Mike Conneen, River the Dog, Banana River Lagoon.
Ode to Paddle Craft- A Photo Essay
Thanks for reading this Ode to Paddle Craft. Once again, no fishing this week, or paddling, for that matter. But I am reading John McPhee’s “Survival of the Bark Canoe.” It inspired this ode to paddle craft.
My paddling career started on Maine’s Little Sebago Lake. A friend’s parents invited me to go with them to their cottage up there. They had a wood-and-canvas canoe. I liked it much better than the motor boat, in spite of, or because of, my young age? I may have been 12.
Putting this post together reminds me again of what an extraordinarily blessed individual I have been!
What follows are a couple dozen photos taken between 1976 and recently. They are captioned as well as memory allows.
Maxx on a trip down Maine’s Saco River. Three years old at the time, he just turned 33! Boat is an Old Town Tripper.
Mike Conneen and I await the pummeling this storm gave us while we were on a kayaking trip in Everglades National Park.
Your blogger paddling across Maine’s Third Machias Lake, 1978? Boat was an Old Town Tripper.
Alex paddled a kayak into the Banana River Lagoon to find this fish.
Mike Conneen and I were paddling on the Hillsborough River when he caught this one.
Maxx and I were in the backcountry of Everglades National Park in the Old Town Camper when he got this snook.
Mosquito Lagoon redfish. Boat was an Ocean Kayak Drifter.
Tim Deveau and Ward Thrasher tend the campfire at Cape Sable, Everglades National Park. We were on a nine-day canoe trip, early 1980s.
Nick Colantonio pulls in at dusk after a long day during the 2013 Indian River Lagoon Paddle Adventure, a nineteen-day paddle trip from New Smyrna Beach to Jupiter.
BC (before children) Susan naps in the Old Town Tripper while on a paddle trip in Everglades National Park.
Vic and Alex with a flyrod, seatrout double in the Banana River Lagoon. One canoe, one kayak used to get the three of us in there.
Mangrove tunnel, Everglades National Park, Ocean Kayak Drifter.
My buddy Ricky with a fat black drum on fly. Banana River Lagoon. My boat was a 17′ Dagger Reflection canoe.
Mike Conneen paddles down the Suwannee River.
Mike Conneen in Louisiana’s Barataria Marsh. The cabin boat is wrecked, courtesy of Hurricane Katrina.
Your blogger about to drop through Nantahala Falls, North Carolina. Boat is an Old Town Camper.
The manatee just wanted to say Hello. Chassahowitzka River, Ocean Kayak Drifter.
Me, Mike Conneen, and River the Dog watch the sun set while on a kayak trip in Everglades National Park.
Mike Conneen, St. George Sound.
Rodney Smith, Banana River Lagoon.
Mile Conneen, Peace River.
Barbie and Tammy go fishing, I think on the Mosquito Lagoon.
Poling the Dagger Reflection, Banana River Lagoon.
Susan, Alex, Maxx, and Ken Shannon swim while on a canoe trip in the Boundary Waters Wilderness in Minnesota.
Jim Tedesco getting ready to shove off, Maine’s St. John River, circa 1976. Boat is an Old Town Tripper.
Maxx’s first fly-caught redfish, Indian River Lagoon. We reached the spot by canoe.
Jim Tedesco paddles on East Bay, a chilly morning just after sunrise.
Tammy negotiates a blowdown on the Econlockhatchee.
Alex with a fly-caught tarpon, Everglades National Park. Boat is an Old Town Camper.
Peter Camuso (not happy!) and I on Massachusetts’ Westfield River, 1979? Boat is an Old Town Tripper. Note the plentiful snow on the banks.
Jim Tedesco rests at a cabin we found while on a canoe trip on Maine’s St. John River, about 1977.
Mike Conneen, Gulf of Mexico, during our eight day paddle along the Big Bend Paddling Trail.
White pelicans flock along our route on the 2013 Indian River Lagoon Paddle Adventure.
Mike Conneen paddles among crocodiles in the Everglades National Park backcountry.
Maxx. Snook. Dagger Reflection. Everglades National Park.
Question- Which images are your favorites? Please let us know!
For more on paddling in New England, see The Maine Book.
Bonus- I just had an article titled “Fishing with Lefty” published at Rivers and Feathers.
Bonus- if you want to see some incredible fish videography, watch this-
That’s the ode to paddle craft. Thanks for reading!
Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go fishing! Go paddling! Take a walk! Stay active!
John Kumiski
www.johnkumiski.com
www.spottedtail.com
www.spottedtail.com/blog
All content in this blog, including writing and photos, copyright John Kumiski 2022. All rights are reserved.
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Thank you for your feedback and the kind words!