Bob Holtzman

I've been writing about boating and other outdoor subjects since I published my first articles in "Offshore" magazine and "American Hiker" many years ago. Canoeing is my passion: whitewater, tripping, and especially flatwater paddling -- just taking a solo canoe onto a big pond and letting it drift with the wind. I place the paddle across the gunwales, lean on it, and listen, meditate, and enjoy the gentle movement. It's the closest I ever get to feeling spiritual.

I'm also enthusiastic about hiking, backpacking, camping, kayaking, bicycle repairs, and outdoor survival skills. I never have enough time to fully satisfy my urge for any of them.

Mankind's simplest boats fascinate me, and I maintain the Indigenous Boat blog at www.indigenousboats.com. While often "primitive" in a technological sense, many of the world's indigenous boats are notable for their ingenuity and diversity in fulfilling the highly localized needs of their users.

I also run Mythic Gear, which manufactures North America's lowest-price drysuits. They're available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/sp?_encoding=UTF8&asin=B01N55Q3J6&isAmazonFulfilled=0&isCBA=&marketplaceID=ATVPDKIKX0DER&orderID=&seller=A3JOF5QXB9T0V8&tab=&vasStoreID=