Good stuff except...

marlin55388 wrote on Apr 28^th, 2010 at 12:57am:

a hand on each rail

Hands off the rails.  A paddle across the rails and hands on the paddle near center.  Distributes your weight evenly.  Otherwise you may find yourself instinctively leaning on one rail more than the other and over you go!  Both times that I've dumped in a solo it has been entering with hands on the rails.  One buddy even yelped, "No!" when he saw me reaching for the gunwale.  He has a bunch of ORCKA certs up to Sea Kayak III.

Head between the gunwales.  Where the head goes, the body is sure to follow.

"Bear mice," heh.  The first time I slept without a tent I was certain there was something large nearby.  Then I realised it was little mouse very close.