Apologies that it has been so long since our last update but the team has been very busy!
We crossed the border back into Russia at the end of July; we were met by our truck and taken straight to a river called the Karagem which flows into the Argut. This was a 6-day adventure, which Sherman will write about soon. Himself and Sean have flewn home to their respective jobs, while we continue to explore central Asia. Hopefully in the next few days, between us all, we can fill you in on all the adventures we’ve had over the past three weeks.
After getting off the Karagem / Argut, we bumped into a group of Russian kayakers who’d just endured an epic trip on the infamous Lower Bauskaus river which had flooded beyond recognition while they were in the remote gorge. One of their friends had decided to walk out and hadn’t been seen since… we were due to do the Bauskaus in less than a week’s time and their stories didn’t fill us with confidence!
The Russian group were on their way to a river festival on the Katun river and Tom and I decided to join them while the others paddled the Chulyshman – it’d be useful for information gathering, making contacts and if nothing else a good party. Besides I was missing “gayboating” as the boys call it (playboating).
The festival site was a beautiful, forested, free camping spot between the M25 road and the Katun river. The whole weekend was run by volunteers; cooking food for everyone, DJing and running the river events. There was a brilliantly relaxed and friendly atmosphere about the place and we were made very much part of the family!
The event kicked off with a big party in the woods, fuelled by masses of vodka. There was a DJ stand, lights and a projector showing photos from last year’s event. We were asked if we had photos to add to the show and soon our Mongolia waterfall photos were flashing up on a 4ft square screen. It was awesome!
Saturday hosted the “Fun Slalom”, held on a tributary which came in on the opposite side of the Katun. Everyone ferried across while the families, spectators and other non-boaters drove around to watch.
Tom decided to go for comedy points and took a creek boat down the course, pulling the first gate down to meet his boat rather than manoeuvring his boat to hit it then kissing the banner.
I don’t think it gained him all the points as he deserved though, finishing 8th in the Mens; while despite doing half the course on my head and clattering my arm into rocks on my second run, I managed to come top of the Ladies event and not without stiff competition.
Sunday brought the freestyle leg of the festival, which was held on a feature called Captain Hole – usually a brilliant combination of hole and wave we were told, but the recent rain made the river unseasonably high and it wasn’t much but a flushy wave.
The top five paddlers (male and female combined) were taken into a final – myself and Katya versus three men, including the current Russian Cup holder and the guy who’d been hot on Tao Berman’s tail at a recent Russian extreme race!
Mitai came first place in both the freestyle and the slalom making him the overall champion for the Mens event. I was top lady in both events, but more proudly I was only beaten by Mitai in the freestyle – earning me second prize in the ‘Mens’ freestyle! Crowned king and queen of Captain Hole 2007, Mitai and I drank champagne from our trophies and lowered the event flag.
As usual, you can find more photos in our gallery.
A three day mission, including a night sat with our belongings outside a police station, finally saw us reunited with the others. It was time to take on the Lower Bauskaus…