From Ancient to Modern: Exploring the Timeless Legacy of Canoes in North America with Mark Neuzil

Send us Fan Mail

People in North America have been getting around in canoes for thousands of years. The basic design was so perfectly engineered that we’re still using it today. In this episode, I talk with Mark Neuzil, who co-wrote “Canoes: A Natural History in North America” with Norman Sims. We talk about the basic design, variations in materials used to build them from traditional bark canoes and dugouts to modern composites. We cover the ways canoes were engineered for specific purposes, and the transition from canoes as transportation to canoeing for fun. Mark shares a couple of standout memories from canoe trips he’s taken, and in the Mississippi Minute, I share a couple of my own. Paddles up! We’re all about canoes in this episode!