Paddle for the North

A boy's carved boat travels through the Canadian wilderness until it reaches the ocean.

The devil makes the biggest splash at Cookham's famed regatta.

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Join outdoorsman Bill Mason in this short documentary as he and his family go canoe camping in the wilderness. Gain an appreciation for the art of canoeing while watching a small group experience the sheer joy and beauty of Nature. Along the way, the Masons experience countless adventures and some breathtaking scenery, including Indian rock carvings at Lake Superior.

In this documentary short, two men paddle a canoe across a remote part of northern Lake Superior. Each stroke brings them closer to the culmination of an artistic and spiritual journey, one that begins with ancient rock paintings from their Anishinaabe ancestors.

The second IMAX film made, commissioned by the Ontario Government, and produced by MultiScreen Corporation, later to become IMAX corporation. North of Superior is a Northern Ontario travelogue, and was the first short feature to be shown at the newly created Ontario government theme park, Ontario Place, in it's state of the art cinema, Cinesphere, the first permanent IMAX installation.

Naturalist Bill Mason on his journey by canoe into the Ontario wilderness. The filmmaker and artist begins on Lake Superior, then explores winding and sometimes tortuous river waters to the meadowlands of the river's source. Along the way, Mason paints scenes that capture his attention and muses about his love of the canoe, his artwork and his own sense of the land. Mason also uses the film as a commentary on the link between God and nature and the vast array of beautiful canvases God created for him to paint. Features breathtaking visuals and exciting whitewater footage, with a musical score by Bruce Cockburn.

Click for full movie details & trailers.

Click for full movie details & trailers.

In 1995, a large gathering of transoceanic canoes took place on the island of Raiatea, an opportunity for the navigators of the South Pacific to renew old alliances and reunite their peoples. This film retraces the history of contemporary ancestral navigation through interviews with a number of distinguished Pacific navigators.

Mountain climbing with all its thrills near Lake O'Hara in Yoho National Park, British Columbia. The film begins on a busy street in Toronto with cars and a Yonge Street streetcar contending with traffic, and pedestrians during rush hour. It then cuts to a mountain in the Rockies and Lake O'Hara and with four men with pack-sacks boarding train. They later climb past the Seven Sisters waterfalls. Coming to an alpine lake, they begin the ascent to the summit, using ropes and picks and traversing some tricky rock faces. Near the top they reach the 'Devil's Window' and, finally, the summit. The film was produced by the National Parks of Canada to promote tourism travel to the Canadian Rockies.

A documentary portrait of life in the Cook Islands, focusing on Rarotonga and neighboring islands. The film records traditional fishing, weaving, agriculture, canoeing, music, and dance against the islands' picturesque tropical landscapes.

This colorful archival record of Québec City's Winter Carnival shows that many popular events of today—pageants, parades, boat races, folk dancing, fireworks, and torchlight skiing—were also favorites many years ago.

Erica Wilson uncovers what it means to be an expeditionist, guiding a fleet of wooden canoes more than 700 kilometres to the shores of Hudson Bay.

Navigating the wilderness of subarctic Quebec, a motley crew discovers something ineffable.

A man canoes through the the Rhine

This short documentary by Bill Mason explores Pukaskwa National Park on Lake Superior, providing a background of the park's geological past and plant life. The film also shows scenes of hiking, canoeing and camping. The result is to put us back in touch with the natural elements that our ancestors both fought and enjoyed.

This short film from canoeist Bill Mason illustrates the joy and poetry of paddling solo. All the basic strokes used to control the canoe are rendered with perfect clarity through animated lines. Part of 'Path of the Paddle: Quiet Water', in Bill Mason's Path of the Paddle Series.

This short film from canoeist Bill Mason demonstrates the basic doubles paddling strokes and how to apply them in various combinations. The application of each stroke in rapids is shown briefly and the emphasis is always on working as a well-coordinated team. Part of 'Path of the Paddle: Quiet Water', in Bill Mason's Path of the Paddle Series.

This short film from canoeist Bill Mason explains clearly how to locate a deep water channel by reading the rapids and how to apply paddling strokes and manoeuvres to steer the canoe where you want it to go. It also depicts what happens if you "wipe out" in a turbulent rapid and shows you how to survive the swim. Part of 'Path of the Paddle: Whitewater', in Bill Mason's Path of the Paddle Series.