canoe maker

1898 Abanaki Paddles

Long paddles for Stand Up Paddling (SUP) have become all the rage, but here's more evidence that SUP is nothing new. This 1898 historic photo featurs a weathered bark canoe and some long Abenaki style paddles. Many similar pics from this era feature paddles that were quite taller than the paddler's height, likely for the need to paddle standing up to navigate the shallow, rocky rivers in Maine/New Brunswick.





Athian Lewey, West Grand Lake, 1898
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Closeup of paddle on bark canoe