I'm a ham radio operator, aka amateur radio. A federal license is required to use amateur radio frequencies, and most vendors will ask for your callsign when selling you one, although I doubt you'll get refused if you offer a reasonable explanation.

I suspect the small shortwave radio on that slideshow was HF, and I'd bet they had an external antenna, not the rubber ducky that's on handhelds.

Most handheld ham radios are VHF/UHF, and they are line-of-site range with crappy antennas and 5W of power (or less). I don't know where you canoe, but I'd not want to bet my life on raising another ham on a handheld radio.

There are portable HF radios which have world-wide range, but you'd need batteries, a good external antenna, a way to set up the antenna, and that pesky license. I'd stick with the satphone or a PLB. I sometimes camp in out of the way areas, and I rent a satphone for the week or so I'll be out of cellphone range, but my goal is to be able to reach AAA for breakdowns and towing, although I get local hospital and ambulance numbers, too. You can't beat calling locally if you need help.