We are often asked to make North Woods paddles by our customers. We have always responded with the same answer "Ask Alexandra Conover Bennett to make you one, she hand carves beautiful North Woods paddles".
Alexandra has retired from paddle making and we are very excited to introduce the North Woods paddle to our line of hand crafted traditional wooden paddles. Our offering of paddle models has remained almost unchanged in 160 years because the designs have been perfected for generations. The North Woods paddle is a significant and historic paddle and adding it fits the DNA of Shaw & Tenney perfectly. We will to continue to honor Alexanda’s tradition of hand wood burning and numbering each individual paddle.
From its Native American roots in Maine and New Brunswick variations of this paddle date back to birch bark canoes. Called both the “North Woods Paddle” or “Guide” paddle its design comes from the nature of our local New England and Canadian rivers; high water in the spring and low water in the fall. One needs both a long and a short paddle to navigate these waters. Hence the unique “staged” grip area providing variable paddle lengths.
Alexandra hand carved North Woods paddles and taught the North Woods stroke for many years. She and Garrett Conover learned paddle making and were taught the North Woods stroke by legendary Maine Guide Mickey Fahey, of Chesuncook Village, Maine. In Alexandra’s words "...He guided in the 1930s from Moosehead Lake on through to Ft. Kent, Maine via the famed West Branch Penobscot and Allagash rivers. As a boy he lived and travelled with the Penobscots who taught him woods living skills which have been highly refined by thousands of years of use in Maine".
Typically made from Native Maine ash the long traditional 6-3/4” wide beaver tail blade and elongated grip make a flexible but strong paddle. The North Woods paddle is ideally suited for the North Woods stroke
The North Woods Paddle Stroke
Garrett Conover describes the magic of the North Woods stroke:
"Many a paddler has stood in mystified silence watching a skilled team of North Woods travelers plying their seemingly delicate paddles across the waters of canoe country. Somehow it seems impossible, or at least improbable, that large, loaded traveling canoes could be propelled with so little apparent movement by the paddlers, with such fluid grace that scarcely raises a ripple to hint of the path of the paddle. Yet the canoe, as if governed by a mystical force, not only behaves, but behaves quickly, cleanly - the way an arctic char might use the water of it's realm. Much of the secret lies in the paddle, and the technique best suited to its use. With practice, much that is mysterious at first settles into a sophisticated balance of properties that blend canoe, paddler, and paddle into graceful harmony."
The North Woods Paddling Stroke (also referred to as "pitch: or Canadian or Indian) is considerable different than the well-known J – stroke.
Garrett explains the difference between the two strokes and benefits of the North Woods:
"The J-stroke overuses a few muscles and expends a lot of needless energy. In addition, you need to compensate continually for not heading in the direction you want to go. You end up crabbing down the length of a lake."
"The North Woods stroke places all your muscles in a line and uses them all a little bit. It is a very efficient stroke involving subtle arm and body movements that enable you to paddle all day with little fatigue. The paddle flexes instead of your back."
You will find the North Woods Paddle on our website at /collections/traditional-canoe-paddles or feel free to call us at 1-800.240-4867.
Many thanks for the informational and historical information contained in this blog to: Alexandra Conover Bennett, Garrett Conover, Rick Waters, Robert Kimber, and James Conaway.
