Rating ***
As the term
“gunwale bobbing” was only introduced to me last spring, I would not find it
hard to believe that the majority of active outdoor kids, teens and those in their
twenties have also never been introduce to this fun canoe activity. Writer Virginia
Marshall however, finds it unbelievable that our generation is missing out on
the fun. I learned that gunwale bobbing started its downward popularity spiral
during the late 90’s and is no longer a traditional game played at summer camps
and in school programs across Canada. This articles theme is that this
generation has more boring and inactive kids than previous generations due to
over protective parents. Virginia Marshall believes the young risk takers of
Canada are down to a select few.
I rated this
article three stars as it is fairly informative. I learned that there are
existing activist groups such as the 62-member National Gunwale Bobbing
Association (NGBA) that formed to spread the word about gunwale bobbing at
community pools and waterfront parks, as well as street corners. They even hold
a “Save Gunwale Bobbing” on-water event to raise awareness on the game. The
article introduced me to a few variations of Gunwale Bobbing. In Gunwale
Races one person stands on the stern and bobs up and down going forward
until the finish. Bob-offs are when two players are on either ends of
the canoe performing alternate squats. The goal is to force your opponent to
swim. Finally, Volley-Bob is a game in which all canoes bob at an equal
vigor to see who can withstand the longest.
I recommend that
Outdoor Ed students read this article to inform themselves on gunwale bobbing
if they have not already tried it. As active Outdoor Ed students we should continue
to spread the word about gunwale bobbing to keep gunwale games alive for more
generations to come.
Marshall, Virginia. "Going, Going…
Act Now To Save Gunwale Bobbing Before It’s Gone." Page 36-37. Canoeroots - Spring 2011. N.p., 2011. Web. 15 Oct. 2012. <http://content.yudu.com/A1qut5/crspring11/resources/36.htm>.
Excellent article and great review. No feedback required.
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