Curt Anderson and Bob Ten Eyck take to the chilly water of Long Pond in Ledyard to demonstrate how to roll a kayak.

The most common roll consists of four steps:

— The setup. Once upside down, tuck forward against the front deck to avoid striking your head on rocks or the ocean/river bottom. At the same time, position the paddle so it is parallel to the hull, just above the water's surface.

— The sweep. Sweep the paddle along the surface in a broad arc. The blade should be tilted in a climbing angle to create lift.

— The hip-snap. Snap your hips while pushing against the surface with the paddle blade.

— The recovery. Resist the urge to pull your head up right away. Come up too soon, and you will get a return ticket to upside-down land. After the boat flips rightside up, extend your paddle perpendicular to the kayak to maintain stability. Voila! You're merrily upright again! (At least that's the theory.)