Doug Nix

Blog

  • Canoes

    Solo canoeist in a green canoe on a mirror-calm lake. Mountains in the background.

    Paddling a canoe is one of my favourite ways to spend some time, alone or with someone.

    I first learned to paddle a canoe as a young Scout leader in the 1980’s in Guelph, Ontario. Another young leader, D’Arcy Grant, taught me the basics and helped me grow my skills over the years. His friendship and mentoring helped me gain the confidence to develop my skills and be ready to take our Troop out on the water.

    The rhythm of paddling, the quiet lapping of the water along the hull, the pace that allows for quiet observance of the environment around are all things that have brought me deep joy.

    I’ve paddled back-country rivers and lakes in Northern Ontario and urban and rural rivers in Southern Ontario. I’ve paddled solo and with friends. It all brings peace and joy to my heart.

    Predominantly blue image of a solo canoe and paddler on a calm lake with sunbeams coming through the trees.

    Movies

    Bill Mason is arguably one of Canada’s most extraordinary wilderness paddlers and documentary filmmakers. His movie, Song of the Paddle, speaks to the joy of exploring the Canadian wilderness by canoe. The National Film Board of Canada has made this movie available to stream for free. There are quite a few of his films available through the NFB site if you like this one, including instructional paddling movies.

    Books

    Some books in no particular order, all pretty old now that helped me get started:

    A red wood and canvas canoe with a single paddle, drawn up on a rocky shore with a mirror calm lake behind it, evergreen trees on the bank, and mist rising above the lake behind.
  • Laughs

    Laughs

    Here are a few signs I’ve come across in my travels that just made me smile, gave me a few laughs or made me think about things.

    This sign, found in China made me laugh at first, and then think about whether grass can dream.
    Tiny grass is dreaming

    Tiny grass is dreaming. I have to assume that the author wanted people to stay off the new grass, but the thought as expressed is poetic.

    Here’s another interesting sign with an interesting translation from Chinese to English.

    I’m not sure that the author actually wanted you to beware of safety, but rather to alert people to hazards in the area. Another translation reads “Attention safety.”

    A green sign mounted on a pole with the hazard alert triangle and exclamation point, followed by a line of Chinese text and a line of English text reading "Beware of Safety"
    Beware of Safety
    I shot this photo when I was in Japan a few years ago because the translation made me laugh. A purple sign with white lettering and the hazard alert triangle outlined in red with a slip and fall graphic inside. There are two lines of Japanes text, with a line of English text below reading "Slip and fall down carefully."
    Slip and fall down carefully

    I found this one while walking around Tokyo. I’m not sure how one slips and falls down carefully.

    The prohibitions in this park include no dogs, no bicycles, no football, and I think, no littering, although I am not sure about that last one. I’m not sure about the point of a park without all that.

    Here’s one more that I came across in my travels.

    Warning sign reading, To avoid injury, don't tell me how to do my job
    WHite sign with blue lettering, reading NOTICE Thank you for noticing this notice, yur noticing this notice has been noted
    Danger sign reading Not to be operated By fuckwits
    A few more choice signs seen in my travels