Yes and No. It depends on a number of factors.
I would be lying if I said I never paddled in the winter. Last time I went kayaking, just after Easter, the sea temperature was around 7C.
The seasonality aspect of kayaking has always fascinated me since it means different things to different people. Some people paddle only in the summer months while others will paddle only when the water has warmed up.
For those of you in the UK, you know we never really escape the rain, wind or cold any time of the year. The fairly narrow range of temperature we enjoy on our lovely island is beneficial for kayakers in that we can technically paddle all year round.
While we do have some beautiful crisp sunny days on the water, others tend to be wet and windy. Its a gamble I try not take with beginners to the sport if I can help it. Truth is, we're more likely to enjoy something new if it looks nice and feels comfortable.
Those of us who are already hooked to kayaking have very little to lose. The exhilaration and endorphins from kayaking almost always outweigh the misery caused by rain or strong winds. All we can do is minimise the level of misery by wearing the right clothing, carrying lots of chocolates and having a lot of laughs with our mates on the water :).
The forecast for the upcoming bank holiday weekend is looking great and I'm going sea kayaking in Dorset. The sea temperature is a balmy 10C right now but the air temperatures are set to go up to 20C!
