Canoeing has been the preferred method of spring, summer, and fall travel in the northern forest for thousands of years. The waterways were the lifeblood of early native peoples. In Maine, winters were spent in the vast forests where they hunted and trapped. Soon after the ice went out they began their trip to the coast, where they would spend the summer harvesting food from the sea. In the fall, they would return to their forest hunting grounds, poling upriver with smoked and dried foods.

When the French arrived in the new world, they quickly adopted the ways of the natives and began a colorful period of history known as the fur trade. French Voyageurs would paddle thousands of miles a year, transporting fur from the outlying areas to Montreal, Quebec, and the coast for shipment to the markets of Europe. These Frenchmen sang colorful songs by which they measured their paddling cadence, and carried almost superhuman loads on the portage trail. During his job interview, the potential voyageur for the Hudson's Bay Company was asked if he could swim. If he answered yes, he didn't get the job. The company wanted their employees to be terrified of swamping the canoe in order to protect the valuable cargo of fur. If they felt they might not survive if the canoe swamped, they would surely be very cautious.

Our fleet of boats includes two handmade 20' wood/canvas White guide canoes and five 18' Prospector canoes, made of Royalex by Nova Craft Canoe in London, Ontario. The Prospectors were purhcased after a long search, finding them to be the truest to the traditional hull designs. Unlike most "modern" canoes, their design lends itself well to what we do, being responsive to the paddle and pole, and able to carry a heavy load without drawing a lot of water.

We use and teach the traditional methods of Maine Guide canoeing because they work as well now as they have for centuries. Our paddling style emphasizes the short stroke that was common amongst natives and voyageurs, allowing them to cover vast distances while expending little effort. Poling and snubbing (poling downstream), while rarely seen these days, are a major part of our river technique, and allow us the freedom to maneuver up and downstream through all types of water. It's a common sight to see your guides standing with pole in hand as they descend a rapid, and also to see them traveling back up it.

We run various classes of whitewater, depending on the skill and comfort level of participants. Unlike whitewater schools, our goal is in the safe passage of people and gear, not play boating in different sections of rapids. We emphasize the skills of reading the river, helping participants to learn to see where the channels and rocks lie. We reserve the right to decide which sections of whitewater will be run, and where we will instead portage or line.

[ back to top ]

	Jack Mountain Bushcraft School • Masardis, Maine • USA Contact Info & Locations • Site Map
	Copyright © Jack Mountain Bushcraft, LLC - All rights reserved.