Nessmuking: A Return to Simple

The first portage is always the worst. You hoist your pack over your shoulders, swing your canoe above your head and attempt carrying your two paddles one in each hand as you balance precariously on rocks and logs to avoid stepping into the muck. Luckily, when your back on the water with all your gear loaded, you know you’ve passed the worst of it. The first portage is always the worst, you’ll think, and you’ll enter that into your journal later in the night. Well, that is until you get to the second portage and the third, forth, fifth”¦wait a second all the portages are the worst.

The modern canoeist often falls into this trap of continuing worst portages because they have lost touch with the simplicity of canoeing. But there is a better way that canoeist from the late 19th century and before can teach us. This type of canoeing is called Nessmuking. Many modern outdoor sports are discovering this philosophy again, for example, backpackers call this Ultra light. It is time again for canoeist to lead the way, and in this article the philosophy and history of Nessmuking will be discussed. A set of companion articles will explore the modern versions of gear we can use to achieve a simpler way of adventuring, and the core skills needed to pratice lightweight travel.