With Gun ^ Rod in Canada 



Islands into Green Bay, and as the sea was calm, anchored 

 just off Crescent Beach with the intention of getting 

 ashore in an eighteen-foot canoe. 



The Daphne carried two dinghies, but as they hung 

 on davits and were covered and blocked up, it was quite 

 a job to put them overside. After landing all but one 

 lady at a fish wharf in a little cove, I suggested to her 

 that we land directly on the beach and so avoid quite a 

 walk around. She was game, and we paddled into the 

 surf. We caught a wave just right, and it shot us toward 

 the beach in grand style. It was like riding a surf-board. 

 We were going about fifteen miles an hour, and it was 

 most exhilarating, when suddenly the canoe began to 

 shoot towards the right. I tried desperately to paddle 

 her around. The bow pointed down, dug into the 

 sand, and over we went — lady, dignity, and all ! 



The wave receded and left us sitting on the beach, 

 high and wet. The crowd laughed — the lady didn't. 

 Besides spoiling the lady's clothes, disposition, and 

 day, I incidentally ruined my watch and social stand- 

 ing with the lady. It was deplorable but instructive. 

 The wave that did the trick was not over two feet 

 high. 



The whole trouble was that I should have had the 

 canoe loaded heavier in the bow than in the stern. I 

 spent the next two hours practising with and without a 

 passenger. When properly trimmed with the light 

 stern toward the sea, it was the easiest thing in the 

 world to keep her straight and make a safe landing. 

 Also it was great sport to ride the crests, surf-board 

 fashion. I explained all this to the lady, but she 

 scorned, scouted, and flouted the idea — as well as the 

 perpetrator. 



The photos showing the canoe in a small surf illustrate 

 the principles involved. When going out have the bow 



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