Canoelit

Classic Solo Canoeing
By Becky Mason
40 min. video $39.96 Cdn
ISBN: 0-9688146-0-3

Becky Mason has made a name in her own right doing what she loves best, canoeing and painting. She might now want to also considering filmmaking.

Being the daughter of an icon must have both its good and bad aspects. The last few years have seen Becky emerge from the her place in the wings - as the daughter of Bill Mason - to centrestage in the world of canoeing.

Since 1987, Becky has given private canoeing lessons, offering her peerless paddling skills to those willing to learn. But lately her voice and profile have been raised. She has become an advocate for environmental and other issues. She now gives slide talks on canoeing as well as demonstrations. And she has just released her first video called Classic Solo Canoeing.

Like her father, Becky sweats the details. It shows. Any good film project, whatever the length, is a huge and complicated undertaking. The sensual qualities of image, sound, music and voice all come into play and if any single one is deficient, they all suffer. From the moment Becky and her ever-present blue hat, rolls into frame in her beautiful cedar/canvas Prospector, we know we're in for a treat. And that blue hat is firmly seated - even a dumping can't dislodge it!

While this video is by nature an instructional one, is does not lack for proper structure, flow or narrative. A variety of camera angles and beautiful lighting keep the visual interest alive thanks to videographer Paul Wing. The music by Ian Tamblyn is perfectly suited and pleasant without being distracting. The video was produced and written by Becky with help from husband Reid MacLachlan. No director is credited but it's clear this is Becky's baby and it's her voice and image that fill the screen.

Many shots are reminiscent of another Mason-watching Becky wade and pull the canoe upstream and even portage through a waterfall, were very evocative of Bill. The film's real message is how to paddle properly and Becky's hints and techniques will help you accomplish that - but not in one lesson or viewing - and students will this film easy to watch again and again.

I think it is one of her great strengths to use her father's association in a very passive way. She has no need to go in her own completely new direction, she adds to what is already there is an unassuming way.

While instructional, the film has a camping interlude and carries a subtle and effective environmental message. It's a most pleasant learning experience that effectively puts us all where we most want to be.-our paddling.

Expedition Canoeing
By Cliff Jacobson
Globe Pequot Press, Guilford, CT
306 pp, US$21.95
ISBN: 0-7627-0837-9

If there was any one book that ushered the Hide-Away Canoe Club into the world of paddling northern Canadian Rivers it was the precursor of this one. Its title, Canoeing Wild Rivers, was I still believe a better and more precise moniker. For paddling the big rivers is what real north expedition paddling is about.

We used that book extensively in preparing for our greatest trip (so far), Journey Across the Barrenlands aka The Morse River Expedition. The new title is the work of the "marketing" folks and while not a bad one, I don't think a change was needed.

As far as canoe writers go, there's no one like Cliff Jacobson, bubbling with canoe-camping ideas and overflowing with enthusiasm. For this updated edition of his 1983 classic Cliff rewrote and added several sections to the book. He admits he never thought he would have to update his last book that thought was complete in every detail. But continued development of new materials, techniques and technologies like GPS meant a lot of things had to be examined again.

I really like the focus of the book, which is on the big rivers, it is written with them in mind. Cliff offers literally hundreds of unique travelling ideas; on canoe covers, cooking and ways to use what you already have. And he gives his opinion! For example on campstoves - which are absolutely vital to Barrenland travel - he is not too happy with the Coleman Peak-1 and loves the old Optimus 111B. We feel just the opposite, that the 111B is a fuel hog and our Coleman's have performed perfectly through years of other stove trials. Is Cliff wrong? Who knows? But I am really glad to hear his opinion and reasons (even if I don't agree).

This book holds a lot more than Cliff's views - which is perhaps its strongest point. Cliff knows a lot of northern paddlers, including myself, and there are a lot of suggestions drawn from a variety of great paddlers inside this book. I am honoured to be included and it makes me think how far our group has come since we clung to our copy of Canoeing Wild Rivers and read all about those amazing northern destinations and paddlers.

Expedition Canoeing covers the complete outfitting of a northern canoe trip with a huge pile of camp tips plus info on bears, navigating and portaging. Little things which can become much bigger in that harsh northern environment. The chapter titled The Expert's Edge offers real-world tips and opinions from a wide variety of seasoned northern paddlers some of whom later recount memorable trips.

There are also several very complete and large Appendices that list contacts and addresses from numerous publications, products and paraphernalia from across the continent. All in all a great job and a very worthy successor to Canoeing Wild Rivers - which I will still probably call it.

Quetico Provincial Park: An Illustrated History
By Shirley Peruniak
Friends of Quetico Park 2001
270pp $34.95
ISBN: 1-895269-06-7

One of Quetico's very special individuals has produced an exciting new book highlighting the people of Quetico Park. Local historian and park expert Shirley Peruniak has spent countless hours interviewing and cataloguing the human history of the area and it has resulted in the publishing of Quetico Park - An Illustrated History.

Published by the Friends of Quetico Park, Shirley's book tell the perhaps surprising story that it is people who make up so much of the story of a wilderness park. People like late park naturalist Shan Walshe, to whom the book is dedicated, and the many other rangers, trappers and park superintendents whose stories are well pieced together by Shirley's patient and careful hand

The book is loaded with a wealth of historic and personal photos spanning the last century. Shirley's decades of dedicated work have produced a Quetico Park history like no other; highlighting the many unknown and hardworking people who make it a wilderness worth preserving.

Through Shirley's connections, a great many personal photos and snapshots are included in the book. These offer a truly human look at those who made Quetico part of their everyday life for decades, many of whom even lived in the Park, including the Lac La Croix First Nation.

The book also follows the many debates and turbulent times that Quetico Park has had. This includes acrimonious boundary and logging debates which continue to this day. One incredible plan, spawned in the 20's by U.S. tycoon Edward W. Backus that threatened to raise lake level in the region by 20 feet and up in an attempt to harness the hydro resources of the area.