Hey all!
My friend and I (two women) just recently discovered and fell in love with aquatic sporting-- more specifically whitewater rafting. With the river seasons ending in our neck of the woods, we thought we'd try our hand at Kayaking. However, we dont know where to begin. We are naive to the different types of boats, equipment, etc that goes along with kayaking. There's so much stuff out there; we dont know where to start.

All of our experiences with rafting have come through a company that furnished safety equipment and professionally trained guide.

So I was wondering if anyone would be so kind as to point me in the right direction or at least a place to start.

Most of our ventures would probably be focused on sea kayaking because, like I said, the river seasons are ending and the water level has dropped to where we are unable to take watercraft on them. Not to mention the nearest river is 3 hours away while the beach is a mere 1 1/2.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!! Thanks!!!!

Also, we were wondering what is the best way to get your watercraft out past the surf and onto the ocean??

What part of the US are you in.
Sea kayaking can be fun, it does take the rite equipment and knolage (tides ect.). Surfing with a play boat in the waves is realy cool. In the club we genraly say you need to be able to roll before you start playing in the waves. To get out beond the waves just padle hard you can also flip over let the wave go over you and roll up.

good luck

Join a club, take lessons, listen to what other says but use commen sence, every one has an opinion but you are not them. Talk to other ladies and demo, demo, demo! Paddling is hands down the best lifestyle on earth! but don't reley on what the sales cataloge says and if you buy what the salesman is selling without demoing it first it can become a real bummer. If you can't demo it, don't buy it. You can kayak all year long, well after the rafting is over due to low water.

Hope to see you both on a river some day!

t