Of Canoes and Crocodiles

Of Canoes and Crocodiles is a story of adventure in the remote and threatened landscapes of Papua New Guinea. In 2018, Tony Robinson-Smith and his wife Nadya Ladouceur bought dugout canoes and paddled down the Sepik, the country’s longest river. Traveling with local guides and staying in their villages, they ate smoked piranha and sago pancakes, heard tales of river gods and sorcerers, marvelled at Rainbow bee-eaters and cat-size flying foxes, sank in a tropical storm, got lost in mosquito-infested swamplands, and hid from pirates in mangroves near the sea. As the narrative follows the bends of the river, Robinson-Smith incorporates into its flow descriptions of the rituals and practices of the Sepik communities and reflects on colonization, Christian missionaries, and the joys and fears of travelling in a volatile Melanesian country.

Tony Robinson-Smith is the author of Back in 6 Years and The Dragon Run. He lives and teaches in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, and paddles on Lake Superior.