Paddling is the primary means of backcountry travel across most of Ontario's wilderness. The province's interconnected lake-and-river systems — carved by glaciers into the Canadian Shield — create thousands of kilometres of canoe routes that have been used for transport for thousands of years. Whether you're running a weekend loop in Algonquin or spending two weeks threading through the Temagami lake chains, solid paddling skills make the difference between exhausting labour and efficient, enjoyable travel.
Canoe vs Kayak for Ontario Conditions
The canoe is the traditional backcountry watercraft in Ontario, and for good reason. Canoes carry enormous loads relative to their weight, handle portages far better than kayaks, and offer flexibility for both solo and tandem paddling. A 16-foot Prospector-style canoe in Royalex or T-Formex — something like the Nova Craft Prospector 16 — will handle everything from calm lake crossings to moderate whitewater and carries gear for two people on a week-long trip.
Kayaks have their place, particularly for coastal paddling on Georgian Bay, Lake Superior, or the Great Lakes shorelines where wind and waves demand a lower profile and a spray skirt. Sea kayaks track better in open water and handle rough conditions more confidently than an open canoe. But they carry less gear, require specialized loading, and are miserable on portages.
For classic Ontario backcountry travel — the Algonquin canoe route, Crown land lake chains, river trips on the Petawawa or Magnetawan — the canoe is the right tool. If you're buying one boat for Ontario backcountry, buy a canoe.
Basic Strokes
You can travel effectively in a canoe with four strokes. Master these before adding anything fancy.
Forward stroke. Plant the paddle near the bow with the blade fully submerged, pull straight back alongside the canoe, and exit the water at your hip. Don't reach behind you — the power is in the first two-thirds of the stroke. Rotate your torso rather than pulling only with your arms. Your top hand pushes forward while your bottom hand pulls back. This is the stroke you'll do ten thousand times per day; efficient technique prevents fatigue and shoulder injury.
J-stroke. The essential correction stroke for the stern paddler in a tandem canoe, and for solo paddlers. At the end of a forward stroke, instead of lifting the blade out, rotate the paddle so the blade pushes water away from the canoe, making a small "J" shape. This counteracts the natural tendency of each forward stroke to turn the canoe away from your paddling side. The J-stroke lets you paddle on one side indefinitely without switching — it's quieter, more efficient, and more traditional than the "sit-and-switch" style, though both work.
Draw stroke. Reach out to the side with the blade parallel to the canoe, then pull the paddle toward the hull. This moves the canoe sideways — essential for pulling alongside a dock, another canoe, or a rock to scout a rapid. Slice the blade out of the water before it hits the hull, or you'll either jam the paddle under the canoe or splash yourself.
Pry stroke. The opposite of the draw. Start with the blade against the hull and push water away from the canoe. This moves you sideways in the opposite direction. The pry is a strong, fast correction but rougher than the draw. It's your emergency "get away from that rock" stroke in moving water.
Reading Water
Moving water demands the ability to read the surface for information about what's underneath and ahead.
V's pointing downstream indicate clear channels between obstacles. Water funnels between rocks and forms a V shape with the point facing downstream — follow the V for the deepest, clearest path. This is your friend in shallow, rocky sections.
V's pointing upstream are the opposite — they mark rocks just below the surface. Water hits the rock and splits, forming a V with the point facing upstream. Avoid these.
Eddies are calm pockets of water behind obstacles where the current reverses. Eddies are your parking spots in moving water — pull into them to rest, scout what's ahead, or wait for your partner. Learning to "eddy turn" (crossing the eddy line with a lean and a sweep stroke) is the gateway to whitewater paddling.
Standing waves form where fast water meets slow water. Small standing waves are fun and indicate deep water. Large standing waves, particularly those that curl back on themselves (called "holes" or "hydraulics"), can swamp or pin an open canoe. When in doubt, portage. A swim in cold Ontario river water with a loaded canoe is dangerous, not adventurous.
On the Petawawa, Madawaska, and other Ontario rivers, rapids are graded from Class I (easy riffles) to Class VI (essentially unrunnable). Most loaded tripping canoes should not attempt anything above Class II. Scout every rapid you haven't run before by pulling over and walking the shore to look at it first.
Portaging Technique and Etiquette
Portaging is what makes Ontario's interconnected canoe routes possible. It's also the most physically demanding part of any paddling trip. Good technique makes it manageable.
The traditional solo canoe carry uses a yoke — the centre thwart shaped to rest on your shoulders. Flip the canoe overhead in one smooth motion (practise this), settle the yoke on your shoulders, and walk. Keep your hands on the gunwales near the bow to control pitch and steer around obstacles. Look ahead, not down. On rough portages, take rest stops by setting the bow in a tree crotch so you don't have to lower the canoe all the way to the ground and flip it up again.
Double-portaging (making two trips) is reality for most trippers. Carry the packs first, then come back for the canoe. This means walking each portage three times, which is why portage length matters so much in trip planning. A 2,000-metre portage sounds manageable until you realize you're walking 6 kilometres total.
Portage etiquette: The group coming off the portage has the right of way. Don't block the landing or takeout with your gear — move it to the side. If you're resting on a narrow portage trail, step off the path so others can pass. And never, ever leave gear or garbage on a portage trail.
Loading a Canoe for Multi-Day Trips
How you load a canoe affects stability, tracking, and portage efficiency. The goal is to keep weight low and centred.
Place heavy items (food barrel, water containers) on the bottom of the canoe along the centreline. Lighter, bulky items (sleeping pads, clothing dry bags) go on top and to the sides. In a tandem canoe, balance the load so the canoe sits slightly stern-heavy — this helps tracking and keeps the bow from burying in waves.
Tie everything in. Every pack, barrel, and loose item should be secured to the canoe with rope or cam straps. If you capsize on a windy lake crossing or in a rapid, gear that floats away is gear you've lost. Use a combination of barrel harnesses, pack lashings, and a simple continuous line through pack handles to keep everything attached.
Keep items you need during the day accessible: water bottle, snacks, rain jacket, map, sunscreen. A small dry bag or deck bag clipped to a thwart works well for day essentials.
Tandem vs Solo
Tandem paddling is faster, carries more gear, and offers companionship and shared decision-making. But it requires two people with compatible paddling styles and temperaments. The stern paddler steers; the bow paddler provides power and watches for obstacles. Communication matters — "rock left" and "eddy right" need to be understood and acted on instantly.
Solo paddling offers freedom and self-reliance. Solo canoes (typically 14-15 feet) are lighter and more manoeuvrable but carry less. Solo paddlers sit or kneel slightly aft of centre, paddling with a bent-shaft paddle and switching sides, or using J-strokes from a kneeling position. Solo tripping in Ontario's backcountry is deeply rewarding but demands stronger skills and more careful risk assessment — there's nobody to help if things go wrong.
PFD Selection
A personal flotation device is legally required for every person in a canoe or kayak in Ontario, and it needs to be worn, not just carried. This is not negotiable, and it's not just about the law — cold water kills fast, and Ontario's lakes are cold enough to incapacitate a swimmer well into July.
Choose a PFD designed for paddling, with large arm openings that don't restrict your stroke. Look for a short-cut design that won't ride up when you're seated. Pockets are useful for carrying a whistle, snacks, and a folding knife. Bright colours (red, yellow, orange) make you visible on the water — this matters during lake crossings and in busy areas.
Try the PFD on and raise your arms overhead. If it rides up past your chin, it's too loose or the wrong size. A PFD that rides up in the water won't keep your face above the surface. Check the buoyancy rating — adults need a minimum of 15.5 pounds (69 Newtons) of buoyancy for Transport Canada approval.