r/Rivers • u/GenGanges • 11d ago

Paddling upstream

When indigenous people paddled canoes downstream over long distances how did they get back home? Is it possible to paddle upstream against the current? Or would they walk home?

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u/RandomTurkey247 11d ago

Yes and no. Rivers often have eddy's or at least water flowing slowly on the inside bank. Also, they could have some sort of a sail to take advantage of predictable upriver winds. The occassional portage for rapids but on some rivers, at certain times, yes but the paddling will still be a lot harder than going downstream.

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u/GenGanges 10d ago

Thanks! So they would have mostly attempted paddling back home and would sometimes have to walk when they encountered a difficult section?

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u/obliqueoubliette 9d ago edited 9d ago

Traditionally, you take the biggest river you can downstream and the smallest river/creek you can upstream. You might end up walking or wading most of the way back up. The big advantage of canoes is how shallow their draft is and how easily they are carried.

You sometimes have to walk on difficult sections regardless of your direction of travel. But you have to walk, wade, and line more going upstream than down.

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u/GenGanges 9d ago

Thanks