Canoes

My only experience in a canoe was paddling down some stream not too far from Pewaukee, WI where Mr. Dobbratz lived (I've mentioned him before:

https://wb9kzy.blogspot.com/2022/08/i-found-out-that-one-of-my-elmers-died.html

Mr. D had an aluminum canoe, my Dad and I went along - the only thing I remember was falling in, of course I was the only one :(  Anyway, for some reason I was thinking of canoes today and found these items:

Earl's Canoe (intro only):

source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FEVEXC5xQAA

I saw the whole video on Wisconsin Public TV and probably have it on tape - somewhere !

Birchbark Canoe:

source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFSjKRnUzVo

This one is a little chatty, probably the better video if someone actually wanted to make their own canoe.

Cesar's Bark Canoe:

source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fWd2koev0M

The NFB of Canada films used to show up on public TV a lot but I don't remember ever seeing this one before.  It's interesting to see the similarities and the differences between Cesar's canoe and Earl's.  I guess if you are willing to tote a ladder into the woods you don't have to cut down the birch tree.  It is amazing to see Cesar cut a birch tree down with an axe. 

Rascal by Sterling North

This book also had a canoe build but it wasn't birch, Sterling used canvas over a wooden framework - and it was built in the living room.

A brief video on Sterling North and Rascal:

source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrI0yejfmlM

The book is still available, I have my paperback copy around here somewhere with this cover:

Of course Rascal was mainly focused on Sterling and Rascal but I do remember the canoe.  I didn't know that Rascal had become an anime in Japan and that it was popular.  Unfortunately this caused people in Japan to try to keep raccoons as pets and when they get to be adults they aren't cute anymore, they are just a problem so people let them go.  Now raccoons are an invasive species in Japan.  

I can remember once working at the village of Fox Point during a college summer, we had a pickup on the packer (garbage) truck - there was a rabid raccoon on it's haunches not too far from a bus stop - after a while a cop pulled up, got a .22 out of the trunk of the police car and shot the raccoon.  Then Charlie, one of the village crew got a pitchfork and put the raccoon in with all the other unwanted stuff in the truck :(  But you don't want mean, smart animals becoming rabid in a crowded place like Japan !

I've never been to Edgerton, WI where the author was from.  I suspect things are a lot different there (especially in the surrounding area) than they were when North was alive.

Here is episode one subbed:

source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OY5gocU68p0

Maybe a little too wholesome (make sure you've taken your diabetes meds) but I can see why it was popular, kinda the same appeal as The Waltons.

Best Regards,
Chuck, WB9KZY
http://wb9kzy.com/ham.htm