[Alexander Forbes—home movies] Reel 5, Accession 1902

Date1936

AbstractCan label: "Westfield River, April 1936. Kayaking scenes" The Westfield River has been designated a National Wild & Scenic River, and has Class I-III rapids along its length. Alexander Forbes made 15 trips down the Westfield River between 1914 and 1932, and recorded the height of the water each year for 20 years. He published his experiences in "Twenty Years of the Westfield River" in Appalachia (journal), June, 1937. Daffodils blooming. Two two-man canoes float on a shallow river. One crew gets out to push their canoe over rocks. They make it into deeper, faster running water. HAS from the opposite shore of two men portaging a canoe over rocks (overexposed), and beaching it. HAS of a single canoeist: goes through rocks and whitewater, gets caught on rocks and has a hard time going through a narrow passage, and capsizes. HAS a man on the rocky shore helps him pull canoe out of water, where they empty it. He gets in and floats off with no paddle. HAS a camera follows two canoeists through the narrow tricky whitewater area. Views of six men around a campfire in a wooded area, eating. Views of men fishing at edge or river. Views of men paddling through rapids, following another canoe. More views of canoes going through whitewater in rocky areas.