In June 2023, writer Dan Rubinstein lashed camping gear to his stand-up paddleboard and embarked on an improbable solo voyage from Ottawa to Montreal, New York City, Toronto, and back to Ottawa along the rivers, lakes, and canals of a landlocked region. Over 1,200 miles and 10 weeks, he explored the healing potential of "blue space" - the aquatic equivalent of green space - and sought out others drawn to their local waters.
But the farther Rubinstein paddled, the more he realized that being in, on, or around water does more than boost our mental and physical health and prompt stewardship toward the natural world. He discovered that blue spaces are also a way to connect with the kaleidoscopic cross-section of people he met and the diverse geographies and communities he passed through.
Weaving together research, interviews, and an unmacho, malodorous, anticolonial adventure tale, Water Borne shows us that we don't need an epic journey to find solutions to so many modern challenges. Repair and renewal may be close at hand: just add water. Combining curiosity, humor, and rigorous reporting, Water Borne chronicles Dan Rubinstein's 1,200-mile solo journey through Canada and the U.S. on a stand-up paddleboard. Along the way, he meets with researchers, activists, athletes, and community builders who understand the healing role "blue space" can play in our lives and communities.
Dan Rubinstein is an Ottawa-based writer, editor, and stand-up paddleboarder. His first book, Born to Walk, was a finalist for the Ottawa Book Awards and Kobo Emerging Writer Prize. He's also a National Magazine Award–winning journalist who contributes to publications such as The Walrus, The Globe and Mail, and enRoute, and he's a former editor at Canadian Geographic magazine.
"With Water Borne, his engaging tale of traveling solo for more than 1,200 miles on his paddleboard, Dan Rubinstein cements his place among today's great outdoor adventurers. I've been exploring the Hudson River for decades and was delighted to experience the river anew through his lively writing and wry observations about life and the power of water to heal." - Ned Sullivan, President, Scenic Hudson
"Dan Rubinstein's Water Borne is exhilarating, meditative, and funny - but most of all, it's a paean to the power of blue space in our lives, our communities and our society. You won't be able to read it without feeling an overpowering urge to get wet." - Alex Hutchinson, New York Times bestselling author of The Explorer's Gene
"Water Borne is a captivating journey that made me want to escape the office, grab a paddleboard, and truly reconnect with the world. Dan Rubinstein is a masterful storyteller, guiding us through the Great Lakes Basin with vivid prose that moves seamlessly from the sublime beauty of open water to the gritty realities of industrial shorelines. More than just a travelogue, this book dives deep into the inland maritime history that shaped Canada and the northeastern U.S., revealing how these waterways built nations and continue to shape our future. A must-read for anyone drawn to the intersection of nature, history, and adventure." - Colin Angus, author and adventurer
"Modern humans have separated ourselves from water, burying streams, confining rivers, dumping waste. Rubinstein's contemplative journey offers us poignant reconnection, stitching threads of intimacy as he confronts industrial devastation, state violence against Indigenous water defenders, our ongoing responsibility to nature, and the beauty that persists." - Erica Gies, author of Water Always Wins
Sales and Market Bullets
• BLUE SPACE IS THE NEW GREEN SPACE: Dan uses his unique voyage to connect with the landscape and other water lovers, chatting with scientists, conservationists, pleasure boaters, and activists, including those from marginalized communities who face greater barriers
