Melissa, I hope I did not scare you with my prior comment. However, you should be aware that kayaking in Maine, where the water is cold even in the summer and where the weather can change very rapidly, is very different from kayaking in more "tropical" locations where the water is always calm and warm. That said I highly recommend that you try kayaking but that you go with an instructor/guide.

References so far have been regarding still water kayaking, I think. People also kayak on fast-flowing rivers, over rapids, etc. I assume you're not going to try that type. Even for lake kayaking, I'd get a good instructor the first time or two.

We capsized in a funky kayak once on a class III rapids in Colorado, and it was NOT fun getting sucked under the cold river water. It was because our 'guide' did not know where he was going!
:)>-