18th – 20th of July 2008
Czarna Hańcza Kayaking Trip
The weather was good. For the first time, I took part in Czarna Hańcza kayaking trip a year ago. I found this river so enchanting, that I decided to show it to Justynka. This year, I managed to make this dream come true. And there is a lot things worth seeing there, because Hańcza valley is just wonderful. It is very shallow river with numerous windings, almost crystal clear water and extremely rapid stream. Valley of the river is magical. You feel amazing relaxation even in spite of muscle ache caused by paddling. Communion with such a beautiful nature improves well-being and positively disposes towards life.
We went to Augustów together with our friends on Friday. We had to leave Białystok at 6:30 – three days trip only and packing prolonged from evening until morning. But Since the luggage was crammed in a car, we didn’t have to carry it nor drag along with kayak and we could have taken anything we wanted to. We were first in Szota, people started to arrive around 10:30. We were taken by bus to Wigry to see Camaldules Monastery. This is where we launched our kayaks and set off on an adventure. On the whole, it was one of the biggest kayaking trips – one could say that the biggest in 13 years’ history – 37 participants. Piotr Markiewicz, gold medalist from Atlanta, was on board together with us. Did we feel safer because of that ? The river was beautiful but dangerous, full of treacherous whirlpools as well as trees and roots knocked down by thunderstorms. Nevertheless, whole river was only for us, specific yellow kayaks were all around in the bushes. It would be a miracle to keep a perfect watch on such a big kayaking trip.
On the first evening, we had a camp fire and sausages. Second day was just as beautiful. I even managed to take a photo of a heron in the bushes (honestly, there were more herons on the trail, but these animals are really skittish and it is very difficult to take a picture of a heron). Justynka was sitting on a bow of the kayak and shooting natural scientific movie. It was just great. In the evening, we took a romantic shower in „U Bociana” paying only 5 zl per person.
At night, about 9:00 pm, we went to Głęboki Bród to enjoy jazz concert “Jazz na Buduku” organized in a barn.
Klezmer Orchestra of Sjeneński Theatre, “Academy of movement” group or Open Trio were definitely highlights of the evening.
Third day, the longest one, wasn’t that difficult paradoxically. Before we left our tent, we had had a baptism of fire – it had been raining heavily. After an hour of leaking through, rain was weakening and the sun was breaking through the clouds. Idle was not long however, it started to rain again after few miles. It was a cloud-burst actually. As a captain of the kayak no 86 I gave an order to evacuation. We sailed up to the camping site, I landed the kayak, protected it and took the crew under a small roof. Several other kayaks joined us after few minutes, they were not ours however. We waited until 12:30 – something about an hour from landing on a riverbank. When it brighten up, we moved on. In spite of heavy clouds, rain did not bother us anymore this day.
Hańcza’s shoreline is exceptionally well developed are in terms of tourism. Sailing in a riverbed, You can moor to numerous jetties. From time to time, ”squinting around”, You can see some old granny selling brioches, buns with blue berries, various homemade wines –so called local, agro-tourist attraction. There were many people fond of such titbits (or, as malicious gossip say, their supplies run out), I was more careful personally. Fortunately there were no casualties, everybody reached our destination place. There are numerous camping sites prepared for tourists on the banks of the river, there is even possibility to rent a camping house or a lodging.
Next day at work, I had a classified – war counsel in District Anti – Crisis Centre from 6:00 am until 2:00 pm.
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