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WWW.CANOEROOTSMAG.COM [ TUMBLEHOME ] Symmetry and You THE REAL REASON YOUR CANOE IS THE BEST KIND OF THERAPY
Anyone who has ever undertaken a restoration project knows one of the curious features of canoes is that when you bisect the craft, amidships and from stem to stern, the quarters you’re left with are not identical replicas of one another. Yet, if you float that original boat and step back for a long look, its
symmetry on water is invariably pure to the eye and even downright poetic to those who love such things. Paddle that same canoe on the mirrored waters of a still lake in a glacial valley and it can be a peak experience, the stunning geometry of the natural world echoing the craft’s. It’s a reminder of the incredible resonances between humans and nature, and an affirmation of the oneness of self-propelled trav- elers and their environment. We are all attracted to symmetry. Scientists who study such things
have demonstrated repeatedly its significance when people consid- er a mate, influencing assessments of attractiveness and physical beauty. Indeed, Leonardo da Vinci’s most famous illustration, the Vitruvian Man, argues that divine guidance for the structure of the physical earth, particularly architecture, is contained in the symme- try and proportions of the human body. We have tried to replicate this beauty in many human-wrought designs, from the Parthenon to stringed instruments and to our very own canoes. Boats have essential and attractive symmetries. Besides being con- veyances that take us into wilderness, canoes and kayaks, with their
symmetry front-to-back, side-to-side and top-to-bottom (as reflected on still water), invite us all to ponder beauty and balance. In doing so, we connect to the simpler truths, in the forms of wood, water and sky. From those physical symmetries arise other harmonic reflections
as well: The symbiotic relationship of paddling partners, working together for a common purpose and facing challenges collectively. Embracing frailties and unknowns in group travel, trusting that all will be well when others do the same. It’s the balance of building a respectful base of common experience on which impermeable mu- tual trust and reciprocal friendships are based. Yes, symmetry in the wilderness is far more than just a physical property. Alan Jay Perlis, the prolific American mathematician known for
his pioneering work in computer languages, said this: “Symmetry is a complexity-reducing concept—seek it everywhere.” Paddlers know this to be true. We live in an increasingly complex
and conflicted world where information swirls around us every min- ute of every day and night, a noisy haze of bits and bytes. The symmetries of our canoes on water can’t help but remind us
of the hidden harmonies all around us—the change of seasons, day- light cresting the horizon or even the whirl following a blade in wa- ter. In this mad world, these simple and restorative truths—such as the grace of wood on water—are illusive and in short supply. James Raffan is the executive director of the Canadian Canoe Museum.
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AHHHH. PEACE AT LAST. PHOTO: YANIK CHAUVIN
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