Quote Originally Posted by lph View Post
Re rolling, just had to report:

I've managed a fairly consistent roll - indoors in a heated pool, in a junior kayak, wearing a swimsuit, diving mask and nose clip... - but outdoors I've concentrated on getting good at a wet exit self-rescue, since I paddle a lot alone. Felt I had a pretty good handle on it, until the other day when a friend and were going to practice. Took my dh's kayak thinking I should practice with that one too since it has a very small cockpit, freaked out a little at the thought of a wet exit, failed at an assisted roll (where you grab the other persons kayak to flip up again), did a wet exit and came up with my head completely stuffed with water and uncontrollably gasping for breath... dammit At the same time my friend who had just bought her first kayak almost completed a roll But then she's an old river kayaker.

Not sure what went wrong. I can't always practice with a mask and nose clip, because I'm not gonna be paddling with them on. And why on earth do I have this urge to inhale under water!

Argh. Back to practicing a whole lot more.
the gasping for breath might be a reaction to the cold water - cold water gasp reflex.

Since you paddle alone most - Practice reentering & rolling - with a paddle float at first, and then without. That's a lot easier than a paddle float reentry or a cowboy.