You have still not provided any information about what the wind was when you were out, and you were out in the highest wind part of the day.
It is impossible to judge anything about how another paddle would work out comparatively without knowing how much wind and whether it was behind you, on your side or paddling into it.
You obviously have access to the internet. I don’t understand why this piece remains missing.
Your last out and back was 3 and a half hours…one out, the rest back. If you do the same, you’re running into darkness. No margin for error there. What if the wind picks up? I’d suggest getting out in the morning, back by 10 am. Might be cooler that way, and with a lot less wind.
Just a thought…
KR, Lots of questions about you and your background, but lml was right - you cannot “cram” for a marathon. Now consider your planned paddle is a marathon probably 6 days a week for 90 - 150 days. As you are a new paddler, start small. An hour paddling 3 or 4 days a week is better than aching after a 3 hour paddle and needing 2 days to recover. Plus, that 3 hours paddle is more likely to create an overuse injury than will the hour paddle. After a couple weeks, then think about increasing one of those hour paddles to a 1.5 or 2 hour paddle. That’s basic conditioning.
Think of it like HS football, baseball, track, or band practice. Lots of little increments before you put the whole together for the big event.
Let your body recover today and then nothing more than an hour paddling the rest of this week with a day off between paddles. The time off is to let your body cope with recovery from the new exercise and body movements. On the off days, have at it walking or biking or roller blading or lap swimming to increase your general fitness.
When I first started out many years ago my first distance paddle was 13.7 miles around Wye Island on the Chesapeake. I was almost dead when I got back. It wasn’t even a hot day. After two summers of paddling about 2-3 days a week I was regularly paddling distances of 28 - 32 miles on flat water. I still would not want to do those distances two days in a row.
Be patient. Paddle about every other day if you can and do not paddle until you are exhausted. Keep in mind that as far as you paddle out, you have to paddle back.
Be especially vigilant of heat exhaustion this time of your. We had someone come down with this on one of the trips my wife and I led a couple of years ago. It’s no joke and can be life threatening. Onset can be subtle. It can be very dangerous if paddling solo.
@Celia
I dont know how to look up history, I can tell I am in Texas City on Moses like east of Galveston
@lml999 @rstevens15
I will build my endurance, , today I just slept alot and I hate that. I was so hurting.
Rest days are important. It’s actually the time that the muscle rebuilds, after being broken down while exercising. No rest day = reduced improvement. Think of today as a gift to your body for the hard work you did.
In fact, sleep and good food are the two most important ingredients to conditioning. Want to get fitter? Sleep more? Eat good food. Seriously.
#restdaybrags
Can you find nautical weather either? If you cannot you should NOT be out in the bay.
You can either Google " weather historical" or go to wunderground.com/historical
For marine forecast Google “Galveston noaa marine forecast”. You will need to remember that one knot per hour of wind speed equals 1.15 mph.
Paddling solo is only 50% about actually paddling. The other 50% is judgement and anticipating problems and being aware of conditions and your own limits. Frankly you have left that second half behind.
And learn to use a search engine, you will need that to acquire knowledge about kayaking, or trip planning, or anything you are talking about doing. Especially planning for long trips. I regularly am surprised that someone who probably grew up with modern personal computers in their world can’t find anything using them.
When you go out, especially if solo, be sure to leave a float plan with someone you can trust saying where you are going, when you plan on being back, and a description of your boat and PFD color.Check in with them when you get back. Leave instructions as who to contact if you do not return within a reasonable time, USCG, marine police, relatives, etc.
Here is a float plan document we have used for group trips around the Chesapeake just to give you an idea You should come up with your own version.
If paddling solo on open water, I consider a VHF radio essential. It may be your only way to get help if you need it. Learn how to use it properly. If paddling in an unfamiliar area, I strongly recommend a marine chart and a GPS. If you cannot afford a VHF radio, at least carry a cell phone in a waterproof case, although cell phone reception may not be available on the open water.
I think a better option than a cell phone is a PLB. This one weighs 116 grams, has a battery life of seven years, works on water and on land, and no subscription fees. $289. Small enough to fit in the corner of a PFD pocket.
https://oceansignal.com/products/plb1/
All in moderation, of course. I once tried a routine that was all rest days, and for some reason, I didn’t get good results… 
It’s extra important to hydrate on rest days. #beer
Rob enjoy the journey! You will build endurance over time
My first time in a kayak was in a rec boat.
2 miles killed me
I worked up to 14 miles 3x a week
I learned alot about weather wind and tides in that time
Was pretty safe. I did not go far from shore and the shoreline was mostly residential
I did learn how not to surf and that March was not an appropriate month for that boat
Even now if I paddled in your area now I would collapse in a wet heap in an hour !
I use a site called www.windfinder.com
Forecasts the winds in highly localized areas with remarkable precision
That might have been my problem, then. I was hydrating with whiskey.
I think either a PLB or a VHF/DSC is a better option than a cell phone. The overwhelming number of cell phones these days are not rated for immersion. Also cell phone coverage can be poor or nonexistent on open water which will also make any GPS function inoperable unless the phone is dual function with a dedicated GPS receiver.
A VHF with DSC can send out an SOS with the push of a button. If you register it, it will tell the USCG who you are, your emergency contacts, a description of your boat, and where you are. Some sites allow free lifetime registration, but others charge. Other boats with a similar radio will also get your SOS and location and both can can contact you on channel 16. You can cancel the SOS with the USCG via channel 16 You can contact other specific individuals if you both have DSC as opposed to a public transmission. The disadvantage is that a handheld VHF is limited to line of sight or 2-5 miles. However on coastal waters USCG coverage is generally excellent. An advantage of a VHF is it can be used to contact friends in a group, other boats, marinas etc. It is illegal to use a VHF on land. With less expensive VHF radios you must manually call in an SOS and they may not have GPS information.
A basic PLB has advantages and disadvantages. It is a satellite device and works anywhere You must register a PLBs but that is free and no subscription is required. It will send a distress signal with your name and location. There is no way to cancel a PLB distress signal. Generally comes with a long life battery that may not be user replaceable.
A satellite messenger device is a step up from the basic PLB. It requires registration and a subscription. It has all of the functions of a PLB, but most can send and receive non-emergency messages home and most can send and receive text messages to rescuers, enabling you to cancel an emergency call. Most contain all of the features of a dedicated GPS and can send GPS tracks enabling people to follow you. Some get weather reports and can post to social media and transmit via Bluetooth. Features are constantly evolving. Batteries are rechargeable.
An EPIRB is a satellite device, however unlike PLBs and satellite messenger devices they are registered to a boat, not a person, and are not designed to be carried on one’s person. They are larger, more powerful with a longer transmit time, and more expensive. They must float upright and some have strobes. They generally do not incorporate any communications capabilities. EPIRBs usually incorporate long life batteries.Some discourage user replacement of the battery. They are not really designed for a kayak, but once were the only option.
Some kayakers I know who kayak in wilderness area or places where VHF channel 16 is not available as a rescue option carry both a VHF and PLB or satellite messenger device, They are both pretty compact now.
Probably more than anyone wanted to know. Some of the information may not be up to date.
Re: PLB’s, Garmin acquired InReach, and has now incorporated InReach functionality into their GPSmap 66i. It’s a fully-featured handheld GPS that includes the SOS and messaging capabiltiy of the Iridium satellite network. Plans vary, depending on what level of coverage you want. The GPS works as a standalone, but if you want the SOS functionality, you need to pay a subscription fee. higher fees get you more included text messages, etc.
If you inspired even one boater to buy or upgrade a comm device, it was well worth the effort!
7 days. Pammy?
I mentioned the Garmin In Reach earlier in this thread. Among the many features are weather reports, a 24/7 interactive SOS plus the ability to do 2-way text even if you don’t have cell signal.
The new MSR Dromedarys are nice, have a redesigned cap that doesn’t leak. I’d still recommend a 10 liter bag and maybe a 3 liter hydration system, that would get you close to 4 days of water.
Most people recommend carrying several smaller water containers. Easier to store and you don’t risk losing all of your water if one fails.