Thanks Ray for creating this outstanding video on canoe poling! Ray asks the question, “Why Pole?” My answer is, why not!!! You can traverse stretches of deep water, you can climb upstream against rapids, and you can control your descent with strong water flow! For me, there is nothing more fun than finding a complex rock garden and shredding the rapid with every type of maneuver possible including pushing upstream or downstream backwards, forwards, sideways, circling rocks, eddy turning behind rocks and surfing waves! England is very well suited for poling because of the many small rivers and streams that are only accessible from bridge crossings. You can go downstream and come back up, or go upstream and then come back down, having had an amazing time exploring your otherwise inaccessible river ways! Ray is the consummate instructor (coach) by breaking down all of the skills necessary to be successful! Watch his videos closely and practice his demonstrations to hone your own abilities! You will love this sport! Whether you have low water, heavy water, shallow water, or deep water conditions, they can all be successfully negotiated with the pole! When I am poling, you will not find a paddle in my canoe as I am totally focused on standing tall and pushing the big stick! Harry Rock, author of Canoe Poling, Canoe Poling video, and American Canoe Association National Paddlesport National Hall of Fame inductee

Excellent demonstration, seeing the 2 camera angles really helps understand the canoe movement. The grip changes will be invaluable. I like the way you flip the lower hand over before switching sides.

Nice presentation once again Ray, I like your use of a two picture presentation showing both the surroundings you are in and the close up of your actions, well done. Chears, Nige.

Bold one Ray. Such an overlooked addition to the arsenal. Estuaries, shallow tidal compromises... times when a pole was needed and I didn't have one.

A pole really saves the end of your wooden paddle blade. Better view of the rocks and stuff standing as well. Yup the cross over when snubbing can be a problem, I find a twist of the pole helps free it when in rock stream beds, as they do get stuck, If going in a known river where a pole is a necessity I take two one shorter and is stashed for quick exchange if I get the main pole stuck and have to go back and get it, something you are not going to do with a paddle or wading. Poles are a must in the rivers and streams here on the coast of Maine, they get low in the summer as there is not huge amounts of water at their heads.

Thanks for the video the last one I watched was awhile back. Enjoying them all

Nice one Ray. Great little introduction. There is so much in this, I’ll be watching it a few times.

Awesome video Ray, very helpful!

I remember learning poling with Ray on the Dee and we had a go at tandem paddling and almost made it to the top of a rapid when laughter ruined it all. Another good one Ray

Thanks Ray - some lovely filming there - worth watching to the end to see the elegant traverse of the rapid - up and down. I recall struggling like crazy to pole up that rapid the first few times! If I had absorbed this video beforehand I'd have stood a better chance! 😁👍

Well done making sure that poling is introduced as a valuable addition to the general canoeist's tool box of skills. It is a hard sell most places in Canada, but it may finally be getting a bit of notice. Cheers!

My absolute favourite method of locomotion. It's a definite learning curve though 😃

after years of ignoring poling, you know what I'm doing this summer thanks Ray, keep well

Wow, excellent demos Ray, learnt a lot from these demos, I like the way you explain, and show fast and slow. Superb. I have only done poling once with Richard W of TNR at Bala lake, enjoyable but a struggle, I will rewatch this and have more goes

Nice one Ray. Great introduction. This had got so much in it. I’ll be watching it a good few times.

I can still hear you shouting "Behind you!" at me when we did poling on a moderate water leader training course a few years ago. I find that I struggle to get the pole to sink when it's behind me at the correct angle. I think the problem was/is that I couldn't generate the momentum to allow me to sink the pole at a steeper angle and then still be moving forwards enough to bring the angle down to be more effective in the push phase. I've been practicing on the local lake in a couple of shallow sand bars, but need to practice more somewhere there is a bit of flow. Any day now, hopefully, we'll be allowed to travel for recreational purposes, and I'm going to be focusing on poling! Great video, and very well timed! Thanks, Ray.

Thanks for the great video again!

Cool, liked that, something different. Up the Dyfrdwy, as far as I'm aware the only river that flows into, and out of a lake, retaining its name, in Wales anyway. Your almost up to the Twrch on river right. I have actually been further up the river with a 5.5mtr rib, full spate, very scary full on brown horribleness.

I have not tried poling, but now you've made me curious. We have lodge pole pine and Jack Pine here that were traditionally used, I might give it a go sometime.

need to try

More wondrous eye candy, thank you.

Great video Ray, my plan is to pole back up the other side of the island at the rapids at SY this year. Really learnt new stuff from you, Rose and the gang on the Spey trip. One question, when you edge the boat you edge it on the outside of the turn. Is that something specific to poling?

If you practice standing on one leg with the gunwale nearly under the water, when you unintentionally find yourself in that position in the middle of a rapid, you know what to do about it.

Great video, very thorough. Think I need a pole, recommendations? And Bala lake I presume leading to the lower Tryweryn?

Very cool! How much would you say pole length should vary depending on size/height of the person?