HEY GUYS THANKS FOR ALL THE GREAT ADVICE. I'M NEW TO KAYAKING. WHEN I STARTED KAYAKING I ONLY DID VERY CALM LAKES. THIS YEAR I ADVANCED TO SOME CALMER RIVERS AND EXPLORED NEW AND LARGER LAKES. NOW I'M THINKING OF SEA KAYAKING. BEFORE I ADVANCED TO ANOTHER STEP UP, I ALWAYS STUDIED THAT STEP FIRST. AND IT PAYS OFF. I READ BOOKS, ASK QUESTIONS AND MENTALLY PREPARE MYSELF AS WELL PYSICALLY. I HAVE A DOWN SYNDROME BROTHER THAT I TAKE KAYAKING ALL THE TIME AND SOMETIMES I WISH I COULD SOLO. iT'S TRUE, NOT ONLY DO YOU HAVE TO BE AWARE OF YOUR SURROUNDINGS ALL THE TIME, BUT IT'S MORE WORK TO WATCH SOMEBODY ELSE. DON'T GET ME WRONG, I ENJOY TAKING JOHN OUT AND IF IT WASN'T FOR ME, HE PROBABLY WOULDN'T EVER GET THE OPORTUNITY. SO AGAIN GUYS THANKS FOR THE ADVISE.