Under the steeple of the Petrozavodsk railway station, you will be greeted by an escort with a sign (according to the arrival time of train No. 18 Moscow — Petrozavodsk).
To immediately set yourself up for a great adventure, we go to a restaurant for breakfast.
Breakfast will appeal to any traveler — the buffet is at your service.
We get acquainted with the accompanying person and other members of the group, share our first impressions of Karelia.
Our adventure begins!
We take buses to the starting point of the rafting — to the Ignoilskaya HPP dam (130 km).
After a long journey and before an intensive rafting trip, you need to refresh yourself.
Have you tried the cheese soup with meatballs? During a delicious lunch, the instructors will introduce you to general information about the upcoming route and answer all your questions.
After lunch on the shore, we begin to prepare for going out on the river: we inflate the rafts, the instructors conduct mandatory instruction on safety on the water and rowing techniques.
We receive helmets, life jackets and paddles, and pack all personal and general belongings in waterproof bags.
We are launching our vessels, and already in practice we are consolidating the theory — training sessions on the water.
Our route today: Ignolskaya HPP — port. Kenyakoski (3-4 K.S.) — por. Valoine (1-2 c.s.) — por. Sarikoski (1-2 c.s.) — por. Kumio (2-3 villages), 15 km.
The most difficult threshold today is the Kenyakoski threshold (3-4 kps).
Its name translates from Karelian as "Black Threshold", and all because the water appears black because of the rocks coming to the surface.
Its length is about a kilometer, and at the outlet there are 2 meter-long drains with a large barrel (a large foam shaft with a countercurrent).
The decision to remove the Kenyakoski threshold and the Kumio threshold is made by the instructor, depending on the readiness of the group and the water level.
We discuss the threshold together with the instructors.
We insure each other from the shore, and do not forget to film the passage of the threshold on video and photos to capture the vivid events!
This is followed by the uncomplicated Valoine rapids (1-2 k.s.) and Sarikoski (1-2 k.s.).
On the latter, by the way, you can really break away: ride along the ramparts, go sideways or backwards, in general, as your imagination allows you. And let all this be accompanied by ringing laughter.
The second difficult threshold awaits us further today — the Kumio threshold (2 k.s.).
It is also the most beautiful on the route: here the river winds between the banks of huge flat rocks.
We dock at the shore, set up camp.
Our dinner is unusual today — the instructors will give us a master class on cooking Karelian red fish on a log.
We will prepare a side dish for it and chop fresh vegetables.
Overnight stay in the field.