I would like a go if I could sit with someone who's good at it.<img src='theme/emoticon_grin.png' />

Ally , if you haven't been in a canoe/kayak before then I wouldn't suggest having your baptism (literally) in the Sea.
This is a good time of year to grab a course, there should be a canoe club near you who probably do training sessions in the swimming pool, far better than plopping out in a cold river.

They will show you how to paddle properly, how to be safe, perform rescues and hopefully make you proficient in righting your boat with an eskimo roll. It takes some practice to handle a canor/kayak and it comes to some faster than others but give it a go , you will love it.

fancy this too, keep me updated please.