What Can You Learn By Paddling A River?

This short essay was selected as the winner of Madawaska Kanu Centre’s essay contest in celebration of their 50th season.

When I reflect on what I’ve learned by paddling rivers a whole library of experiential education reveals itself. Rivers are very dynamic teachers, offering a depth of lessons ranging from animal habitats, ecosystems, environmental health, water quality, how to read water, the history of the waters and of its original travelers, and of course the ever-important lessons of personal growth and insight. With gratitude for the flowing waters of this land, I share some of the teachings that rivers have gifted me.

The Rideau River taught me that headwinds could be relentless but that I could respect its commitment and match it with mine, slowly but surely moving forward with patience and perseverance.

In the darkness of night on the Muskoka River, I was taught that although I may be a solo paddler, I’m never really traveling alone. The spirit of the river kept me company as the shadowed reflections of trees lined the riverbank as beacons guiding me to safe passage.

Playing in the whitewater of the Madawaska River I received river running education on crossing eddy lines, the joy of standing waves, finding deep water, that failing gracefully means trying again, and that my skills will develop in proportion to my courage to try.

It was on the Mattawa River that I learned about camaraderie. I learned that I can push my own physical limits while simultaneously encouraging those around me to be at their best as well. I learned that happy people on the water make other people happy, on the water.

The Bonnechere River revealed to me the sound that cattails make as the wind rattles through them on a September day. I learned that otters live amongst weeds, wind, and waves, and they move as if it’s all just a big playground.

On the Ottawa River, I learned to love my own company and find solitude at sunset. I learned about fluctuating river levels and their impact on users, saw the remnants of logging history, and came to know the locations of deadheads along my favourite routes.

Over many stunning misty morning sunrise teas on the Amable du Fond River, I understood that there is no better place in the world that I could paddle out to early in the morning to feel speechless, present, and alive.

On the Riviere Noire, I learned that a Yeti cooler can keep ice cream frozen all the way to the take-out, that a day on the river with friends is a day well spent, and that it is without a doubt my very favourite river.

The lessons from these rivers live within me and shape who I am becoming, just as the current shapes a riverbank. Perhaps what lies in the beauty and allure of a river is that you never know what lessons you’ll stir up from beneath the surface of the water each time you set out to dip your paddle in.