This week I had my first two sea kayaking classes of the new season and both of course had their own personalities. The first was loose and laid back. We covered a lot of the points I wanted to cover and yet, driving home I could pinpoint bits and pieces that I wanted to do differently or that I felt I overlooked.

The second class just two days later was a bit of an over compensation. I had refocused on my learning points and covered everything in more detail. The downside of that was that the students were not ready to go on time and since we had started late, we ended late as well. Sometimes that’s ok though. If the class is going well, and everyone is having a good time (and still in a learning state of mind) there is no reason for the instructor and the class not to agree to extend the session.

In the end you come to realize that when you jump back in after the winter it’s a lot like standing up in a kayak for the first time in awhile. You know how to do it but your balance is a bit off. You lean a bit too much one way, then lean a bit too much the other until you once again find center.

* By the way, the kid in the photograph is performing at Tommy Bartlett’s Ski, Sky & Stage Show in Wisconsin Dells. I was up doing some promotional shots for them last year and had a great “face making” session with the little chap right before he went on. Soon as he jumped up on stage he got as focused and serious as anyone his age could possibly be.

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