| Revival of canoe poling Prince Rupert | |||||||||
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| Peter Loy demonstrates modern day poling on the Skeena | |||||||||
| by Peter Loy It's a hot day. My friend Doug and I canoe up Widgeon Creek in southwest BC, each paddling a red Chestnut cedar/canvas canoe. We wind our way up the gently flowing and crystal clear creek, scooping handfuls of water to drip over our heads, cooling us in the hot sun. A channel off to the right catches our interest; with no set agenda for the day, we veer off into the smaller creek. Paddling on, we notice the water is getting more shallow and flowing swiftly beneath our canvas hulls. We soon realize that conventional paddling will not allow for further passage. Typically, we would either head back, or hop out and wade, pulling the canoes behind. The effort of portaging through the extremely dense bush doesn't interest us; the tiny creek will only continue to get smaller, and will eventually be impassable. However, enticed by the unknown around the next bend, we exchange out finely crafted ottertail paddles for the spare, stronger paddles of laminated wood with fibreglass-reinforced tips. We push off the creek bottom to make headway. Instinctively, I stand up to gain more leverage, using my whole body to push off from the paddle - a stronger position. Doug follows suit, and we continue for another hour. A brand new chapter in my canoeing experience has begun. I have accidentally 'discovered' the technique of canoe poling, albeit using a paddle rather than a pole. History The canoes of First nations people = from the exquisitely crafted birchbark canoes of the interior First People to the impressive coastal ocean going cedar dugout canoes - evolved, in part, out of their territories' geographic provisions and its demands. Thus, each design and construction technique was unique to its locale. The Skeena River and its tributaries were commonly traveled by First Nations people to access hunting and trapping grounds, and as a highway for trade and commerce. The Hudson Bay Company relied on Tsimshian crews to freight supplies by canoe from Fort Simpson to Hazelton, a trip of a week or more. These master mariners depended on their refined canoe skills of paddling, poling, snubbing, lining, tracking and sailing to successfully 'climb' the mighty river and return safely to the coast. Most people consider paddling or 'pulling' (a term used by some coastal people) as the only way to move a canoe along the water. However, other methods have been developed for more effective travel. Sailing has been used for travel on the ocean, large lakes and rivers. Poling and snubbing allow for passage up and down shallow, swift currents and rapids. Lining and tracking canoes with ropes may be required when currents become too fast for paddling, poling or snubbing. Historically, some river travel has required the use of poles 10 feet or longer, depending on the conditions of river and the type of canoe. Snubbing is the technique used to control the speed and direction of the canoe when going down shallow rapids. The tip of the pole is positioned ahead and downstream of the canoeist where it is 'snubbed' repeatedly off the river bottom, resulting in a braking effect. Those skilled in snubbing can bring the canoe to a complete halt in the middle of a rapid to change their course direction; they can sometimes even go in reverse, and then align the canoe with a safer channel in the river. Poling is used to propel the canoe upriver. The time tested hand-over stroke involves 'planting' the pole on the river bottom behind the poler and propelling the canoe forward by climbing the pole hand over hand. When the top is reached the pole is retrieved and the process repeated. This is one of the techniques that allows for river trip possibilities not otherwise available to the recreational canoeist. Today, most general purpose recreational canoes (15 to 18 feet) are suitable for poling, and they provide adequate stability for standing. Although traditionally poles were cut along the banks of the river and smoothed with an axe and a crooked knife, today's canoe polers usually travel with pre-made poles. The ideal pole is 11 or 12 feet of clear, knot-free spruce, about 1.5 inches in diameter, but aluminum or any wood with reasonable strength and flexibility will suffice. Because the pole is repeatedly pushed off the river bottom, one or both ends of the wood is protected with 'brooming'. One method is to secure a few inches of copper pipe over the end, with a large lag bolt screwed into a pre-drilled hole. Leaving one to two inches free, the end of the bolt is cut off, leaving a protruding spike that provides a secure purchase on gravely river bottoms. Poling advantages Canoe poling was an almost lost art until recently in western Canada. Today, more and more recreational paddlers compliment their existing canoe skills and experience with this rediscovered technique. It is the fastest and most efficient method of propelling a non-motorized vessel upriver. Poling a canoe can allow passage into wilderness areas that may be inaccessible by conventional canoeing, kayaking or motor boating. Long after paddlers are halted by swift, shallow currents, the skilled poler can continue moving upstream. The logging roads that are often used as put-ins for river trips don't exist along many of the tributaries of the lower Skeena River. Thus canoe poling has become a popular way for today's recreational canoeist to re-experience these ancient waterways. Polers have many choices of waterways to choose from in the lower Skeena watershed. In addition to the Skeena River itself, tributaries that provide outstanding poling include the Green (McNeil), Khyex, Kasiks, Exchamsiks, Gitnadoix, Exstew, and Zymacord Rivers, as well as a host of smaller side sloughs and creeks. In terms of the international river rating scale of 1 to 6 (1 being the easiest, 6 nearly impossible), these are generally Class 1 and 2 rivers. In many places, sheer cliffs rise almost directly from the banks thousands of feet skyward. Along these waterways, moose, bear (both black and grizzly), wolves, beavers, otters, eagles and hawks are but some of the magnificent wildlife to be encountered. Learning to pole These experiences are available to those who learn to canoe pole. The first lesson a new poler must learn is to discard the conditioning around 'the rule': Never Stand Up in a Canoe. Learning to pole begins with a variety of balance exercises - standing, walking, leaning, jumping and turning around in the canoe. In short, becoming familiar with the craft in ways not achieved before. The next step is to learn to propel the canoe using kayak strokes (a 12-foot pole yields a similar surface area as a regular kayak paddle.) Next comes the traditional hand-over stroke, mentioned earlier. With the contemporary windmill stroke the pole is flipped end over end with each stroke. Other strokes to be learned are the hand-over switch, draw, pry, quick jab, push strokes and of course snubbing for downriver travel. With these strokes, endless combinations of maneuvers are possible in calm water or challenging rapids. The practice It's an Easter long weekend, several years after my Widgeon Creek poling discovery. I find myself crossing the Skeena River with friends, heading to the valley of the Gitnadoix River. The goal of our four-day trip is to pole up the river to Alistair Lake. As we near the mouth of the Gitnadoix, I think of the First Peoples and their travels on this river. I recall stories told to me by Tsimshian elder Percy Green, who spent much of his youth in the Gitnadoix Valley with his grandfather. Typically, with two other men, they routinely poled up the swift river in a canoe more than 30 feet long, carved by Percy's grandfather. Profound knowledge of the land and skill on the river allowed them access to their abundant hunting and trapping grounds. Poling up the Gitnadoix demands skill, hard work and focus, with fast current and numerous rapids to navigate. Even with our indestructible ABS canoes and modern, lightweight camping equipment, it is a challenging river to ascend. We pole upriver, past sites where once stood the villages of Ginadoiks (People of Swift Water), Lax Psah (On Clay), and Lax Wilgeps (On High Place). The history and sheer ruggedness and beauty of the valley remind me of how fortunate I am to access such places. My accidental 'discovery' of the age-old art of canoe poling has inspired and expanded my wilderness river adventures. (Peter Loy, born and raised in Prince Rupert, has been paddling for 30 years. He is a certified lakewater and canoe poling instructor through the Recreational Canoe Assn. of BC, and enjoys connecting with fellow paddlers.) COURSES Canoe poling courses are offered in Prince Rupert and Smithers. They are taught by instructors certified through the Recreational Canoeing Assn. of BC. Fall courses: Sept. 28 & 29, Prince Rupert. Instructor Peter Loy. Tel: (250) 624-8448. Email: loypeter@hotmail.com Sept 28 & 29, Smithers. Instructor Roger McColm, Northern Sun Tours. Tel/fax: (250) 847-4349. Toll free: 1-888-847-4349. www.nothernsun.bc.ca (photos courtesy of the Museum of Northern BC - Skeena River, half way toward terrace, a good portrayal of poling with two polers standing in vessel.) | |||||||||
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