canoe maker: Poling

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Selasa, 27 Mei 2014

Keewaydin Archive Photos

One of my favourite pics from the Keewaydin Photo Archives...snubbing down rapids in a birchbark canoe!

Isnin, 26 Ogos 2013

Poling Pic up the Allagash Stream

Here's another vintage pic of poling in a cedar canvas canoe complete with pack basket! It looks like an image from �Tales from Misery Ridge: One Man�s Adventures in the Great Outdoors� by Paul J. Fournier. Apparently the book was named the best book of 2011 by the New England Outdoor Writers Association.

Paul J. Fournier poles his canoe up Allagash Stream in Maine

Citation Link: http://www.boston.com/2012/04/25/word/PsMx2xl17jtlmGw94Aw1iO/story.html

Khamis, 8 Ogos 2013

In the Maine Woods: Historic Poling Pics

Can't seem to get enough of the online editions of In the Maine Woods. The 1917 Edition has some great photos of some canoe poling. Here's one from Page 70. Check out the crazy bend on the pole as the Guide works the canoe upstream on the Moose River...

Another nice shot in a really tight stream from the earlier 1904 Edition...

A crazy action shot ascending rapids well beyond my abilities found in the 1910 Edition...

And one more showing some work around the shoreline shallows on the Penobscot (1908 Edition). You can just make out the wanigan in one of the canoes...

Selasa, 23 Julai 2013

Vintage Poling Pics - Nova Scotia Guides

Here are some vintage pics of some guides doing some poling. They're from the wonderfully illustrated article, "In White Water" by Edward Breck from the Outing Magazine (Vol 36, February 1914) online at archive.org.

July 27th Update: Thanks to reader Nick Bell for identifying these amazing canoemen as Nova Scotian guides (see comment posted below).

Khamis, 11 Julai 2013

Big East River Poling & Lining Daytrip

Last week I got to spend another fun day playing around the mid section of the Big East River. The plan was to pole upstream further than last year's trip, setup a day-camp on a sandy spit somewhere, and snub back down to the launch point at the Williamsport Bridge. Just like last year, I ended up picking a steamy, humid day for the trip. Here's a shot of the gear loaded up at the access point.

Ready to launch

Water levels were much higher than last year's trip when the driest season on record forced a total fire ban across much of this part of Ontario. I was quite surprised at how much this changed the nature of the river. Obviously the current was stronger, but this year there were many more downed trees to contend with as well as a lot of channeling where parts of the river had serious flow and others were too shallow to move. Also interesting were the number of horizontal trees along the riverbank waiting for their turn to plop down.

Horizontal trees on the riverbank

On this trip, I wanted to try out using some new camera angles - mostly to record my paddling & poling technique and see where I needed improvement. Usually the waterproof camera is setup on the end of spare paddle using a flexible mini tripod and some straps. During the deeper sections of the river when the canoe pole wasn't needed, the camera was rigged up on the end of the pole and that provided some neat shots. To secure the pole, the other end was tightly lashed in with the leftover leather straps from the tumpline on the centre thwart. Really like it when gear has more than one usage. Hope this is helpful to other solo paddlers wanting to experiment with filming.

Camera secured to top of pole

Other end lashed with the excess tumpline straps

Here's a reverse shot where the pole was flipped to the stern...

Also got the chance to properly try out the homemade tripod / camp stool project made back in the winter. Here it is in "camera mode"...

Homemade tripod setup on the hull

Used this for filming some of the basic shots on shore and for the downstream run. Worked out very well. It only tipped over when an unsecured paddle slid across the bow seat and moved one of the legs out of position.

Anyway, after some deep water paddling against the current, the bottom of the river could be seen. At this point, I switched to the much more efficient pole to get further upstream.

To get the camera shots I would first pole up a section, setup the tripod on shore, snub down and then come back again to pick up the tripod and continue upstream. The shallow swifts look harmless enough, but all that back and forth meant it was still a decent workout.

Eventually needed a break to rest up and eat. Spotted this sandy spot which looked perfect to setup a temporary shelter....

Perfect beach spot for a rest

After posting about some various canoe shelters back in the winter, ended up coming up with this basic fair weather shelter to get some escape from the sun. The canoe was propped up with some driftwood and the canoe pole and paddles supporting the tarp. To get the most of the very mild cooling breeze, it was setup so the air would flow through rather than being a windblock. Must be getting older because without an afternoon nap on a canoe trip, I get cranky.

Fair weather canoe shelter

The tripod was reconverted into its "campstool mode" to sit up and enjoy some lunch. If it wasn't so hot, I would've had a fire and cooked up some noodles or something, but a daytime fire in such humid, muggy conditions made no sense.

A brief walk around on the beach revealed two different sets of tracks. Smaller sets of multiple deer tracks (on the right) and solitary set of much larger moose tracks. Below is a shot of the two tracks next to my pocket firesteel (& waxed jute cordage) for scale

Moose tracks (left) and Deer sharing the beach

After recharging the inner battery, headed further upstream. As mentioned, the current was much stronger than last year and at one point was too much for a novice poler like myself. After exhausting myself with a few attempts, the only option was to track upstream with painter lines. Rigged up using the bridle system seen in Bill Mason's films and illustrated in Ray Goodwin's great book (see sample pages of this chapter HERE).

Couldn't pole up this section

Tracking up this narrow channel with the painter lines rigged up

Tricky work not to slip on the rocks while holding the line angles just right

More tracking upstream

Noticed this adjacent pond off the main river that I didn't see last year. Ended up exploring this neat little section that was free from the increasing current.

Channel to a little side pond

Poling up the tiny channel

At the far end of the pond was a marshy area where I spotted this guy fishing in the shallows. It allowed me to get a relatively clear shot before retreating in the reeds.

Great Blue Heron fishing the shallows

Eventually it was time to turn around and head back. Couldn't really manage taking too many pics during the steady downstream run while trying to steer and avoid the fallen debris, but here's a shot in a riffle.

Heading back downstream

Even though this wasn't really remote trip, I found the different water levels meant that this river was a great place to practice some backcountry skills - paddling, poling, snubbing, lining, & tracking. Like last time, put together a brief vid (3:49). Again no dramatic music in the background - just the sounds of the river, the bird life, and the deer flies buzzing around....

Sabtu, 22 Jun 2013

CanvasCanoes.co.uk Poling Pic

Steven Hanton of CanvasCanoes.co.uk has a great new pic on his facebook page featuring a wood canvas canoe rigged up for some traditional portaging and poling.

Poling on the River Tweed

This pic is getting me excited about my own poling adventures planned for this summer

Ahad, 28 April 2013

Historic Photo: Canoe Poling Upstream

From this expired Ebay ad - a vintage image of canoe poling. He seems so effortless holding the position above the small rapid. Unfortunately no details about the photo's origins.

Unknown Canoe Poler

Rabu, 27 Mac 2013

Funny Poling Pics - Outdoor Sports & Games eBook

Came across an interesting free online book at Gutenberg.org entitled Outdoor Sports and Games (1911), by Claude H. Miller. Chapter 16 is entitled HOW TO SWIM AND TO CANOE and has a series of comical pics about how to pole a canoe...hey whatever works right?

Isnin, 18 Februari 2013

Kroka Expedition Paddles & Gear

While browsing around I came across some blogs for Kroka Expeditions which run a 5 month semester program taking youth on a 600 mile ski and canoe journey from January to June. Blogs from previous years showcase the homemade gear the students make (paddles, pack baskets, etc). Here is a selection that I found interesting...

Carving a northwoods paddle...

http://krokavermontsemester2012.blogspot.ca/2012/04/update-9.html

Wanigan and Pack Basket Portage...

http://krokavermontsemester2012.blogspot.ca/2012/05/update-13.html

Paddles lashed in for a carry...

http://krokavermontsemester2012.blogspot.ca/2012/05/update-13.html

Poling before ice out...

http://krokavermontsemester2011.blogspot.ca/2011/05/nhvsp-2011-update-13.html

For anyone interested, I just found the blog for the 2013 semester. Looks like the group just departed on their skiing journey. Looking forward to their canoe pics in the spring. Check it out at: http://krokavermontsemester2013.blogspot.ca/

Isnin, 28 Januari 2013

Historic Canoe Poling Art: Harry Fenn

Here is an amazing piece of art from Illustrator Harry Fenn (1845 � 1911). It features some scenes of Moosehead Lake region in Maine.

Original Ebay Seller Link

The center piece is a fantastic image a Guide poling a bark canoe up the river while the Sport tries his luck fishing. Really like the detail on the canoe and the vivid portrayal of the rapids. The Guide is leaning on his pole hard (note the flex in the pole) and the artist has really captured the muscling power it takes to hold the canoe steady.

Closeup: Poling up the Moose River

Similar illustrations of the region can be found in Hubbard's 1883 publication Woods and lakes of Maine and Thomas Sedgwick Steele's 1882 publication, Canoe and camera .

Jumaat, 13 Julai 2012

Big East River Poling Trip

Ever since carving a traditional canoe pole late in the summer of 2010, I've been slowly trying to learn this new skill. Until now, I've been attempting poling around the shallows of my cottage lake getting curious looks from people warning me to "never to stand in a canoe". One of these folks was my neighbour informing me of this horrible misconception while he was showing off his $2000 stand-up paddle board and carbon graphite paddle!

Anyway, while he seems content puttering around a flat lake on his glorified surfboard my intention has a practical purpose - to use poling instead of having to arrange car shuttles when doing river trips. Earlier this week I was able to get up north and take advantage of the long summer day to try my my very first attempt at poling up one of the local rivers - The Big East. As a trial run, I brought along my canvas pack loaded as if I was heading off for a few days of camping to see if poling a loaded canoe was any more difficult than my usual empty boat practice. Later this summer I might make an overnight trip in this area, but for the time being, this was just a day trip.

Car at access point - there's space for a few vehicles

Launch point looking downstream

Water levels are low everywhere in the region and the local Natural Resources office have declared an extreme forest fire hazard due to the dry condition. Despite this, the Big East still has enough water to float a canoe even if there are some very rocky shallows where dragging is necessary. Locals typically park a car at the Williamsport Bridge and then, once past a set of easy C1 rapids and some other shallows, lazily meander rapid-free until they hit Lake Vernon about 4-5 hours away. Very few people ever go upstream at this point since there really is no "destination" as such and there are more rapids and shallows to contend with...perfect for some solitude and poling!

Paddling upsteam

Huge sandy cliffs along the way

Looking upstream for some prime poling territory

Poling up the shallows in still water

Wasn't expecting it, but I came some bank Beaver burrows dug into the muddy sides of the river at the waterline. Just after taking this pic, I noticed a beaver in the distance swimming across and I managed to get a few grainy shots including its webbed feet right after doing a tail splash.

Bank Beaver burrows on the riverbank

Beaver swimming across the river

Big warning splash with webbed feet flipped up

Further upstream was a small island where I pulled up to take a break in the heat. The place was covered in animal tracks. Seems it is being used as a deer crossing site.

Break time on a muddy island

Deer tracks all over

Where there's deer, there's going to be predators. Here's a nice wolf print in the mud....

Wolf print

Eventually got to some rocky swifts at spent quite some time attempting to climb against the increasingly strong current. Set up the camera to take some video and timed photos of attempts...

Lots of rocks under those ripples

Finding the rock free channel

Trying to pole and take a photo - not reccommended!

One particular stretch was a fun area to practice. Spent quite a while going upstream and then turning around snubbing down. By this time the sun was beating down and after realising I had forgotten applying sunscreen, needed the floppy hat to keep cool.

Trying to pole up a channel

Snubbing downstream in the same place

Didn't end up falling out the canoe but did have many close calls. The shallow nature of the river meant that if the canoe got hung up on a rock, I had to step out and reposition the boat. By the afternoon, I was pretty bushed and wanted to take a relaxing nap and dry my feet.

The silty nature of this river means that there are some impressive sandy deposits at certain bends. Came across a huge sand dune at one point that would make for a nice campsite. Took the canoe out of the water and tried to use the pole, canoe and paddles to rig a shelter for some shade, although by then it started getting cloudy. Here's what I came up with...

Canoe shelter with tarp, paddles, & pole

Lots of driftwood but no campfire today

As a "luxury item", I like to use an old Turkish kilim as a ground cover. After visiting family there back in '06 we picked up quite a few of these beautiful mats and this one has seen its share of family picnics and outings. The wool is warm and cozy and the loose flat-weave of the kilim allows it to easily flapped clean of dirt and sand. Nomadic shepherds there often use layered kilims as blankets, cloaks, and even fold them into a sort of sleeping bag too. A little secret I picked up on a bushcraft forum is to use an old shower curtain as a waterproof lining to prevent dampness from the ground - can't see it in the photo but it is there.

After a relaxing nap, it was time to pack up and head home. The 15footer cedar canvas was recently painted a "froggie green" colour that my son picked. The paint job on the bottom is pretty scratched up but the canvas is no worse for wear. While this canoe is more suited as a lake tripper with its deep 14" hull, straight lines and thick keel, it worked well enough for poling . But despite running aground on some rocks here and there, it held up well enough.

Here's a short, 3 minute Youtube video of the some of the day's action...