Paddle to the Sea

  “I remember seeing this film as a young boy in elementary school, it was a pleasure viewing it again. Whatever happened to the carving? Where is it now?”

  “toshiromifune “But seriously, is he in a museum or archive?” He is at the Museum of Civilization. Well at least one of him, Bill Mason made a couple of them for the movie. I believe that not all of him were carved since a mould also exists.”

  “What a nice retelling! I first read this book in a one-room school house landlocked on the prairies in the late fifties. Though I was wise enough to see that it was a sugar-coated geography lesson about the St. Lawrence seaway, the tiny carved figure dwarfed by the gigantic forces around it appealed to my prairie soul. Decades later I tracked the book down down and bought my own copy. I've come a long way over the years, but Paddle to the Sea, where are you now? And what of the boy that carved you?”

  “Interesting! I remember seeing this in elementary school in the early 1970s, and thinking it was rather contrived, and maybe a little silly. I don't know if I'm wiser now, or just more sentimental, but it definitely has charms I overlooked before. I'm glad I got a second look at it!”

  “@edwinyoung - It's not exactly a place to buy toy canoes, but here's a pretty cool little website that shows you how to make them from scratch: http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/toy-canoe-665368/”

  “Hi. I remember this film very well from elementary school and just recently watched it again as an adult. Does anyone know if replica toy canoes are available for purchase? Thanks! Ed”

  “Le 27 août 2011, j'ai découvert l'un de ces bateaux sur la rive de l'Île d'Orléans. Une indication, un numéro, m'indiqua la provenance de Little Red. Ce dernier dut passer par la ville de Québec, par Montréal, par Toronto, par le lac Huron et par le lac Supérieur. Une aventure de 2 500 km qui prit naissance à Marquette, au Michigan, où je rejoignis Judith Smith, une enseignante à la retraite. Je mettrai des photos en ligne au cours des prochaines semaines. http://www.quebeckayak.com/article/2011/paddle-of-the-sea/”

  “Bonjour Luc, La version française de ce film sera ajoutée en septembre 2011 sur ONF.ca - pendant la semaine du 12 septembre pour être plus précise. C'était déjà dans nos plans de la rendre accessible rapidement. Merci de votre intérêt!”

  “Dommage que la version francaise "vogue à la mer" n'est pas disponible, ni en ligne, ni en DVD......pourtant la version anglaise "paddle to the sea" elle, est disponible ici. Pourquoi ?”

  “one of my all time favs from childhood memories...we enjoyed all the nfb films that arrived in our little reservation school in northern sask...priceless.”

  “Paddle to the Sea was one of the first books that I read from the public library when I was very young. I have seen the movie before but really enjoyed it again now that I'm in my mid 60's. It brings back fond memories.”

  “ I remember seeing this film in grade school several times in the late 70s. Then in the 90's I had the pleasure of meeting Bill through his daughter Becky who was teaching canoeing. I saw several Paddle models at their house on Meech Lake in the Gatineaus. It took me a few minutes to realise what I was looking at. I love this film and I am introducing my kids to it now.”

  “@toshiromifune - I honestly don't know. Good question, though.”

  “But seriously, is he in a museum or archive?”

  “Does anyone know what became of paddle? I haven't seen him in any bit roles lately!”

  “Wow! I remember seeing this film in the theatre before the feature. It is telling that i don't remember the feature, but i remember paddle to the sea!”