Show us where you paddled today thread:

[GLC1968]

One of the other experienced folks mentioned using a paddle float. I'll have to try that the next time. As I was working on it, another guy came over to offer tips. His tips were EXCELLENT for helping me get the idea of what it would feel like, so I was thankful for that. I think he might have been an instructor when not on vacation because he was really good at explaining things and helping me do little things while upright to kind of learn. Oh, and I was doing this in a sheltered bay, so the water was very calm and less than 5 ft deep (I could just barely touch with my head above water once I'd exited).

The water was pretty cold, but I swim in water that cold all the time and it doesn't bother me. I was wearing a sleeveless tri wetsuit and a pfd that day, so I was plenty warm enough. I think the water temps were mid 50's in that bay so it wasn't that bad. Honestly, 80F water would probably kill me. I don't even like pools that warm!

[Cataboo]

There is nothing in life that I hate more than a soggy wetsuit. I avoid it all costs Especially if i'm on a multi-day trip, 'cause there's nothing worse than waking up in the morning to put on a cold wet wetsuit & have to paddle around in it all day and to repeat the next day.

My hair is long and takes a couple hours to dry and won't dry if it's braided or in a bun... So if I'm in a drysuit or a dry top, I'll roll if i know I'm getting off the water before the sun goes down or the wind picks up. 'cause it's freezing being out with wet hair in cold water.

80 degree water is quite refreshing when it's 100 degrees outside.

They probably should have started you off with doing hip snaps off the front of someone's boat, and then moving to doing those with a paddle float... let's you get the hip snap motion & the coming up with your head up last motion (that trips up a lot of people)