--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Travel by canoe is not a necessity, and…" description: "\"Travel by canoe is not a necessity, and will nevermore be the most efficient way to get from one region to another, or even from one lake to another an..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/474/john-mcphee-11840_art_travel-by-canoe-is-not-a-necessity-and-w_2770565.jpg" --- # Travel by canoe is not a necessity, and will nevermore be… ![“Travel by canoe is not a necessity, and will nevermore be the most efficient way to get from one region to another, or even from one lake to another anywhere. A canoe trip has become simply a rite of oneness with certain terrain, a diversion off the field, an art performed not because it is a…” quote by John McPhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/474/john-mcphee-11840_art_travel-by-canoe-is-not-a-necessity-and-w_2770565.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/474/john-mcphee-11840_art_travel-by-canoe-is-not-a-necessity-and-w_2770565.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/474/john-mcphee-11840_art_travel-by-canoe-is-not-a-necessity-and-w_2770565.jpg) > “Travel by canoe is not a necessity, and will nevermore be the most efficient way to get from one region to another, or even from one lake to another anywhere. A canoe trip has become simply a rite of oneness with certain terrain, a diversion off the field, an art performed not because it is a necessity but because there is value in the art itself.” [John McPhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcphee/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Canoeing is valued for its experiential and artistic qualities, not for efficiency. **In simple terms:** Canoeing is about experience, not speed. Key Takeaway Seek experiences beyond practicality. Themes nature experience artistic value recreation Mood contemplative inspired Type philosophical recreational When to use this quote - river trips - mountain canoeing - eco-tourism - personal retreats Key Concepts environmental philosophy leisure studies embodied knowledge Questions to Reflect On - What non‑practical activities enrich your life? - How do you balance utility and joy? A Different Perspective Efficiency may be irrelevant for some pursuits. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Diversion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diversion/) [Lakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lakes/) [Oneness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oneness/) [Rite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rite/) [Travel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/travel/) [Values](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/values/) ## Related quotes > [My youngest brother and I went on a ten-day canoe trip in Bowron Provincial Park in British Columbia years ago. Believe it or not,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-hobbs/my-youngest-brother-and-i-went-on-a-ten-day-canoe-trip-in-bowron/) [Will Hobbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-hobbs/) > [“Know Many Trust a Few But Always Paddle your Own Canoe”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harmony-kent/know-many-trust-a-few-but-always-paddle-your-own-canoe/) Harmony Kent > [“Love many, trust few, always paddle your own canoe.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/english-slogan/love-many-trust-few-always-paddle-your-own-canoe/) English Slogan > [“If your name is "canoe" and you can't float on water, you are useless! If they call you "cutlass" but you can't chop anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/if-your-name-is-canoe-and-you-can-t-float-on-water-you-are-useless-if/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [If you were a man, you'd go into business for yourself. I know a fellow who started out last year with just a canoe.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/if-you-were-a-man-you-d-go-into-business-for-yourself-i-know-a-fellow/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) > [The feel of a canoe gunnel at the thigh, the splash of flying spray in the face, the rhythm of the snowshoe trail, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grey-owl/the-feel-of-a-canoe-gunnel-at-the-thigh-the-splash-of-flying-spray-in/) [Grey Owl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grey-owl/) > [It is said that some Western steamers can run on a heavy dew, whence we can imagine what a canoe may do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/it-is-said-that-some-western-steamers-can-run-on-a-heavy-dew-whence/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Wherever there is a channel for water, there is a road for the canoe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/wherever-there-is-a-channel-for-water-there-is-a-road-for-the-canoe/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“In the canoe, the Indian smiled. Once he paused in a stroke, and rested his blade. For that instant he looked like his own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holling-clancy-holling/in-the-canoe-the-indian-smiled-once-he-paused-in-a-stroke-and-rested/) Holling Clancy Holling > [A dugout is much superior to a conventional manufactured canoe because you can get soaking wet without bothering to capsize it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/a-dugout-is-much-superior-to-a-conventional-manufactured-canoe/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [You get a canoe later and I'll paddle you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/you-get-a-canoe-later-and-i-ll-paddle-you/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) > [“Mister Jordan?” Came the genteel, restrained voice of a more senior gentleman in the front of the canoe. “Yes, General?” “Shut up.” The General…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-engela/mister-jordan-came-the-genteel-restrained-voice-of-a-more-senior/) [Christina Engela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-engela/) > [You can't fire a cannon, from a canoe!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-poliquin/you-can-t-fire-a-cannon-from-a-canoe/) [Charles Poliquin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-poliquin/) > [Originality is unexplored territory. You get there by carrying a canoe - you can't take a taxi.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-alda/originality-is-unexplored-territory-you-get-there-by-carrying-a-canoe/) [Alan Alda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-alda/) > [And he paddled away in his douche canoe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-hill/and-he-paddled-away-in-his-douche-canoe/) [Joe Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-hill/) ## More by John McPhee > [“For nonfiction projects, ideas are everywhere. They just go by in a ceaseless stream.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcphee/for-nonfiction-projects-ideas-are-everywhere-they-just-go-by-in-a/) [John McPhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcphee/) > [In making war with nature, there was risk of loss in winning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcphee/in-making-war-with-nature-there-was-risk-of-loss-in-winning/) [John McPhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcphee/) > [“I’d much rather watch people do what they do than talk to them across a desk.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcphee/i-d-much-rather-watch-people-do-what-they-do-than-talk-to-them-across/) [John McPhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcphee/) > [I used to sit in class and listen to the terms come floating down the room like paper airplanes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcphee/i-used-to-sit-in-class-and-listen-to-the-terms-come-floating-down-the/) [John McPhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcphee/) > [“A lead is good not because it dances, fires cannons, or whistles like a train but because it is absolute to what follows.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcphee/a-lead-is-good-not-because-it-dances-fires-cannons-or-whistles-like-a/) [John McPhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcphee/) > [“If basketball was going to enable Bradley to make friends, to prove that a banker's son is as good as the next fellow, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcphee/if-basketball-was-going-to-enable-bradley-to-make-friends-to-prove/) [John McPhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcphee/) > [“Since most callers have until moments before been completely unaware that there are bears in New Jersey, there is often in their voices a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcphee/since-most-callers-have-until-moments-before-been-completely-unaware/) [John McPhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcphee/) > [“Incandescent carbon particles, by the tens of millions, leap free of the log and wave like banners, as flame. Several hundred significantly different chemical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcphee/incandescent-carbon-particles-by-the-tens-of-millions-leap-free-of/) [John McPhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcphee/) > [“If you have to ask that question, you wouldn't understand the answer.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcphee/if-you-have-to-ask-that-question-you-wouldn-t-understand-the-answer/) [John McPhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcphee/) > [Almost all Americans would recognize Anchorage, because Anchorage is that part of any city where the city has burst its seams and extruded Colonel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcphee/almost-all-americans-would-recognize-anchorage-because-anchorage-is/) [John McPhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcphee/) > [“The doctor listens in with a stethoscope and hears sounds of a warpath Indian drum. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcphee/the-doctor-listens-in-with-a-stethoscope-and-hears-sounds-of-a/) [John McPhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcphee/) > [On a certain scale, it does look like I do a lot. But that’s my day, all day long, sitting there wondering when I’m…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcphee/on-a-certain-scale-it-does-look-like-i-do-a-lot-but-that-s-my-day-all/) [John McPhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcphee/) > [“There is no Weatherfax map on the Stella Lykes—only the barometer, the barographs, the teletypes from NOAA. The radar can see a storm, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcphee/there-is-no-weatherfax-map-on-the-stella-lykes-only-the-barometer-the/) [John McPhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcphee/) > [He (Dave Brower) is an emotionalist in an age of dangerous reason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcphee/he-dave-brower-is-an-emotionalist-in-an-age-of-dangerous-reason/) [John McPhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcphee/) > [Taking things from one source is plagiarism; taking things from several sources is research.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcphee/taking-things-from-one-source-is-plagiarism-taking-things-from/) [John McPhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcphee/) [Explore all 57 John McPhee quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcphee/) ## More Art quotes > [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. 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You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“So, really," continued Jacob as if this were perfectly normal to expound on art in these circumstances, "when you think about it, the artists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justina-chen-headley/so-really-continued-jacob-as-if-this-were-perfectly-normal-to-expound/) [Justina Chen Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justina-chen-headley/) > [“There are two options in art; either to adopt philosophical life by dissecting art, or to write your own philosophical life and claim it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taf-teh/there-are-two-options-in-art-either-to-adopt-philosophical-life-by/) Taf Teh > [The house has to serve comfort. The work of art is revolutionary; the house is conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-loos/the-house-has-to-serve-comfort-the-work-of-art-is-revolutionary-the/) [Adolf Loos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-loos/) > [During human progress, every science is evolved out of its corresponding art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/during-human-progress-every-science-is-evolved-out-of-its/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [In literature and art memory is a synonym for invention. It is the life-blood of imagination, which faints and dies when the veins are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-aris-willmott/in-literature-and-art-memory-is-a-synonym-for-invention-it-is-the/) [Robert Aris Willmott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-aris-willmott/) > [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. 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