That's great, NoNo. I did things the opposite of you. I took a beginning kayak workshop in 2002, learned the wet exits and some basic rescues (but not rolls) and was hooked. But then I did not have the opportunity to kayak for several years, and if you don't practice, you get rusty.

In 2007, I took a summer-long intensive kayak course that covered just about everything except for surfing and wave work, and that was only because I lived near a river, not a beach. We learned strokes and all sorts of rescues, and rolls, and exits, and bracing...it was a blast, and I learned so much that summer! But again, I didn't have a kayak and have not had the opportunity to practice.

So hopefully next year I can take another course AND get a kayak before I forget it all yet again. It's so silly, since I live one mile from excellent paddling on a major river and I have anytime access to the most wonderful paddling on the Chesapeake Bay an hour's drive from home.