Why Canoes Are the Quintessential Vehicle for Escape

From Postwar ‘Canoedling’ to Unplugging from Our Smart Phones, the Timeless Boat Takes Us Back to Simpler Days

Zócalo’s editors are highlighting some of our favorite pieces from the archive. This week: Author Mark Neuzil traces how the traditional workboat canoe evolved, becoming a vessel for leisure, sport, and romance.

A canoe is like a banjo—it makes everyone happy. Propelled with paddles, sleek, long, narrow, lightweight—mostly open—and fast: Every canoe I’ve owned makes me smile at its memory. I remember my oldest daughter, at age 10, mimicking the cry of a loon, and the loon crying back, while on a Boundary Waters trip. …