Whitewater kayaking has become a personal metaphor for creating strong, positive ritual in the second half of life. The wisdom gained from working hard to develop progressive skills—after starting this journey in my mid-50s—and learning to respect and connect with the mighty power of nature have become invaluable for building resilience, perseverance and patience as I grow into my authentic self.

How I learned there is much more skill involved in finding my own lines than following the leader.

My first real “beatering” didn’t happen at Frank Bell’s or some other iconic rapid on French Broad 9. It’s embarrassing to admit, but it was during a long swim just above Ledges Whitewater Park, a Class II section of this river just past downtown Asheville.

Welcome to Whitewater: A Beginner’s Advice for Beginners. I am forever grateful for learning the wet exit during my introduction to kayaking class—and taking my first major swim that same day. Without getting past my fear of being upside down and underwater—and possibly trapped under the spray skirt—I know I would not have been able to relax and focus on learning all of the other skills I needed to progress with a reasonable level of confidence.