I went out with good buddy Kurt Maurer yesterday to get a bit more practice on rolling. I played around in the shallows for a while and was getting the hip flick and lay-back down pretty good. I was also playing with a sculling roll.

All that seemed pretty easy, but in deeper water, your mind and adrenalin plays tricks on you. After kayaking for a while and sight seeing in some of the canals of Jamaica Beach Texas, I had Kurt get into position for a bow assist if needed. I rolled and everything worked perfectly. Wow, (I thought) This is coming together pretty well. Later I was going along and thought.. Can you do one with out back up available? So, I set up and Ka-bloosh, over I went. I found the surface with the paddle, started my sweep and at the end, forgot to be a bit more aggressive on my hip snap and started pulling my head up too soon….. Rats!! Missed that one, but got a good bit of air so I tried it again. Did it the same way!! now being a bit out of air and wet exiting, we had a chance for for an assisted re-entry. (getting pretty good at that)

After getting back in and paddling, Kurt sez “why didn’t you get me in position for a bow assist?” I said “don’t know”, but I guess I was just feeling a bit cocky and thought I could nail another one like before. Ah, well, live and learn.

After playing around in the shallow for quite a while, My upper abs and right shoulder feel it a bit today. When we going again!!

I just gotta get that muscle memory trained so I don’t need to think of so many things while rolling. Still, not bad for the second day out for rolling practice.

Take care all and good paddling!

Tony