Idleness, Water and a Canoe - Reflections on Paddling for Pleasure (Hardcover)

In the Spring of 1940, the Subscribers to a Prominent read that the 'ingredients of a holiday in Canada are idleness, and a canoe.' This statement bears witness to the enduring importance of this traditional watercraft, generations after the decline of the North American fur trade. Jamie Benidickson explains that the continuing appeal of the canoe lies in its function as a transportation vehicle, and in its symbolic associations with 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, social commentary, technical information, and economic analysis, it examines the evolution of recreational paddling and the effect the canoe has had on leisure time, economics, and tourism, and literature and advertising.

The author describes the cultural significance of two centuries of recreational paddling using books, newspapers, original records, unusual ephemera, and interviews with paddlers. 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 various aspects of the place of recreational paddling are illustrated and described in a series of reflections which range from the paddler's quest for physical and emotional renewal to the possible future of the voyageur. 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.

Thebroad scope and accessible style of this book will appeal to the many outdoor enthusiasts who plan yearly canoeing trips, and will be of considerable interest to students of social history, sociology, geography, and sports and leisure studies.

Idleness, Water, and a Canoe explores the place of recreational paddling in the social, economic and cultural life of Canada with occasional forays into British and American experiences. Using archival material, ephemera, and interviews with contemporary paddlers, this book investigates why people continue to paddle for pleasure despite more modern, comfortable, and convenient forms of recreation.