Sticking with It

I've always been someone that takes to new things like a fish to water. I develop new skills in quantum leaps and quickly reach high-levels.
This is a comfortable delusion.... The memory of the struggles and missteps compress into blurs. The failures are forgotten or rationalized into a dislike. I don't avoid volleyball (or golf, baseball, basketball, dancing, ...) because I'm bad at it and never quite mastered the skills. I avoid it because it is a stupid waste of time.
Kayaking started off as a skill I picked up quickly. The basics-forward stroke, sweep turn, stern rudder, bracing-developed effortlessly. It was as if all I had to do was put the paddle in my hand and some genetic memory blossomed. Within weeks of getting my first sea kayak-a yellow Perception Vizcaya-I was conquering the mighty seas on any beginner trip I could find. By the end of my first season, I was able to hold my own on intermediate trips - as long as things didn't get too rough.
Full of confidence, and a little bravado, I was ready to take it to the "next level" in season two. I figured by the end of season two I'd be rolling like a kid on a grassy hill, surfing like the Big Kahoona, and have the kayak dancing like Fred Astair. I figured it would take a little practice with the skills to perfect them, but only a little.
So, I started trying some of the skills in the book I had gotten. The first new skills on the docket were draw strokes and edged turns. The first few weeks I practiced, on a small lake near my house, I became an expert at wet exits and paddle float rescues. I'd either lean the kayak too much and flip, or, which to my mind was worse, not lean enough for an edged turn to be effective. Sometimes the kayak would even turn the wrong way!!!
If I was not already hooked on sea kayaking and committed to doing some of the more challenging trips, I would have likely decided that my skill-level was sufficient and learning new skills was for kayak weenies and show offs. Fortunately, I was hooked and struggled through. Eventually, I got to the point where I could execute a draw stroke and an edged turn with a better than 50% chance of success. I still need to practice and refine them after years of work.
After the draw and the edged turns, I decided to learn how to roll. I'd spent enough time wet exiting to get over my fear of capsizing and to appreciate the amount of effort it takes to do a self-rescue. It was near the end of the season, but I figured I'd just get it....
I got the first half down pretty quickly. Over the winter I took a rolling class and just about got it. Then I waited until May to try again... I had to start over again. Every weekend, I'd try to get pointers and do some practice. Sometime near the end of my third season I could occasionally roll the kayak.
The beginning of the fourth season saw me in a new kayak, the trusty Endeavor, and ready to master the roll. I even took another class. Yet, it was back to the drawing board. It took less time to have an occasional roll, but I stalled out there.
Then I started using a stick. That sent the roll, as well as a number of other skills, back to square two. By the end of the fourth season I could roll about 50%. I'd also figured out, with a lot of flips, how to use a bow rudder. I still spent a large amount of time in the water helping the group practice rescues.
It was sometime during season five that my roll, along with the bow rudder, finally got to the point where it was consistent. The edged turn and draw strokes were useful in rough conditions. I was actually doing more rescues than being rescued. Surfing was still a little dodgy, but I tend to avoid surf.
I spent the first half of the season swapping around between different types of paddles. That slowed down progress, but ultimately helped. Once I figured out the motion, I didn't have to rely on the paddle so much.
Six seasons later, I still have a ton to learn and plenty of skill refinement ahead. The pool sessions this winter have been a great opportunity to try out new skills and bone up on old stuff. I'm still dedicated to doing at least one roll every time I paddle. Even on a beginner level trip I always look for ways to practice kayak control.
One of the things I love about kayaking on the ocean is that there is always a new skill or a little trick to learn. Like the ocean itself, the well of skills and knowledge is vast and deep. The ocean is a harsh mistress and we must always work to master the ways of enjoying her company.
Paul also has a good post about this here.