Canoeing in Swift Water 



found it most awkward to steer with a pole, and con- 

 sequently the bow of the canoe ran up on a flat rock. 

 The swift water still carried my stern downstream, and 

 although I was now kneeling, the current and rock 

 between them did the trick neatly. Again the canoe and 

 I (both half full of water) wound up at the foot of the 

 falls in the eddy. 



After pulling the canoe ashore and dumping the water 

 out, I remembered that I had neglected to do two 

 important things: 



First: when a guide wished to throw his canoe's head 

 to the right while going upstream, he simply shoved his 

 stern to the left. The current would then catch the 

 bow and throw it to the right or vice versa, depending 

 upon conditions. 



The second thing was that I remembered the guides 

 were particularly careful to load the canoes bow-heavy 

 in going downstream. With the bow of the canoe 

 drawing more water than the stern, the swift, deep 

 currents keep a firm grip on this part of the canoe, and 

 your bow will naturally follow the deep, swift channels. 

 Very little steering will keep the stern out of trouble. 



Incidentally, it is much safer to run a rapid or fall with 

 a pole than with the paddles, providing the stream is 

 not too deep for a pole to reach bottom. When you get 

 going too fast, you can drag your pole along the bottom 

 and get the headway off the canoe, and keep her under 

 such control that you can push into a little bay or eddy 

 to readjust your load, or get a look at the water below 

 you. 



To get back to Little Kempton Falls: I tried the 

 lower run once more, and this time experimented a bit. 

 I headed her a shade too much to the right with the 

 intention of shoving the stern to the right and so getting 

 the canoe's head back to her proper course, square against 



H7 



