Favorite Paddling Article/Book/Film?

[Alden]

I once read something to the effect of: there are two joys in life -- doing the thing you love, and talking about why it is so great.

I think this is definitely true of paddling. There are so many great articles, books, flims, ect on paddling. Some are written by the people on the rivers, some are written by observers. I think paddling lends itself to great reading: it's exciting, it's testing, it's often dangerous. Makes great reading.

so what is your favorite paddling article, book, film, ect?


I'd have to say that one of the coolest paddling articles I've ever read is by a C-1er actually -- Leland Davis. He wrote an article called "Racing the Green Narrows" (you can find it on the AW site -- just go to "search") that is fantastic. It's about the first Green Narrows race. The way he describes bombing down the Green in high water (trying to decide if they should hold the race!) really describes why running rivers is so fun for me.

Another stand-out that I have in mind is that article about Corran's heroic rescue a few years back on Dry Meadow. It's in the latest AW. That's one of the coolest stories I've ever read. It's got everything: pro kayakers vs rec, guys running rapids they shouldn't, people risking their lives for, "new school" (corran) helping an "old school guy." one of those things you just cant put it down and the story stays with you.

interested to hear what people like,

later
Alden

[CosmikDebris]

not sure which issue, about some guy trying to drive his truck through a flood and getting stuck. It was pretty good. I also have to say, even though I swear I'm a C-boater, Kayak by William Nealy is pretty awesome. As far as film goes I think Deliverance was a great movie, and I really liked We Designed 'Em. I'd like to see some more of Clive's films. Take care,
Will

[Space Canoe]

I've been trying to find the books that I remember and have been unsuccessful so far; one is a famous book on the history of building birchbark canoes and the other is about a man who took a sea kayak clear down the Amazon. I think there was a documentary about the Amazon trip as well.
I really like Deliverance, but my favorite white water scene in the movies is in “Fitzcarraldo(sp?)” Where they run a 100 foot long steamboat over this immense drop in the Amazon basin. The shot is framed so tightly, you're led to believe that the boat and landscape are all models, but when you watch the documentary on the making of the film, it's all lifesize and there are people on the boat during the action. The movie's great, it's based on fact about a man who goes upriver to secure a contract to make rubber, and at one point PORTAGES THE STEAMBOAT over a mountain to another river in a different valley! But the documentary is even better; Klaus Kinski (being a fan of European B monster movies, I know this actor well), a certified Loony Toon, is the lead, and his craziness just sort of infects the entire operation because they set about portaging the Steamboat over the hill in the movie as well, rather than shooting around it. Just insane!