A canoe is a long, narrow boat that you move through water using a paddle. In most canoes you sit or kneel on a seat with the sides of the boat rising around you. Canoes are usually open on top, and you use a single-bladed paddle (a paddle with one flat end) that you dip into the water on alternating sides to push yourself forward.

Many Native American peoples used canoes thousands of years ago, crafting them from birch bark or by hollowing out large logs. These lightweight boats were perfect for traveling rivers and lakes to fish, trade, and explore. Today, most canoes are made from aluminum, fiberglass, or plastic, but they still follow that same elegant design.

Canoeing requires teamwork when two people share a boat. The person in back steers while the person in front provides power, and both need to coordinate their paddling rhythm. A canoe can tip over if passengers lean too far to one side or stand up suddenly, so balance and cooperation matter.

People go canoeing for adventure, fishing, or just to enjoy being on the water. As a verb, canoe means to travel by canoe. The phrase to paddle your own canoe means to be independent and handle things yourself.