Canoe Paddle Map

[JClearwater]

In the December 2016 issue of Wooden Canoe is an article I wrote about a canoe paddle that Jean & I bought at a local antique shop. Painted on the blade is a map of a canoe route which we presume to be located in Canada somewhere. You will need to read the article to get the whole story but in it I promised to post photos here on the website that would be easier to see. We are hoping that some sharp eyed member will be able to identify where the canoe route is. Unfortunately, not a single lake was named, no road names, towns etc. that would help find the location. So while our canoes repose on their racks for the winter get out your maps and have a go at finding the location. A cold lager at next years assembly for the person who figures it out.

Have fun!

Jim C.

 

[Dan Lindberg]

Jim,

Just read your article in the WC about this.

Seems like the 1st step would be to transcribe the map off the paddle to paper/elec media so folks could then be able to compare it to features on other "maps".

Dan

 

[Cliff Ober]

Jim,

Seems like the 1st step would be to transcribe the map off the paddle to paper/elec media so folks could then be able to compare it to features on other "maps".

Dan

This might make it bit easier...




Cliff

 

[Rob Stevens]

Interesting mystery. What's on the other side of the paddle?

I don't recognize the location as being in Algonquin Park or Temagami (both Ontario, Canada).

A few years back, I lent some of my hand-carved paddles to friends of friends going on a canoe trip. I received them back in good shape, with a thank you note from Matt including this drawing showing the route followed. I knew where they were going (Algonquin Park), but also easy to recognize from multiple trips in the area.
Well, and the list of lakes that appears very faintly at centre bottom right; Canoe, Joe, Burnt Island, Little Otter Slide, Otter Slide, Happy Isle, Marchant, Big Trout.

 

[Rob Stevens]

Just looking over some route planning maps, don't think it is Kilarney, definitely not French River.

 

[JClearwater]

Thanks guys for your thoughts and thanks Cliff for knitting together the pictures - I should have done that myself. Unfortunately the antique shop owner who we got the paddle from had purchased it at an estate sale and the family had no history to offer. I really have no grand hope of finding the location because we don't know how accurate it was drawn or if it was lengthened or compressed to fit the space available on the blade. There are so many lakes and canoe routes to choose from we may never figure it out. Like they always say, "If it could only talk... "

Jim

 

[Rob Stevens]

Magnetawan River circuit?

https://www.ontarioparks.com/park/magnetawanriver/maps

 

[Craig Johnson]

My Own Paddle Map

This post and the accompanying article inspired me to make a commemorative paddle for the trip I took to Quetico this past August.It was lucky that the narrow loop that we did fit so nicely on the blade without having to change the scale. Accurate enough to navigate with. Thanks for the idea.

 

[Rob Stevens]

Love that idea, Craig!

 

[JClearwater]

Nice! Looks real good. I love the photo of the paddle overlaid on the map. Great idea.

 

[Murat V]

JC: I just posted some photos of your paddle on my site as well as the CanoeTripping.net forums so hopefully a few more people will chime in about the possible route. Haven't received my copy of Wooden Canoe in the mail yet so don't have the back story. When you mentioned it was picked up a local antique shop, where was that? Many folks on the East Coast often trip in Quebec given the proximity. The lakes there tend to have French or complex names in the local native language. Perhaps that is why they were left off the original decoration. I could post over on the Canadian Canoe Routes forums too to see if anyone recognizes the route. Will be a fun mystery to solve.

Craig: What a beauty of a paddle! You must have a real steady hand to paint the lakes with such precision. The lake water color looks marvelous.