: I guess I should fall out of my boat a little more often.

Bingo.

Actually, *everybody* should fall out of their boat more often, and not just kayakers either. Like it or not, the only way to learn how NOT to fall out of small boats, or what to do in the event it happens, is to fall out on purpose and see where it goes first hand. Self-rescuing often enough to develop a bit of muscle memory for the remedy is best, of course.

I can begin to understand where not everybody is overly eager to make a pool toy out of their boat if they live up north where water temps are in the range of a nice glass of iced tea. But there's absolutely no excuse for it where I live, and yet, very very very few bother ..... and five minutes later they'll dive in a pool and go swimming to cool off from paddling!

[insert Darwin joke here]