday I'll live near enough to a decent river to learn how to do that.
Happy paddling, Some guy in CT
"A Tempest, Gules".