Inspired to paddle a canoe? Or just enjoy paddling videos?

After reading the upcoming tales from the LCC Grand Tour of the Gorges of France, you may be interested in some great online instructional canoeing videos that also show all paddlers how to read the river to identify the route to go and the problems to avoid.

Please note, these videos were made in the 1970s, and whilst the skills and instructions are as relevant today as the time that they were made, there wasn’t the focus on Health and Safety that we have today. So you would probably be wearing a far better buoyancy aid / PFD, and a helmet rather than a felt hat.

Remembering that these were made in the 1970s, so marvel at:

1. How ahead of their time these videos were
2. The fashion/lack of quality safety equipment
3. The 1970s music of choice
4. This was before the time of GoPro’s, so they were filmed with full-size cameras in the boats!
5. That this was cutting-edge graphics

Enjoy the videos (Copy and paste the links into your browser)!

1. Solo Flatwater https://www.nfb.ca/film/path_of_the_paddle_solo_basic/
2. Solo Whitewater https://www.nfb.ca/film/path_of_the_paddle_solo_whitewater/
3. Tandem Flatwater https://www.nfb.ca/film/path_of_the_paddle_doubles_basic/
4. Tandem Whitewater https://www.nfb.ca/film/path_of_the_paddle_doubles_whitewater/
   
   Mike Alter