On a golden afternoon in early autumn I return to a mountain lake I've
visited many times over the years, dating back to when I was a child at
summer camp. Some sense of connectedness brings me back, time and
again, to reacquaint myself with familiar waters and old recreations.
Each time I rent an old 15-foot Grumman at the marina and paddle,
somewhat aimlessly, along the shoreline. The rhythmic lapping of water
against the hull and the far-off cries of loons float atop a deep and
peaceful quiet. Blue skies are mirrored on the smooth surface, where
anything that moves produces a sparkle and, then, dimpling circles of
ever wider and fainter proportion.
Sometimes I'll drop a line for trout or scramble ashore to look for
frogs or driftwood. Mostly, I linger in private coves scented by
bordering pine trees and watch for deer emerging from the shadows or
osprey soaring overhead.
Canoeing appeals to many moods and ages. For me, it's been at various
times a source of childhood adventures, fun-filled family outings, and
quiet retreats from day-to-day business. It's as much a sport for boys
as girls, and as easy for Grandma to master as it is for a burly truck
driver.
Some folks, like myself, canoe the flat waters of quiet rivers and calm
lakes. Others lean toward the challenges of fast and roaring
whitewater. Whatever your preference in this self-propelled sport,
there is a canoe to match your ambitions.
The word "canoe" derives from "canoa," a Carib Indian word recorded by
Columbus meaning dugout. Many Native Americans crafted canoes from
hollowed out logs -- dugouts -- or by using birchbark or hides
stretched across a wooden frame.
 |
European
explorers,
fur-trappers and
missionaries became enthusiastic canoeists, paddling and portaging
their craft for hundreds of miles across unfamiliar territory. |
The
canoe was as essential in the backcountry of the 17th and 18th
centuries as four-wheel-drive vehicles are today. It could be
maneuvered down narrow channels or across broad lakes with similar
ease, and if a man had to he could carry it across land. Try that with
a Land Rover!
Canoes of the late
20th
century are
made of synthetic woven fibers instead of hides. Plastic resins and
thermoplastics have replaced most wooden frames. The modern canoe is
lighter, tougher and faster than its colonial counterpart. An average
person can lift many of them one-handed.
Not all canoes are the same, of course, and there are almost as many
styles as there are uses for the craft. Recreation canoes are best for
leisurely paddling or fishing on calm waters. Their hulls are wide and
they have a flat bottom that gives them extra stability. These are the
canoes rented at most liveries and resorts, designed to safely carry
families as well as sportsmen.
Touring canoes are a little longer (16 1/2 to 18 feet) and wider with a
slightly rounded bottom. Built for longer trips across rougher water,
they'll carry more gear and maneuver more easily than the recreational
models.
Cruising canoes are designed for experienced canoeists who want more
speed. These canoes are about 18 feet long and have a shallow V-shaped
hull that delivers more speed and distance per paddle stroke than the
recreational or touring models.
Other types of canoes include wilderness-tripping canoes for
long-distance travel, whitewater canoes for negotiating rapids, and
downriver canoes for racing. All of these are built for veteran
canoeists who know their strokes, not the novice or weekend paddler.
Out of the water, most canoes transport rather easily. There are handy
loading devices available for stowing canoes atop vehicles or trailers.
The top of a fold-down camper can also be outfitted to hold a canoe.
Paddles and life jackets are essentials that will be provided with any
rental canoe, but if you buy your own craft you'll have to select these
separately.
A canoe paddle is not the same as an oar, which is usually longer and
designed to be inserted into an oarlock in the side of a rowboat.
Paddles are unattached and meant to be held with two hands, one on
the grip and the other on the throat leading to the flat
blade. Varying
in size, weight and material, the choice of a paddle is largely
personal preference. Whatever feels good is best, but the shape of the
blade can make a difference in maneuverability and novice or
recreational canoeists should look for a beavertail (long and narrow
like a beaver's tail) shape approximately 5 to 7 inches wide and 14 to
20 inches long.
Life jackets are called Personal Flotation Devices (PFDs) by the U.S.
Coast Guard, which sets flotation standards that approved products must
meet. The PFDs that come with many rental canoes are the uncomfortable
horse collar type that fit over the head and tie across the chest. More
popular among canoeists are vest-type PFDs that look and wear like down
vest jackets. Whichever is used, make sure the size of the PFD is
sufficient for the person inside.
The only other accessories needed to start canoeing are drinking water,
a bailing bucket and sponge for removing water from inside the canoe, a
20-foot length of rope called a "painter" which is attached to the
front end and used to tie up the canoe when going ashore, and muscle
power.
| Paddling is actually easy
to learn and
not as strenuous as it might seem, especially on calm water. By
trial-and-error most first-time canoeists quickly learn that paddling
on the right side of the canoe makes it veer left, and paddling on the
left side makes it veer right. Only by paddling on both sides
alternately, it seems, will the canoe travel in a relatively straight
line. But by turning the paddle away from the canoe at the end of the
stroke the push-away movement will correct the veer and keep
the craft
going straight ahead. |
 |
There are other
tricks to
paddling
solo and in tandem, like using back strokes to brake your speed or a
bow rudder stroke to turn sharply with little effort. These are taught
in canoeing classes, schools and clubs in many communities. But no one
should let the lack of formal training dissuade them from going
canoeing on a calm lake or gentle river. The basic skills of the
activity are like riding a bicycle -- quickly learned and rarely
forgotten.
Canoeing may involve long trips through wilderness areas or quiet
moments on local lakes and rivers. Splendid opportunities for paddling
are available in almost every state and the mobility of the canoe
allows access to quiet, scenic sites far from crowded campgrounds.
There are a number of U.S. waterways famous for their canoeing like the
Boundary Waters Canoe Area of northern Minnesota, the Allagash and St.
Johns Rivers in northern Maine, the Ozark National Scenic Riverway in
Missouri, and the Delaware River between Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
Professional outfitters are available in these areas to plan, equip and
guide your journey. Or you might join an outdoor organization that
sponsors wilderness trips led by experienced volunteers. Information on
outfitters and canoeing clubs is available from the American Canoe
Association, P.O. Box 1190, Newington, VA 22122.
Wherever you choose to paddle, the best advice anyone can offer is to
go easy and follow your own interests. Canoes are like pickup
trucks, reliable vehicles for those who know how to drive and
appreciate them. Whether it's a family picnic on a secluded island or a
hunting expedition in the backcountry, the right canoe can get you
there.
For myself, I am happy for some stolen moments on a quiet lake or
meandering stream, fancying myself akin to the aboriginal Indians or
some intrepid trapper. Sometimes I'll sit back, paddle at rest, and
drift with the wind while listening to the plop of rising fish, the
squawk of waterfowl and the pee-yeeps of tree frogs. I'll have found my
destination, then, and reached it by
canoe.
|
by
MichaelHofferber@outriderbooks.com
Copyright © 1992. All
rights reserved
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