Katherine Brady of Danville, Pa. has Lake Chillisquaque at the Montour Preserve in White Hall, Pa., to herself as she pushes off from the shore in her kayak as the sun sets Monday evening, Oct. 1, 2007. (AP Photo/Bloomsburg Press Enterprise, Jimmy May)

Kayaking seems like a good way to see the world – out on the water, “captain of your own boat,” under your own power, but carried by the river – that is, it sounds like fun until you roll over. That’s why “roll class” is one of the first things you learn in kayaking – in a safe, indoor pool, they teach you how to recover from a roll over. My preferred method: blind panic. But I’m told that can get you dead.

So we’ve got two fine kayaking schools today. The first is Aspen Kayak Academy, located in Aspen, CO. They work the Roaring Fork and Colorado rivers, offering all sorts of classes: Half day, full day, and multi day private and class lessons, nine week teen camps, multi-day Green River and Grand Canyon expeditions and ACA instructor certification courses, plus Stand-Up Paddling lessons (that’s a new water sport FYI.) They run late May through September, 7 days a week.

Second is Adventure Crafters School of Coastal Kayaking, on Chesapeake Bay’s eastern shore. They run classes from their own “private dock and kayak boat house on Little Queenstown Creek, which is adjacent to the Chester River and across from the Eastern Neck Wildlife Refuge.” Sounds pristine. “Tours, instruction and rentals available 7 days a week! Reservations required – call 888-529-2563. Pro Shop Open Thursday – Saturday 10-5, Sunday 10-4.” And in the winter months you might see them in the tropics, running paddling tours where it’s warm. Sounds like a nice job!