Arctic crossing

[Mark R]

Just finished reading this, which is quite excellent. It's an account of a paddle through the Northwest Passage, but it's really about the current status quo of the Inuit and their environment, and how it got that way.

I started off reading the book under the impression that I was going to have to plough through the usual American spiritual crap about 'feeling at one with the Polar Bear' (or whatever) and yes, the author does dump a bit of that on you...but mainly, the book is a compelling but unromantic look at the realities of Inuit life; alcohol, violence, incest and bestiality all get a look in. Well worth a read if - like me - you learned in school that the people of the Arctic all live in igloos.

[Steve B]

alcohol, violence, incest and bestiality all get a look in.

And to think, I thought they whiled away their time arguing about technical swims.

[john campbell]

I think Waterman's book is fantastic, really brings and unsentimental eye to the region and is a great advert for folding kayaks. On a similar vein check out Robert Perkins, a Massachusetts based open canoer who writes and makes documentaries about his emotional journeys through Arctic landscapes in 'Talking to Angels' and 'Into the Great Solitude'. I have also just finished Tim Lydon's 'Passage to Alaska' about a his 3 month trip from Vancouver to Alaska by sea kayak, a great read.

Also worth checking out is Barry Lopez's 'Arctic Dreams' an absolutely astonishing book; nature writing at its finest, a work of genius. If you haven't read this book you have a treat awaiting you.

Any one else out there have any wee nuggets about kayaking/travel up in Northland?

happy paddling and reading
John

[Rockrat]

If you like that book take a look at Don Starkell's Paddle to the Artic. Sounds very similar to the other book, but does have a bit of American spiritual rubbish!!!