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The new ultra-lightweight ECO-REC paddle is “the lightest polymer composite recreational paddle available in the global marketplace,” says an H2O Paddles press release. “This paddle is a direct result of our commitment to be the best, we value the voice of our customers and our new ECO-REC is the culmination of that input to create a class leading paddle”, says Shillion Mongru, H2O Sales and Marketing Manager, from the press release.
“H2O Paddles is a global supplier of High Performance Kayak and Canoe Paddles. With over 10 years of manufacturing experience, H2O has created industry leading designs such as its Crystal X blades, Super Tour Nanotechnology paddle and ergo grip Whitewater paddles. H2O holds patents and is patent pending on numerous signature design elements.
Located in Toronto Canada, H2O is a subsidiary of Dynaplas Ltd., a global high precision plastics supplier with ‘black box’ design, product validation and testing capabilities, in-house tooling facilities and injection molding machines ranging from 12t – 500t.”
What's In the Canadian Canoe Museum | Photo: Virginia Marshall
“It’s astonishing just how sophisticated these kayak designs are,” says Canadian Canoe Museum curator Jeremy Ward, gesturing to a wall of elegant Greenland kayaks. “If you look at the influences of these very traditional forms on contemporary touring kayaks, you can see all of the design hallmarks.” The narrow beam, low volume and hard chines that today allow efficient touring and rolling, were originally designed to make the Greenland kayak the ultimate hunting craft. “If you’re hunting narwhal, beluga or seal with a harpoon, to get close enough you need a long, narrow, fast kayak, which is inherently unstable,” explains Ward. “One hand throws the harpoon while the other holds the paddle out to the side to stabilize the kayak.”
Across the room, a display of baidarka from the Western Arctic and Aleutian Islands further illustrates how hunting habits influence kayak design. “Baidarka is not an Aleutian word, it’s Russian,” says Ward. “During the Russian fur trading period, baidarka were used to access the kelp beds and hunt sea otter. This is a very rare three-person baidarka from the late 19th century that may have had a Russian agent overseeing the hunt in the middle cockpit with a paddler at either end.”
The gunwale of this circa 1930s East Hudson Bay kayak frame is composed of several pieces of smaller wood joined together, illustrating the resourcefulness
of early builders and their clever use of available materials. “Working above the treeline, assembling pieces of driftwood into a kayak frame is a tough job,” explains Ward. “You’d be accumulating wood over a long time to get enough to put together a framework.”
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The skins of ringed seals, like this one, were preferred for covering the kayak frame. The cleaned skins were stitched together along waterproof, overlapping seams using braided sinew or, in more recent times, scavenged materials such as dental floss or sewing thread. Once the skins were joined into a sheet, it was stretched tightly around the kayak and sewn along the top.
What’s In the Canadian Canoe Museum | Photo: Virginia Marshall
“We had an Inuk visitor from Greenland who was an avid competitive kayaker, and he said ‘You need to take the skins off of these boats,’” Ward recalls. “When you look at the frame stringers, you can actually see the hull is being compressed by the shrinking of the skin over time. From a traditional user’s point of view, the skin was something that would get worn out or rot, and you would just remove and replace it. But for us to remove the skin is to take away the female contribution to the hull. Typically the framework was made by men, and the skins were sewn together in a stitching party by women. It’s a real community effort to make one boat.”
Along with ever-changing displays, the museum offers hands-on programming for visitors. This model kayak frame is one of five kits created by museum staff for school programs. “We based the design on a Copper Inuit kayak and used mortise and tenon joints and artificial sinew lashing so the kit can be assembled and taken apart many times,” explains Ward.
This article first appeared in the Summer 2014 issue of Adventure Kayak Magazine. Subscribe to Paddling Magazine and get 25 years of digital magazine archives including our legacy titles: Rapid, Adventure Kayak and Canoeroots.
Avalon Peninsula- Exploring Newfoundland’s Eastern Eden| PHOTO: LEE GILBERT
Lee Gilbert escaped a landlocked life in the city to return to his birthplace on Newfoundland’s Avalon Peninsula, where he now pursues a quieter pace and his passion for paddling, writing and photography.
THE ROCK. Home to the most easterly shore in North America, isolated from the rest of the continent by frigid seas and a quirky, half-hour-ahead time zone all its own. Newfoundland is a place where one never knows what secrets the next cove holds, and a bastion for the childlike wonder those discoveries instill.
The waters around the Avalon are nearly 20 degrees Fahrenheit colder than the same latitudes in the Pacific. The culprit is the Labrador Current, described by Newfoundland artist Christopher Pratt as “a relentless flood of molten ice, the bloodstream of our near sub-Arctic climate.” I’ve learned to embrace the unsettled weather. Briny bays where the sea has humbled me with four-meter waves and howling gales; tranquil open ocean and brilliant sunshine; the quiet of solo paddling in a thick fog.
I’ve come to expect the sublime: close encounters with icebergs and whales, hidden caves tucked behind waterfalls, bedding down in the same forgotten coves as two-millennia-old Paleo-Eskimo peoples. Between the quaint coastal villages lie some of the last vestiges of true freedom in a prodigiously encroaching civilized world.
TRIPS
If you have a half-day enjoy the sea stacks, arches and pristine pebble beaches of sheltered Aquaforte Harbour, paddling east from the community wharf in Aquaforte to where Spout River Falls tumbles into the ocean.
If you have a day and the forecast is calm, launch from Winterton and head 10 kilometers north to Hant’s Harbour along the uninhabited outer coast of Trinity Bay, gaping up at 460-foot cliffs.
If you have a weekend tour historic Conception Bay from the shipwrecks of Avondale to the archaeology site at Cupids. En route, explore towering lighthouses, dramatic headlands, quiet coves and a 19th-century copper mine.
If you have a week paddle from Hopeall to Sunnyside in Trinity Bay. Untouched coastline and wild beauty mingle with resettled towns and colorful fishing communities with equally colorful names, like Dildo and Spread Eagle.
Avalon Peninsula- Exploring Newfoundland’s Eastern Eden| PHOTO: LEE GILBERT
STATS
POPULATION DENSITY
17 per square mile (outside St. John’s)
AVERAGE SUMMER HIGH
66°F (August)
WILDLIFE
Whale, porpoise, sea otter, seal, moose, caribou, fox, coyote, bald eagle, puffin and other seabirds.
CAMPSITES
Cobblestone, grass meadow, free-camping on any flat spot along the shore.
EXPOSURE
Easterlies draw 2,000 miles of fetch from Ireland. Also watch for gusting offshore katabatic winds.
DIVERSION
Build a traditional Newfoundland punt or dory at Winterton’s Wooden Boat Museum.
BEST EATS
Mussels, uni, sea trout, seasonal codfish caught at camp.
OUTFITTERS
The Outfitters—rentals and sales in St. John’s; day trips, multi-day tours, instruction in Bay Bulls; www.theoutfitters.nf.ca.
MUST-HAVE
Drysuit and good judgment
This article first appeared in the Summer 2014 issue of Adventure Kayak Magazine. Subscribe to Paddling Magazine and get 25 years of digital magazine archives including our legacy titles: Rapid, Adventure Kayak and Canoeroots.
Twelve months, a dozen countries and a nearly lost art learned in each. It was a dream come true for Cincinnati-native WILL MEADOWS. Last year, 23-year-old Meadows finished a yearlong quest to visit indigenous master builders around the world and learn their traditional canoe making techniques.
“Canoes are found across the world. They lie at the intersection of human creativity and place,” he says. “They are vessels for exploration, artistic expression and sustenance.”
Meadows spent this past winter at the end of the world in Tierra del Fuego. There the Yaghan culture has lived for 6000 years, utilizing the bark of beech to craft canoes to hunt seals. Meadows lived with Martin Gonzalez, an elder of the Yaghan and the only man alive with knowledge of how to construct these canoes, for two months.
“I had read that the culture of the Yaghan had gone completely extinct,” says Meadows. “Many Argentinians and Chileans talk as if this people no longer exists. My original intent was to resurrect this canoe but when I got to Chile, I met living descendants of the culture who took me in as family and showed me their passion to regain lost knowledge and rebuild traditions. The Yaghan taught me how resilient traditions are, beyond catastrophes both environmental and social. They showed me as long as there is a person with a bent to learn, there is hope to pass on cultural heritage and sense of place.” Follow his journey at www.humanitysvessel.com…
Discover 49 more of the coolest people, gear and innovations in canoeing this year in the digital edition of Canoeroots and Family Camping, Summer/Fall 2014, on our free iPad/iPhone/iPod Touch App or Android App or read it on your desktop here.
Living on a quiet British Columbia highway, 25 kilometers south of Golden, Columbia Wetlands Adventures owner Mark Teasedale wanted to do something unique to help advertise his business, and draw attention to the wetlands he loves. He does not recall exactly when the idea of building the WORLD’S BIGGEST PADDLE took root, but once Teasedale gets an idea, it usually takes off in a big way.
“I started wondering how big the world’s biggest canoe paddle was,” he explains, “so I started doing some research. I found nothing, so I decided to set the bar pretty high and try to build it as big as possible.”
With a 60-foot cedar pole shaft and blade composed of over 800 laminated veneers, the nearly six-ton paddle prompted the Guinness Book of World Records to create a whole new category. Teasedale is waiting for final confirmation on the record, expected soon after Guinness staffers scour the globe for competition….
Discover 49 more of the coolest things in canoeing this year in the digital edition of Canoeroots and Family Camping, Summer/Fall 2014, on our free iPad/iPhone/iPod Touch App or Android App or read it on your desktop here.
Aleksander “Olek” Doba is enjoying a rather unusual retirement. The former mechanical engineer from Police, Poland, paddled from Africa to Brazil in 2011 and completed his second trans-Atlantic kayak crossing—7,716 miles from Portugal to Florida—earlier this year in his custom-built kayak, Olo. Even after 167 grueling days at sea, however, the cheerful Doba says he feels much younger than his 67 years. Since retiring, he says, “my big problem is not filling my free time, it’s choosing my next challenge.
Who paddles alone across the Atlantic?
Before my expeditions, I test-paddled with different kayakers. I set high standards. Unfortunately, I would usually end up being a babysitter and I wouldn’t have a partner. Partners support each other and that I didn’t find. I’m not a loner, but I had a choice: either go alone or not at all.
What do you say to people who claim Olo is not a “real” sea kayak?
I went to the shipyard in Szcezecin, Poland, with a sketch illustrating the special kayak I imagined would be suitable for crossing the Atlantic. We designed and built Olo to cross the ocean between continents, which no one had done before. Only three other kayakers in history have crossed the Atlantic, and they hopped from island to island. What is a ‘real’ sea kayak? The definition I know is a boat powered by a person in sitting position, facing the direction of movement, using a double-bladed paddle held freely in the hands. Olo meets all of these criteria.
When did you discover kayaking?
I caught the kayak touring bug on my first trip on the Drava River in 1980. When Poland lifted a ban on kayaking in the open sea, I became one of the country’s sea kayaking pioneers. I have more than 60,000 miles under my belt: 80 days around the Baltic Sea in 1999; 3,380 miles to the Arctic Circle from Poland in 2000; circumnavigating Lake Baikal in 2009. I do not paddle back and forth in a small body of water to collect miles. I am looking for new rivers, lakes and seas, so understandably that has meant going further and harder.
Where did you encounter your greatest challenges on the Atlantic?
On the first expedition, I faced more than 50 tropical storms, but otherwise it was pretty quiet. The second crossing was more than twice as long and much more difficult. I lost communication for 47 days. I was plagued by strong winds that trapped me for 40 nights in the Bermuda Triangle. A storm broke the kayak’s rudder and forced me to change course for Bermuda to make repairs. The saltwater, heat and humidity made my skin itchy and irritated my eyes. I wore as little clothing as possible to have less washing and drying, but I constantly felt that things were wet and unpleasant to the touch.
Why is retirement the perfect time for bold expeditions?
I worked nearly my entire professional life at the Police Chemical Plant. Due to the long period of work in harmful conditions, I could retire at the age of 60. I didn’t plan what I would do for my retirement. I never imagined I would be in the condition and good health to be able to implement such ambitious trips. Is there an optimal age for trans-Atlantic expeditions? I started paddling when I was 34. Could I have left for this expedition then, when I felt that I had enough experience? No, the father of young children going on risky expeditions – that is irresponsible and unfair. It’s still difficult for my wife and loved ones, but for me, now is the best time for such escapades.
Doba’s answers translated from Polish by Piotr Chmielinski.
This article first appeared in the Summer 2014 issue of Adventure Kayak Magazine. Subscribe to Paddling Magazine and get 25 years of digital magazine archives including our legacy titles: Rapid, Adventure Kayak and Canoeroots.
Here’s Kevin’s first in a series of videos on his family canoe trip around Killarney Provincial Park in Ontario, Canada. The trip started at the town docks of Killarney and looped the borders of the park in a clockwise direction: Killarney Bay-Fraser Bay → Baie Fine → McGregor Bay → Nellie Lake → Van Winkle Lake → Great Mountain Lake → David Lake → Silver Peak → Carlyle Lake → George Lake.
One stroke forward, two strokes back. | Feature photo: Reid McLachlan
It was a revelation when I first learned how to paddle a canoe backwards. Everything was so dramatically different. I was on the edge of control, where nothing feels natural and everything is new. But backwards paddling is not some idle trick; it brings real benefits to your paddling proficiency.
It was my dad who first got me going in reverse. He had returned excited from a symposium where he’d been canoeing with a freestyle paddler. “He said it almost like a mantra,” Dad told me and then he recited: “Anything you do forward you should be able to do backward.” It didn’t sound like a big deal, but then I tried it.
Paddling backwards is a great way to teach solo and tandem canoeists important concepts by taking them outside of their comfort zone. Not only does this translate into more efficiency and grace on the water, these are also skills that we can carry to moving water, whether back-ferrying a loaded tripping canoe or riding a sweet surf wave.
Initial tips for backward paddlers
There are two important pointers that will help for practising your strokes in reverse. For solo paddlers, the most common problem at the outset is trim. It is critical to have your weight in the center of the canoe, or a little forward of center, so you are not stern heavy.
Secondly, watch where you’re going! My clients get so focused on their strokes that they forget what the canoe is doing and they run into the shore, each other, me, and once, even a wading nudist.
All of the traditional strokes—including the J-stroke, draws and pries—are fair game for backwards paddling, whether you’re solo or tandem. For a fun beginner stroke that’ll make you think about blade placement, try a reverse running stern draw. Practice it and impress your paddling buddies with a reverse dock landing or reverse eddy turn in moving water.
The instructions below are for solo paddlers, but tandem paddlers can try this if the bow paddler performs continuous reverse sweeps to both initiate and power the turn, while the paddler in the stern follows the instructions described here from step two on.
One stroke forward, two strokes back. | Feature photo: Reid McLachlan
5 steps to paddle backwards
1 Reverse J-stroke
First, gain momentum going backwards in a straight line with a reverse J-stroke. Now, just like its forward counterpart, initiate a turn with a hard reverse J at the end of the stroke.
2 Set up the stern draw
With the turn starting, tilt the hull to the inside of the turn and slice your blade out and slightly behind you to set up the stern draw.
3 Carve the turn
Open the blade to catch water by turning your grip hand thumb out. Doing this slowly, and gradually introducing more blade angle, will allow you to use the momentum of the canoe and carve a beautiful turn.
Hang on to the stern draw for as long as you can, allowing the canoe to pivot around your paddle.
5 Finish in style
For style points, finish off the draw with a palm roll and reverse J-stroke and now you’re set up to do the maneuver again, or maybe a reverse running pry sideslip, or a reverse low brace turn, or a reverse one-handed pry, or how about a reverse…
Becky Mason is owner and operator of Classic Solo Canoeing. She is a Paddle Canada Instructor Trainer and has been teaching people to go backwards, forwards and sideways for 27 years. Visit redcanoes.ca.
This article was first published in the Summer/Fall 2014 issue of Canoeroots Magazine. Subscribe to Paddling Magazine’s print and digital editions, or browse the archives.
One stroke forward, two strokes back. | Feature photo: Reid McLachlan
Always wanted to sleep in a giant slice of watermelon or show your love of the written word by peering out from between the pages of a gigantic paperback? Field Candy’s INNOVATIVE TENT flys feature bold patterns and daring scenes, ensuring you’ll never confuse your tent with another campers’ again (www.fieldcandy.com).
Field Candy writes: “Original Explorer tents are much bigger than most other standard two person tents, providing you with a spacious sleeping area and extra storage for muddy boots in the lobby. Each tent is made to the high quality of an expedition tent built to withstand extreme conditions. The unique designs will help you stand out from the crowd with colour and creativity.”
Discover 49 more of the coolest people, gear and innovations in canoeing this year in the digital edition of Canoeroots and Family Camping, Summer/Fall 2014, on our free iPad/iPhone/iPod Touch App or Android App or read it on your desktop here.
Making bush bannock is so simple, you’ll have it everyday while on trip. | Feature photo: Kaydi Pyette
Most of us make compromises on our food when tripping in the wilderness. It doesn’t mean we don’t eat well, but we often give up the taste and comfort of soft, fresh bread for pita and flatbreads that won’t squish. Stop sacrificing! Here’s a delicious recipe for bannock that promises a fluffy backwoods treat.
Easy Backcountry Bannock Recipe
Bannock is a Gaelic-rooted word that comes from the Latin panecium, which means baked things. A bannock is a small, flat loaf of bread, risen by a leavening agent. Its roots date back to ancient times, where bannock nourished Roman armies and First Nations tribes. Add some honey and it tastes like manna from heaven—hot, light, and delicious.
Make the mix at home before your trip. To do so, mix the dry ingredients together then cut the shortening in with a pastry cutter or two knives until you have a granular, corn meal-like mixture. Package in Ziploc freezer bags and double bag it if you’re going on a long trip.
Making bush bannock is so simple, you’ll have it everyday while on trip. | Feature photo: Kaydi Pyette
To Serve
Once fireside, warm a small cast iron frying pan on the fire and oil it well. Next, pour water into the bag of mix, squishing it around in the bag. Pour in enough water so the dough spreads easily, but has a heavy and thick consistency. The faster you go from mixing the dough to spreading it in a skillet, the lighter your bannock will be.
Squeeze the mix out of the bag and onto the warmed pan. If the dough sizzles, it means the pan is too hot, cool it off and try again. Spread the dough so it’s no more than an inch thick, then place the pan over hot coals. As the dough cooks, it will start to rise slowly. Flip over your loaf when the underside takes on a golde tone. Wait another five minutes, then flip again.
The key to great bannock is a consistent heat, ideally from glowing red embers of hardwood. You’ll know it’s ready to eat when you can stick a fork in the center and it comes out clean.
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Bannock Recipe Variations
A fun variation is cooking bannock on a stick. To do this, roll out a snake-like length of dough and wrap it around a stick, keeping it a half-inch thick. Rotate your bannock above hot coals until it cooks through and is easy to slide off, usually about 10 minutes.
Get the full article in the digital edition of Canoeroots and Family Camping, Summer/Fall 2014.Subscribe to Paddling Magazine’s print and digital editions, or browse the archives.
Discover 49 more of the coolest people, gear and innovations in canoeing this year in the digital edition of Canoeroots and Family Camping, Summer/Fall 2014, on our free 
This article was first published in the Summer/Fall 2014 issue of Canoeroots Magazine. 
