It's not surprising that Seattle offers tremendous opportunities for whitewater and ocean paddling. Resources are nicely concentrated around a large metropolitan area, including an abundance of water, half a dozen clubs, three or four instructional schools, an Olympic racing program, several knowledgeable paddlesports retailers, and an outdoor culture that make access easy, even socially de rigueur. In Minneapolis, canoe trippers and marathon canoeing buffs are as numerous as skateboarders in a California mall. Maine has lots of places to paddle, but other resources are spread around a geographically huge state. Make a checklist for your own city or state.
Time is the universal constraint.
Both time and money were strained. We just thought it was affordable recreation and an escape from the city heat. But don't panic. Years ago I paddled a local whitewater river with a female paraplegic. Her own gift back to the sport has been the definitive manual for disabled paddlers, available through the American Canoe Association.