Who's Who: Bill Mason

[GregS]

Paddler of the Century tribute:

Perhaps no other canoeist has commanded his or her discipline as well as Quebec marathon racer Serge Corbin, 42, who has won the famed Triple Crown of North American Canoe Racing–consisting of the 70-mile General Clinton Canoe Race, 120-mile Ausable Marathon, and Canada's La Classique de Canots de la Maurice–every year since its inception in 1992. Included in these results are victories in 20 of 22 races since the Triple Crown was formed. With 55 major victories in 23 years of racing events comprising the Triple Crown, he is clearly one of Canada's preeminent paddlers. "For more than 20 years he has dominated marathon canoe racing to an extent unmatched by any competitor in any other sport," says Triple Crown spokesman Phil Weiler. "His record is comparable to a single athlete winning 50 major PGA golf tournaments or 50 Grand Slam tennis tournaments over 20 years."

Bill Mason (1929 - 1988), also known as "the patron saint of canoeing" (though known also as a filmmaker and Artist), should need no introduction... but here are some information sources:

Wikipedia Entry

The Bill Mason pages on RedCanoes.Ca (maintained by the Mason family)

This site includes the following sections:

• About Bill
• DVDs
• Original Paintings
• Fine Art Prints
• Print Specials
• Books
• Honours

[GregS]

On 20th November, 2011, Wikipedia listed Bill Mason's books and films as follows:

Books
Path of the Paddle ISBN 1-55209-328-X, on the technique of Canadian style canoeing
Song of the Paddle ISBN 1-55209-089-2, on wilderness canoe travel
Canoescapes - a compilation of text and his paintings

Films
Wilderness Treasure (1962) - won a Canadian Film Award in the category of Travel and Recreation in 1963
The Voyageurs (1964)
Paddle to the Sea (1966) - nominated for Best Short Film, 1968 Academy Awards
The Rise and Fall of the Great Lakes (1968)
Blake (1969) - on the passion of flying, about his friend, fellow filmmaker and pilot Blake James, nominated Best Live Action Short Film, 1970 Academy Awards
Death of a Legend (1971) - a documentary on the threats to wolves
Cry of the Wild (1972) - a film on timber and Arctic wolves
Goldwood (1974) A journey to a past family homestead on a now deserted island.
In Search of the Bowhead Whale (1974) - adventure film of a whaling expedition
Wolf Pack (1974) - a short film on wolf pack interrelationships, including among wolves the Mason family kept on their own property.
Face of the Earth (1975)
Path of the Paddle (1977) - a series of films on the techniques of canoeing
Song of the Paddle (1978) - a film of one of Bill Mason's family wilderness canoeing trips
Coming Back Alive (1980) - an instructional film on recreational boating safety
Pukaskwa National Park (1983) - a film covering one of Mason's favourite areas, the Pukaskwa region of Lake Superior.
The Land that Devours Ships (1984)
Waterwalker (1984) - a feature-length film of Bill Mason's journey on Lake Superior

Source here.

[GregS]

Bill Mason | Canada

Bill Mason developed a great passion for canoeing and the wilderness very early in life. As a renowned, award winning Canadian naturalist, author, artist, filmmaker and conservationist Bill Mason is widely considered a Canadian Canoeing Legend. His books, paintings, films and environmental advocacy and stewardship have each had a tremendous impact on generations of wilderness travelers and whitewater paddlers, not only within Canada, but worldwide. As the most successful filmmaker in the history of the National Film Board of Canada, Bill Mason is perhaps best known for the “Path of the Paddle” Whitewater series of films. Consisting of four (4) individual titles: Quietwater Solo Basic, Quietwater Doubles Basic, Solo Whitewater and Doubles Whitewater, “Path of the Paddle” introduced new skills to canoeists worldwide during the 1970s and 1980s and were influential in increasing the sheer joy and exuberance of a whitewater run.

Bill Mason’s influence on whitewater paddling extends far beyond his films, books and publications and into the hearts of paddlers and Candians in general. So strong has his influence been on the love of paddling and the environmental stewardship of Canadians that his influence continues to be felt far and wide, twenty years after his death.

“He is a man enthralled with the sheer joy of guiding a canoe through challenging rapids in the early spring, awestruck by the beauty of nature as seen over the bow of a canoe silently traversing a mirror-smooth lake in the early morning…” –Pierre Trudeau, Canadian Prime Minister

CATEGORY ACCOMPLISHMENTS / ACHIEVEMENTS / COMPETITIVE RESULTS
• 1950-1958: Manitoba Pioneer Camp Canoeing Program, Program Director of Development: many of the leading-edge skills, techniques and equipment developed by Bill Mason throughout the 1970s and 1980s, as featured in the “Path of the Paddle” series of films and books were adopted by and incorporated into the course curriculums of many Canadian Canoe and Youth Camps, canoe clubs, wilderness expedition companies and provincial and territorial whitewater canoeing organizations.
• 1959: Manitoba Pioneer Camp, Wilderness Treasure, Filmmaker

Bill Mason was the most successful filmmaker in the history of the National Film Board of Canada. Throughout his career he was awarded 67 national and international awards for his films, including 2 Academy Award Nominations for “Paddle to the Sea” in 1964 and “Blake” in 1967.

ADDITIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS / ACCOMPLISHMENTS / COMPETITIVE RESULTS
1974: Elected to the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts for Success in Filmmaking
1974: Elected to the Canadian Academy of Film and Television Arts and Sciences

WHITEWATER ORGANIZATION MEMBERSHIPS
Wilderness Canoe Association
Wooden Canoe Heritage Association
Paddle Canada, Life Member

PUBLISHED ARTICLES, MANUSCRIPTS AND MEDIA
1980: “Path of the Paddle: An Illustrated Guide to the Art of Canoeing,” by Bill Mason, Key Porter Books
1988: “Song of the Paddle: An Illustrated Guide to Wilderness Camping,” by Bill Mason, Key Porter Books
1995: “Canoescapes,” by Bill Mason, A Boston Mills Book

FILMS:
1963: “Wilderness Treasure”
1966: “Paddle to the Sea”
1969: “Rise and Fall of the Great Lakes”
1970: “Blake”
1971: “Death of a Legend”
1973: “Cry of the Wild”
1975: “In Search of the Bowhead Whale”
1977: “Path of the Paddle: Doubles Whitewater”
1977: “Face of the Earth”
1978: “Song of the Paddle”
1978: “Wolf Pack”
1983: “Path of the Paddle: Solo Whitewater”
1986: “The Land That Devours Ships”
1989: “Waterwalker”

HONORS AND AWARDS
• 1984: Award of Merit by the Canadian Recreational Canoeing Association “In deepest gratitude for your very meaningful contributions to the growth and development of canoeing in Canada.”
• 1984: National Parks Centennial Award by the Ministry of the Environment, Government of Canada “In grateful recognition of the special contribution made by Bill Mason to the celebration of the National Parks Centennial”.
• 1988: The Bill Mason Outdoor Education and Environmental Studies Centre opens in Ottawa
• 1989: Canadian Parks Service Heritage Award by the Ministry of the Environment, Government of Canada “Presented on behalf of the Canadian people to Bill Mason in recognition of your exceptional and significant contribution to Canada’s heritage.”
• 1989: Interpretation Canada Distinguished Service by Interpretation Canada “for excellence in the field of interpretation.”
• 1990: Paddle Canada establishes the Bill Mason Memorial Scholarship Fund
• 1998: Bill Mason was honored with a Canadian Postage Stamp depicting him in a whitewater canoe. Eight Million stamps were issued
• 2003: The Canadian Heritage Rivers Society creates the “Bill Mason Award” and presents it to a Canadian Citizen who has made an outstanding contribution to the canoeing heritage in Canada.