Book Description
This classic guide to paddling the waters of southern New England has been completely revised and expanded with seven new trips. Ken Weber's guide, in print for more than 20 years, has now been completely revised and expanded. Chapters include day trips on flatwater, selected whitewater runs, and suggestions for overnight trips—with 30 trips in all, there's something here for every level of paddler. Each chapter includes information on put-ins and take-outs, distance, water conditions, dams and rapids, portages, what time of year to paddle, and what you'll see along the way. A detailed map and a handy mileage chart for each river make planning easy.

New trips in this edition include:
• In Massachusetts: the Housatonic, Westfield, Deerfield, Blackstone, Taunton, and Nemasket Rivers
• In Rhode Island: the Pawtuxet River
• In Connecticut: the Upper Quinebaug and Pachaug Rivers

The first edition of this book was titled Canoeing Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. 30 trips in all, 7 new for this edition. All new maps and photographs. Suitable for both canoes and kayaks. 30 black & white photographs, 35 maps. ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description

The canoe was essential to the early exploration of North America. Today, it is a vital link to the natural environment and vast wilderness, still widely used for recreation, transportation and sport.

The Canoe is the definitive history of the construction and use of the canoe, kayak, dugout and umiak in North America. The book covers the canoe's origins among Native peoples, its quick adoption by European settlers, its development from a working vessel to a recreational craft.

Rare archival images, maps, artwork and stunning photographs of vintage canoes are included. Produced with the support and collaboration of scholars and museums throughout the world, The Canoe also features:

• High-tech sport canoes and kayaks used in contemporary Olympic Games
• 400 beautiful images of canoe craftsmanship
• Step-by-step photos and explanations for building a traditional bark canoe
• Profile of the famous model-builder, Tappan Adney
• Detailed maps, glossary, source list and index.

Book Description

"As you finish the final chapters, a languor sets in, not unlike the feeling after a day of paddling and an evening of storytelling around the campfire."
- Explore magazine (review of previous edition)

Explore 37 of the best paddling routes found from the Atlantic to Pacific to Arctic. Some of Canada's finest canoeists relate first-hand accounts of their favorite canoe trips - lake and river, freshwater and saltwater, wild and urban, peaceful and harrowing. This unprecedented collection also features 24 profiles of such paddling luminaries as James Raffan, the legendary Mason family, Gary and Joanie McGuffin, Kevin Callan, Hap Wilson, Kirk Wipper, and others. In addition, three noted conservationists outline plans for protecting North America's wild waterways.

Book Description

Customer Reviews (2)

Good intro book
In the 26 pages (between Foreword and Glossary) there is an awful lot of good explanation on canoe basics, complemented with many and clear drawings. As a novice in canoeing, I learned a lot more than one could expect from such a thin book. Some techniques like re-entering-the-canoe-in-deep-water and boat-over-boat rescue technique seem better explained here than they are in some thicker books. (I write "seem" as I haven't tried yet at the time of writing this :-) ).
It should be noted that this is -as the title says- a basic introduction book; the book has all the information you need to get started. It will enable you to row and control a lot better than the average newbee in a rental canoe, but that is about how far it goes.

Good first manual for novice recreational paddlers
The American Canoe Association's Introduction to Paddling, canoeing basics for lakes and rivers, is a short and clear introduction to canoeing.It describes the canoe and related equipment, how to use same, and severalcautionary thoughts.

The strokes described are few and clear, and rivermaneuvers and safety considerations are clearly laid out.

A fineintroductory handbook for any novice canoeist, and probably all that isneeded for thye casual paddler ... Read more

Book Description
With two slender sixty-pound kayaks, a ten-pound medical kit, twenty pounds of books, triple-digit temperatures, and no contact with the outside world, Jonathan and Deborah Waterman spent two months paddling through the violent tides and storms that define the mythically charged Sea of Cortes. Amid the lore and romantic past of the Baja they discovered that what began as a mutual exploration would soon become an unforgettable test of will.

Exhilarating and lyrical, filled with images of death, beauty, and adventure, this paradisiacal journey depicts the past and present of a legendary body of water -- and the struggle of a man and a woman to find each other. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Awesome
Those who criticize this book as too "whiny" might be the type of person that is turned off by books without a Disneyesque happy ending. This book does contain a lot of darkness and has a existentialist tone throughout. The final sentance (a lyric) is "Life is worth nothing." If you are not comfortable reading a book that delves into the darker realms of our existence then you might not like it. If however, you enjoy reading an author who is brilliant and able to bare their soul, you'll like this. The author is very knowledgeable about history, science, culture, etc... and I found his observations to be spot on. His politics are to the Left of course... How many environmentalists and anti-racists are Rightists? If you are demented enough to have voted for George Bush forget about this book.

Too much whining
Waterman spends most of the book whining. The three main threads of his complaint are the ecological devastation, how the native peoples were taken advantage of by the various colonizers, and how his one year old marriage seems to be on the rocks. When he talks about the stark beauty of the land, it is always in the same breath with how badly the place is getting ruined.
I read the book when I was in Baja California Sur in May, 2003. The place was beautiful, the weather was great and the people were extremely friendly. The book's doomsday predictions were very much out of whack with the reality.

Modern Jesuit
It's very well written and full of interesting information. but it's one of these misanthropic ecology tracts. Much of what he says is well justified but, considered as entertainment, it was so full of grouching about the adverse effects of everything on the environment that it ended up with too many sour notes.
I was struck by how close his moral attutudes were to those of the early missionaries he describes. He extols the virtues of mortifying the flesh, and relishes describing the hardships he has inflicted on himself. He keeps encountering residents who do not share his beliefs about how life should be lived. They commit such crimes as fishing and using toilet paper. They are not the original inhabitants of the country.

Love on the Rocks
I read the book after sailing the Sea of Cortez. It was a depressing book by a disenchanted romantic written during what appears to be the breakup of his marrage. The wife sounds great but he can't maintain her paddling pace and she does not share his penchant for whining.) If you are looking for a guide book to the Sea of Cortez, this book has little to offer. I meet some folks at Bay of Conception who were among the few who had received favorable remarks from the author. They were furious that he had totally distorted their comments. Save yourself the greif and try something else.

More about male angst than kayaking
This book is a depressing story of a failing marriage.The fact that the relationship unravels during a kayak trip in Baja does not in any way make this a good read for kayakers interested in paddling Baja.If, on the other hand, you'd like to experience that miserable feeling of a relationship going down the tubes, this is your book!Enjoy. ... Read more

Book Description

In the spring of 1940, subscribers to Queen's Quarterly read that the 'ingredients of a holiday in Canada are idleness, water, and a canoe.'This statement bears witness to the enduring importance of the canoe generations after the decline of the North American fur trade.Jamie Benidickson explains that the canoe's merit lies not strictly in its function as a transportation vehicle, but in its promise of unrestricted mobility, leisure, and independence.Idleness, Water, and a Canoe is a study of the place of the canoe in Canadian life, with comparative references to the United States and Britain.A blend of history, economic analysis, technical information, and social commentary, it examines the rise of the canoe's popularity and its influence on leisure activity, economics and tourism, and literature and advertising in this country.

Drawing on books, newspaper articles, original records, unusual ephemera, and interviews with paddlers, the author describes the evolution and cultural significance of two centuries of recreational paddling.He explores why canoeists have constantly sought new summer waterways, how they have practised their craft, and how much influence paddling for pleasure has had on them and on the societies in which they live.The many facets of recreational paddling are illustrated and described in a series of reflections on subjects ranging from the paddler's quest for physical and emotional renewal to what the future holds for voyageurs and their sport. Benidickson also discusses the evolution of canoe design and manufacturing, the formation of canoe clubs and organizations, the economics of recreational travel, and the paddler's role in environmental protection.

Not only will this book appeal to those interested in history, sociology, aesthetics, geography, and sports and leisure studies, but its broad scope and accessible style will recommend it to the many outdoor enthusiasts who plan yearly canoeing trips. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Enjoying canoeing in your arm chair
I enjoyed this book with a wide ranging and detailed account of recreational canoeing mainly in Canada. With over thirty years canoeing experience in various disciplines mainly in the United Kingdom (latterly open canoeing in wilderness areas including a week near Temagami) I appreciated in particular the attempts to describe the special benefits and effects of paddling in remote areas and how some experienced a closeness to God. There was much that was new to me in nearly all areas as the author has brought together the results of extensive research from written and verbal sources. Some aspects such as the Canadian summer boy, the use of the canoe as a popular image and extensive wilderness areas are particular to Canada which has a much greater historic canoe heritage compared to the UK. The author demonstrates that there are many reasons why people are attracted to canoeing. These include a love of landscape, about being closer to god, about doing what our ancestors did , about getting away from it all(whatever it may be) and about finding and healing ourselves which are elaborated on. The book is not a manual nor a guidebook. The author also states, reminiscing about past journeys and anticipating a planned expedition are absorbing off season preoccupations and his book can remind one of their past experiences and contribute to an understanding of what might be expected on a future trip. Though there is attention to detail I found the book an enjoyable and absorbing read. ... Read more

Book Description

This sublime large-format book jumpstarts my escapist heart and makes me long for wide water, pine needles, woodsmoke and gritty coffee. It features paintings, sketches, photographs, contemporary and historic essays, anecdotes, journal entries, book excerpts, interviews, and much more on the topic of canoe-tripping. It's the stuff a canoeist's dreams are made of. Stories from the Bow Seat contains written accounts and visual impressions of canoe trips of the past 400 years or so. Some accounts are beautifully worded wisdoms on the essence of canoe travel, others are grippingly descriptive, and still others are pure waggery. They are told by trippers from different eras and of varying ages, interests and levels of ability. In spite of the differing purposes, historical periods and approaches behind them, the selections taken together reflect the universal experiences of all who travel by canoe. So put down your paddle and stretch a while. Take a deep breath of smoke-scented calm, wrap your hands around a steaming mug, and get ready to add your own stories.

Customer Reviews (2)

This is IT !
From the evokative, shimmeringly beautiful images captured by DonStanfield to the prose scultped by Liz Lundell this book is a treaure.Theplaces are displayed as our memory would hope, and persons portrayed inthis masterful tribute to wildernessare the perople who know it and knowhow to enjoy it.

Look at the faces of 16 year old girls on Stanfield's image :"Voyageurs nouvelles return home on the last day of a 50-daytrip" and the magic of the north is incarnate. Spot on.

As a gift orwhen you need a lift away from urban blight: This is IT!

The Fountain of Youth
Stories from the Bow Seat is a feast for the senses that brings to life the wonder, the splendor, and the down and dirty reality of the North and canoe travel.The photographs immerse you in the mud, bugs, joy, anddivine beauty of Canada.They transport you back to your own adventuresand to the adventures of voyageurs long ago.I have shared this book withfriends and they have all experienced the same yearning to return to theNorth and to rediscover their own wildness.If you haven't been luckyenough or daring enough to travel into the wilderness,this book will helpyou to understand those who speak so reverently and sometimes with suchobsession about their canoe experiences.This is a truly beautiful book. ... Read more

Book Description
A Comprehensive Paddling Guide to Flat-Water Ponds, Lakes, Streams and Rivers in Western New York

Slide the bow of your canoe or kayak across the shore of a grass-lined pond or the gravel shore of a stream. Dip your paddle into the cool, still water and glide downstream to enjoy the solitude and explore hidden pools and alcoves. Perhaps search for pitcher plants in a sphagnum moss bog, watch fish dart below your boat or spot a deer standing in the creek around the next bend. The discoveries are almost endless from water level.

Take a Paddle - Western New York Quiet Water for Canoes & Kayaks is a map-filled guide for beginning and intermediate paddlers. And for anyone who enjoys the pleasures of a flat-water paddle. It will lead you to 20 ponds and small lakes and over 250 miles of streams and rivers.

Head out for a fun adventure knowing:
-where multiple launch and take-out sites are located
-the difficulty level of each waterway
-where to view current water conditions on the Internet
-the approximate time it will take to paddle
-amenities and fun diversions found nearby for yourself and your children
-where to camp next to or near the waterway
-when is the best season to paddle each waterway
-where to rent canoes or kayaks
-where to find commercial shuttle services ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Outstanding work
My wife and I bought this book and our canoe in the same week.
Coincidence? I don't think so. This book overs families a great chance to get outside and share time together.
The rating system is outstanding and the directions are great.
This is the type of book that screams out for a second volumn I would gladly volunteer to be a guest contributor should the authors ever decide to do a second volumn.

Covers more than 250 miles of flat-water creeks and rivers
Take A Paddle: Western New York Quiet Water For Canoes & Kayaks is a comprehensive, superbly presented, specialized guide for canoe and kayaking enthusiasts. Detailing multiple launch and take-out sites; identifying waterway difficulty levels; providing approximate times to paddle from one point to another; noting amenities and fun diversions suitable for families with children; showing where to camp; what the best season for paddling each waterway; even where to rent canoes or kayaks or find commercial shuttle services, Take A Paddle: Western new York Quite Water For Canoes Kayaks covers more than 250 miles of flat-water creeks and rivers, as well as 20 ponds and lakes. Included are Livingston, Monroe, Steuben, Allegany, Cattaraugus, Erie, Chautauqua, Genesee, Orleans, and Niagara counties. ... Read more

Book Description

This sequel to our popular Canada's Best Canoe Routes offers 31 more prime paddling trips, encompassing British Columbia to Newfoundland and Labrador, and north to the Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut. All described by Canada's foremost paddlers, this canoeing and kayaking compendium has it all: freshwater, saltwater, flatwater and whitewater paddling, weekend trips and epic adventures. It also features profiles of 20 noteworthy paddlers, takes the reader on a tour of the Canadian Canoe Museum, and offers up a plethora of paddling maxims by canoe guru James Raffan, author of Summer North of Sixty, Fire in the Bones, Bark, Skin and Cedar, and Wild Waters: Canoeing North America's Wilderness Rivers.

Customer Reviews (1)

There is no reason for a paddler to buy this book
This book contains brief, uninteresting accounts of people's canoe trips, including information such as "There were lots of bugs" or "We saw a bear," rather than anything substantial about a trip a paddler may be considering.There is a small scale map of Canada roughly indicating where these people went, and giving no more detail than showing, for instance, that the Nanook River is somewhere in northern Canada; the map of the world hanging on my wall better shows Canada's canoe routes.To fill up some space the editor also added a section profiling some paddlers, including Prime Minister Trudeau.

There is no reason to buy this book.Paddlers probably want maps, carry descriptions, rapid descriptions, information about permits, tips for transportation before and after their trip, and perhaps a list of local outfitters or guides.They will not find that here. ... Read more

Product Description
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Customer Reviews (1)

For Canoeing only.
Bought this book with the misplaced enthusiam of the thought of learning some neat techniques on Kayaking, How to turn over from 180 degrees, Ridethe ocean surf.. none of these were in this book, only canoe techniqueswhich for the most part im familiar. Am returning the book, maybe I didntread the description enough. Oh well ... Read more

Book Description
Canoe Poling is a challenge which paddlers can enjoy as an alternative to traditional canoe propulsion.Discover a dynamic way of using a pole to explore waterways inaccessible due to limited upstream river access.An important skill for wilderness canoe campers as well as river guides conduction river rescues.Canoe Poling provides total independence for the recreational canoeist by removing the need for car shuttles and additional people to coordinate river use.Poling is an excellent way to extend the canoeing season during low water conditions when the paddle becomes useless. Race your canoe in poling events around the country.Travel upstream and downstream employing expert techniques. ... Read more

Book Description
Burgundy-red water, alligators and egrets - all these and more are visions of canoeing adventures described in the first volume of A Canoeing and Kayaking Guide to the Streams of Florida. Almost 1,000 miles of waterways are described, covering over thirty rivers and streams. Each river and stream section includes photographs and maps, access points, difficulty ratings and scenery descriptions of the native animals and plants that the paddler can expect to see. Suitable and scenic campsites along the streambed are noted.This guide is the only book you'll need to appreciate the beautiful and often wild scenery that will unfold before your eyes. The adventurous, the curious, the naturalist, the family boater and the casual tourist will find all the information needed to have a successful and enjoyable trip. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

An excellent reference for canoeing North Florida
This book is a guide to virtually every good paddling stream or river in the northern half of Florida, from the panhandle to the east coast and down as far as the Ocala National Forest and Orlando area.It leaves off a few rivers along the Northern Atlantic Coast but these are covered in the companion book.

For each river, there is a general description, typically with a B&W photo or two.Then, each covered section of the river is addressed individually, with difficulty ratings, access points, river mileage, and a description of the river section with interesting details or features, such as major shoals or safety hazards.Maps are included covering each section, typically based on the state canoe trail maps.

For readers familiar with the other Menasha Ridge canoe guides, this one will look a little different.There is less technical data such as river gradient, rainfall, etc., because Florida rivers aren't whitewater and don't really need it.However, the descriptions of the river sections are usually much more detailed than other books in the Menasha series.

The book also has a general introduction to paddling in Florida, including discussion of issues visitors to the state might not have thought of.For example, some basic alligator safety points are included, as well tips on insects, sun exposure, and riparian rights.

When my wife and I first started canoeing in Florida, we bought this book.Turns out it was the most essential piece of canoeing equipment we ever bought.We have used it literally hundreds of times in the thousands of miles we have paddled.

The four stars instead of five is the result of the book being somewhat dated. Menasha very recently released a long-awaited update (ISBN 0897325885) which combines this work and the original companion book on Southern Florida paddling.While I haven't seen the new edition, interested parties should consider it also.

... Read more

Book Description
The best available paddling guide to flatwater rivers in northwest Oregon now includes lake routes and much more. This completely updated new edition has been expanded to include 20 new routes for a total of 70 outings on northwest Oregon and southwest Washington rivers and lakes for canoe and sea kayak enthusiasts. All the details for each outing are offered, from where to launch to trip distance to points of interest to best season to go. It covers trips on the Willamette River on its tributaries, Oregon coastal rivers, the Columbia Gorge and the lower Columbia River, the Oregon Cascades, and southwest Washington. In his introduction, experienced paddler Phil Jones gives tips on equipment, clothing, safety, paddling basics, shuttling cars, tides, and ethics.

Well-organized, succinct, and accurate, Canoe and Kayak Routes of Northwest Oregon opens up miles of scenic paddling for the beginner and challenges the advanced boater to stretch skills and equipment on enticing big water routes--find a favorite route and paddle! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A practical book that you'll enjoy if you own a kayak or canoe
I live near the Columbia River, and when I bought my new Equinox Kayak (from Eddyline) I went looking for a really good book that would describe trips in Oregon that I might enjoy.Philip's book was just the ticket.It describes dozens and dozens of waterways that can be used for something as short as a day trip to something as long as a week or more.He describes trips on lakes, rivers and bays, with most trips being most appropriate for a sea kayak, though there are plenty of descriptions of trips appropriate for canoes and shorter river kayaks, too.

Jones describes the salient issues associated with each trip, such as where to put in, take out, and hazards/points of interest along the way.He has lots of maps, though not particularly detailed (he has information about where to get detailed maps).

Generally speaking I've found the rout descriptions accurate and detailed enough to make it work.If you enjoy kayaking or canoeing in northwest Oregon, this book really belongs on your bookshelf.
... Read more