Slept like a log and woke up so stiff I didn't think it was possible to move. Hobbled around breakfast like an old man, but slowly started to loosen up. In the water spent about an hour working on paddling in and out of eddies, then spent the rest of the morning trying to Eskimo roll. I'm almost positive that I spent the majority of the two plus hours underwater trying unsuccessfully to right my kayak, or waiting for my teacher to come help me roll over. It was very frustrating, as by the end I could almost get over, but then I'd roll right back - at least I was very stubborn about it. By the time lunch came I was shivering cold from so much submersion and I still hadn't managed it.
After lunch we got back in the water and I started trying again. This time there were two other kayakers with another teacher trying to do it as well - which made me feel better as they were both a day ahead of me and couldn't do it. We finally gave up and headed down river with the other two students. In the quiet water between the (small) rapids I'd try to roll again and again. Then I tried again and the next thing I knew I was sitting upright almost as astonished as my teacher. I tried a few more times but was unable to repeat my success. On the next rapid I flipped, tried to roll over still in the rapid, and did it! It was amazing what the success did to my confidence. Suddenly kayaking was fun. Even though I couldn't roll successfully very often, just knowing it was possible made all the difference in the world! And the confidence seemed to help my talent as well - for the rest of the day I could pull of a roll about two thirds of the time (though often it would take me several times to get it right).
About two miles below where we started I was confident enough to go explore a bulldozer that had rolled in to the water from a few hundred feet up - just three weeks ago. Another couple miles and some small rapids (still plenty challenging to me!) and we beached the kayaks. I was feeling pretty good as the other two students were better paddlers than me, but they still hadn't managed to the roll. We waited on the road for a local bus then climbed on top with our boats and rode back to camp - a delightful way to travel as long as you watch out for low branches.
Back at the camp I was even sorer than I had been in the morning. Plus my left thumb has several deep gashes from banging the bolt heads on the bottom of the boat trying to roll. Even though I was exhausted I was happy and even had a beer with dinner - though I crawled right to bed after I finished.
