Bob Spain's Canoeing Guide and Favorite Texas Paddling Trails

by Bob Spain, Joy Emshoff (Illustrator), Andrew Sansom (Foreword by)

Overview

Premiere paddler and Texas Canoe Racing Hall of Famer Bob Spain presents a thorough and personal guide to all aspects of canoeing. He opens with a brief history of canoes and canoe making in North America followed by an illustrated how-to section on proper paddling technique and posture. Instructional photos and drawings by Spain’s paddling partner and wife, Joy Emshoff, help make your first-time paddling adventure less intimidating and more enjoyable. Readers will learn how to hold a paddle, perform basic strokes, and improve their technique as well as gain important information on the various types of canoes available. A handy checklist in the back of the book outlines important safety gear and essential equipment to pack in your canoe for day trips and overnight expeditions.

Both newcomers to the sport and seasoned paddlers will find Spain’s detailed descriptions of his ten favorite inland and coastal Texas paddling trails entertaining and helpful. He provides useful logistical information—such as launch and take-out locations—GPS coordinates, available camping sites, and suggestions for nearby paddling trails. These trails offer paddlers a unique opportunity to explore the state and its varied wildlife while promoting the importance of preserving waterways. Spain concludes with a discussion on pressing conservation issues—water pollution, urban growth, habitat destruction, invasive species, and natural disasters—and the role ordinary people can have in protecting these natural resources for future generations.

(Printed on waterproof paper)

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781623496180
Publisher:	Texas A&M University Press
Publication date:	05/11/2018
Edition description:	First Edition
Pages:	224
Sales rank:	1,127,413
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

BOB SPAIN is a certified canoe instructor and renowned competitive paddler who helped establish the Texas Paddling Trail program. He was inducted into the Texas Canoe Racing Hall of Fame and continues to compete in canoe races in Texas and around the country, including the grueling Texas Water Safari. He retired from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and lives in Austin, Texas.

Table of Contents

Foreword Andrew Sansom vii

Preface ix

Acknowledgments xi

1 Getting Started 1

2 A Brief History of Canoes and Their Origin in North America 3

3 Canoes, Their Design, and Other Paddle Crafts 14

4 Paddling Gear 23

5 How to Paddle a Canoe 36

6 Canoe Safety 61

7 Texas Waters and History of State Paddling Trails Program 66

8 My Favorite Paddling Trails 77

9 Conservation is Everyone's Job 159

Appendix 1 Suggested List of Canoe Gear 175

Appendix 2 Wildlife Observed on the Paddling Trails 176

Appendix 3 List of State Paddling Trails 178

Appendix 4 List of National Organizations and Local Paddling Clubs 182

Appendix 5 Suggested Readings on Texas Rivers 185

Notes 187

Glossary 189

References and Literature Cited 193

Index 197

Editorial Reviews

"Great read!  I have been paddling Texas's streams, rivers and lakes all my life and I learned a lot from Bob's book." —Allen Spelce, former assistant commissioner for communications for the Texas Department of Agriculture

Allen Spelce

"Convenient, practical, and well thought out, Bob Spain's Canoeing Guide is a must for those interested in exploring Texas by canoe or kayak." —Review of Texas Books

Review of Texas Books