Is it difficult to learn to kayak?

[toastedmarshmallow]

I have been wanting to do this for a while now. It looks like so much fun and like good exercise too. I watched some videos and it looks like it might be hard to learn to flip back to right side up when you flip. Is it? What's the best way for a beginner to start into kayaking?

 

[Reese]

I went kayaking in Progresso, Mexico. It was the first time I ever went kayaking and I didn't find it difficult at all. I am not sure about the difficulty to flip back over...we never turned over, but we were in very calm water.

 

[Wild Bill]

Personally I think the difficultly depends on your personal comfort level with your body and how well you know it.

Generally I have found that people who are more active and are used to moving around a lot have a much easier time learning to kayak than people who just decided one day they want to start getting in shape.

I'm not trying to discourage anyone from trying kayaking but I do want you to realize what may be in store.

 

[summer]

I tried kayaking once and it was really easy. I tell you one thing, you definitely feel it in your arms, so it is great exercise.
Give it a try, it is fun.

 

[2coastcamper]

I picked it up this summer. I found it to be quite easy. It also depends on the kind of water you're going to be in. We stuck to lakes, calm streams and the San Francisco Bay (once we got a little better). All were easy. No whitewater for us (we don't even have those kind of kayaks).

You'd think they might be unstable, but I was surprised at how stable ours are.