Many of the more experienced mishoon-makers in the project commented throughout the burning process that the tree was burning quickly...very, very quickly for an 18' log. In hindsight, we speculate that the summer drought played a role in the rapid burning. On the morning of the sixth day, it became clear that the mishoon would be soon finished. This news, while surprising, provided an additional lesson in climate change and the impact of a drought on the natural environment.

A typical mishoon takes seven to ten days, maybe more. Both our project partners have worked on many mishoonash in the past. Andre worked on a mishoon last year that was smaller and yet took nine days to burn. Hartman and Dylan had both worked on more than fifteen mishoon. And yet, this one was different for many reasons. In addition to the dry conditions, people with decades of experience came from near and far to lend a hand. This collective expertise likely also impacted the burn rate.

The mishoon is finished burning when you can feel the heat through the bottom of the canoe. It is critical at this stage to pay attention. The coals need to be moved around to even out the hollow and prevent hot spots from burning through the bottom or sides. Distraction can lead to a hole in the mishoon, and we all know what that means in any water vessel.