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For those interested in some historical gear, there are some very rare pieces linked to the Chestnut Canoe company currently up for auction here in Toronto. Waddington Auctions has three vintage canoe paddles carved by Maliseet (Wolastoqiyik) artisans dated to the late 1890s. The paddles...

The Northern Lakes Chapter of the WCHA will have a booth at the upcoming Rideau Paddlefest, taking place in Smith's Falls, Ontario on Saturday, June 15th. We'll be showcasing some vintage wooden canoes, a dozen historic paddle designs and conducting a paddle carving demonstration The festival is...

Bit last minute, but there is a online ZOOM seminar tonight (Jan 17) at 7pm Eastern Time hosted by the Northern Lakes (Canada) Chapter of the WCHA. After a brief 10 minute discussion of our chapter business, we will be joined by special guest Mike Elliot, author of This Old Canoe. Mike will...

Just realized that the following Chestnut Catalogue (circa 1971) features photos from Canoe Lake in Algonquin Park. The cover shows the "Portage Store" building in the background. This was (and still is) the starting point for many trippers heading into the park interior. Here is a B&W shot...

For those folks who might be in the area, the Northern Lakes (Canada) chapter of the WCHA is participating in a canoe-themed event taking place on Saturday May 20th in Orillia, Ontario. The event is being held at the Leacock National Historic Site to celebrate the launch of a new exhibit in the...

I'm trying to research and document the subtle changes of the Chestnut Canoe Co decal/logo that occurred over the years to create a timeline. Hoping folks would be willing to upload and share closeup images of the the decals on their Chestnut canoes along with any details like the approximate...

For any members in the Greater Toronto / Southern Ontario area... The Northern Lakes (Canada) Chapter of the Wooden Canoe Heritage Association has organized a group tour of the canoe-related artefacts in the collection of the Royal Ontario Museum. Due to staffing constraints we are limited to...

Came across a neat silent film (1927) called "Moose Country". Showcases some really great tripping shots and exciting whitewater. The paddlers certainly knew how to handle cedar canvas hulls and put them to work. It's hosted on Archive.org and can't seem to embed the video here so the link is...

There's a short segment on wood canvas canoes in the following video. It showcases a young canoe builder / restorer working out of Dwight, Ontario, Brian Cook of Cook Craft Canoe Co. Some neat shots of his shop and work in progress

A neat canoe race takes place every September with the Start / Finish line on the adjacent property to our cottage. It's called the Muskoka River X race. Mutiple races take place over the weekend, but the big one is a 24 hr - 133km race connecting 4 of the major lakes & towns in the area. Here...

Hoping some of the wood canoe experts on the forum can chime in about a new acquisition. I think it might be a possible pre-fire Chestnut built before the Dec 1921 fire destroyed the factory and all the building forms. Apologies for the quality of the photos which were taken during a freak snow...

Have't headed out on an over-nighter this season, but did experience a different sort of multi-day trip this summer. The previous two summers saw a record number of Canadian tourists visiting our lake area. This was understandable given all the international travel limitations during the peak...

The local Canadian chapter of the Wooden Canoe Heritage Association is collaborating with the Muskoka Discovery & Steamship Centre to provide programming for National Canoe Day here in Canada. The event will run from 10am - 4pm with plenty of displays, programming and demonstrations. If weather...

Haven't had many paddling opportunities while being stuck in the city during Covid. Took advantage of the Canadian Thanksgiving holiday to get in an early day trip to the Toronto Islands. Not an epic backwoods trip by any means but still rewarding. Got on the water about 1/2 hour after sunrise...

Been wondering about the graphic designs of portage / carry signs used in different parts of canoe country. Most of what I've personally seen are the yellow plastic markers with this common symbol: A seller online is selling handmade replicas of an old sign from Algonquin Park. Thought it...

Picked up a new boat that seems a perfect candidate for a restoration. Seller was a lovely senior (in her 70s) just north of Peterborough, Ontario. She was the neighbour and caretaker of the original sole owner, who passed away this year at 93. A few years ago she was given the canoe by him and...

Came across a dated video on youtube featuring some Innu youth from Quebec descending the Moisie river. They are tripping in traditional wood canvas boats. Some nice footage with an Innu language folksong playing in the background...

In an effort to meet local members of the Wooden Canoe Heritage Association, I offered to lead a group paddle to Toronto Islands for the Northern Lakes Chapter. It was scheduled for Tuesday, August 27th and posted in the Events section of the forums. After weeks of beautiful weather, that day...

Got the chance to check out the canoe-themed festival held in Temagami, Ontario. Last year the festival was cancelled due to the major forest fires in the area. One of the neat features was a small brigade of voyageur canoes which made their way to shore and set up camp... Got to meet...

If anyone is interested, an informal day paddle event is planned in Toronto for Tuesday, August 27th with the Wooden Canoe Heritage Association (Northern Lakes Chapter). The idea is to spend a few hours exploring the shoreline and sheltered canals of the Toronto Islands. All paddlers welcome...