Against all Advice

A young couple yearns for adventure. They love to paddle their faithful canoe.  Why not travel up the west coast from Washington State, U.S.A., to Alaska!  It's only 1,100 miles!  Mr. and Mrs. Jack Calvin accomplished this feat in the 1930's, taking 53 days for the trip.  "Nakwasina" Goes North: A Man, A Woman, and a Pup Cruise from Tacoma to Juneau in a 17-Foot Canoe, National Geographic Magazine, July, 1932, is his account of their adventures.

Their friends were aghast and warned of the danger. "Are you doing on a bet? . . do you belong to a suicide club?", they asked.  Calvin dismisses the danger: "It was always the apparent danger of the cruise that first impressed the many friends we made along the way.  Actually, there was no danger," (p. 1).

"Once a heavy fog compelled us to turn back at the start of a day's paddle (average distance: 20 miles per day). . . and Nakwasina took the weather as it came - rough water or smooth, windy or calm - with an ease and nonchalance that were a never-ending joy to watch . . . a good canoe, properly handled, is as seaworthy as the average gas-boat of, say, ten tons burden," (p. 3).

While apparently there were no dangers, there were plenty of vexations, chief among them being rain.  "At Swanson Bay, we were told that 346 inches of rain had fallen there in 1925, and that sometimes the 5-inch rain gauge had to be emptied twice a day," (p. 37).  The charts and maps they brought with them or bought were mostly incomplete.  They ran out of food once, ate clams for 3 days, then wired for money to be sent.

The couple took many photos.  The pristine scenery of Alaska is unequaled, I would guess.  They also included photos of other American western parks, Sequoia National Park, Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon and others.  They reported that the Alaskan coast has "thousands of waterfalls."

After their journey they were tired from paddling (!), rested two weeks, then returned to the States via a steamer.  Yet they yearned to return.  "There are dozens of inlets that we have not explored, scores of passages that we have not tried, many miles of coast that are but dotted lines on the charts, many Indian graves and villages to be hunted. . . Yes, we shall go back," (p. 42).

Of all the cruises my late dear parents, Adeline and Reuben, took, they declared that the trip to Alaska was their favorite.  Several friends agree.  But if I go, it will be in a big boat, a very big boat!

Jeannie, daughter #8, with an Indian Totem Pole in Port Orchard, Washington, August, 2012.