PROFILE
BY CHANTAL MACARTNEY ILLUSTRATIONS BY PAUL MASON
Paul Mason: an artist with paddle and pen
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ANOES AND CARTOONS. These are Paul Mason’s passions. Few can lay claim to combining a good draw stroke with drawing good strokes. Paul is the son and former paddling partner of the late Bill Mason. Paul appeared in his fathers’ Path of the Paddle series of films and books and he co-authored the instructional canoeing book, Thrill of the Paddle. Ottawa Outdoors Magazine pulled him back from the edge of a waterfall recently to find out how one of Canada’s most famous whitewater thrill-seekers combines life as a professional cartoonist. OOM: You play in a lot of waterfalls. Paul: I like the challenge and adrenaline rush. Waterfalls can be very dangerous; no one should paddle them unless they are very experienced. The first waterfall I went over was in 1989; it was only about a foot high. Four years later, I entered my first competition. OOM: How do you run waterfalls or whitewater rapids? Paul: There are lots of skills to learn, most of which you can practice on flat water. It’s important how you set up your approach. Usually, I practice an hour on flat water before taking the plunge. For waterfalls, because of risk of injury, I won’t run anything more than 20 feet. The condition of the river, the current and the water level are all things to keep in mind before making a run. I might look at a run one day and decide it looks fun; a few days later, because of changing water conditions, it might be dangerous. I like to do challenging rapids, but not ones with serious consequences. Sitting in an eddy at the top of a waterfall or wild stretch of whitewater, I visualize my run – play it
like a video in my head. If I can’t do that, then I won’t. Sometimes I get anxious sitting up there on top of the falls. Then, I peel out of the eddy and do it. OOM: You’re not just a crazy canoeist. You’ve competed in three whitewater canoe championships. Paul: I won a bronze medal in OC-1 (Open Canoe) in 1993, and I’ve competed in Germany, New Zealand, and other countries. An OC is like a whitewater rodeo, paddling in an open canoe. You drop into a hole, a hydraulic or other feature in the river to do tricks and manoeuvres. The competitions are a lot of fun. OOM: Tell me about your canoeing these days. Paul: Hog’s Back Falls is one of my favourites. And Bonniebrook (north of Montreal) is another favourite. It’s a small, narrow creek in the spring. Northern rivers are beautiful, being sometimes steep as well as narrow. If you’re up for the challenge, it’s another great adrenaline rush. Location doesn’t matter much to me, as long as I can do freestyle paddling and learning something new. OOM: You’re also a guide. Paul: I work as a guide for the Black Feather Company, taking people to local areas like the Madawaska and Dumoine Rivers. It’s demanding, but very satisfying. One time, I took a 72-year-old man down the lower part of the Nahanni River. He had been on the river in the 1920s with a friend, hunting and trapping, and they had lost most of their gear rafting down the rapids. When I took him down the river he wore welding glasses as sun glasses, had a cigarette stuck between his lips, and had a terrific time. As we neared the rapids, he turned around in his seat, gave me a toothy grin, and yelled, “Just Giv’r!” OOM: What advice would you give to someone new to canoeing? Paul: First, take lessons. A bit of instruction can save hours of frustration, and unnecessary harassment from paddling partners. Second, don’t just buy any canoe and hop in. It takes time to find the right canoe. OOM: What inspires your cartooning? Paul: I draw what I know, which usually means canoes, kayaks and the outdoors. I get the best ideas in the morning. The punch line usually comes first and I work from there. Often, I’ll start an idea and another will pop
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OTTAWAOUTDOORS SUMMER/FALL 2005
www.OttawaOutdoors.ca
