Journey on Vltava…

I am leaving Naplavka. Lots of my friends have created an unforgetable atmosphere. I am leaving this almost undescribeable moment behind me and I feel, that it will stay with me for a long time.

I am putting the paddle into water and going ahead. Along my side I have another six boats and it‘s nice. Some also accompany me walking on shore.

I am beginning to be fully open to situations which this journey starts to bring. So, when by Vysehrad somebody said, that they need a break, just around a corner an ideal place appeared. All of us stopped at this harbor. It’s funny when also the walkers arrive, completely natural, unplanned stop.
It doesnt take long and we all arrive to Modrany. There is no reason to blow the beginning. Here are already waiting some unpatient friends, who want to spend a few more moments together with me. The evening is phenomenal and despite of it, I manage to wake up quite early and start the next part of the journey. I am accompanied still by Pavel on kayak and Tac with a crew on a yacht.
All the way to Slapy all goes smoothly, thanks to the support from the yacht. Everywhere is possible to get through with the yacht. Pavel helps me to get over the Slapy dam and puts my kayak on top of his car. Further nobody carries on with me so I continue on my own. Its a deep night. I flow on a still and very calm dark water and finding a place to sleep.

There is no need to describe kilometres and kilometres of paddling. But I would like to mention a part, which happened on the Easter Monday. On the water there was nobody to be seen. Only sometimes, somewhere I can see smoke coming up from houseboats anchored by the shore. The sky is dark. From heavy clouds huge snowflakes start to fall and around m eis an absolute silence. It takes only a few hours, but the atmosphere is fascinating.

Few days later I meet an owner of local yacht rental at Orlik. He helps me get over this dam, which at this time doesnt operate a get through way. Half of the kayak is lying on a 3metres long tow cart nehing his car and the second half I must hold to keep it from breaking in half. In this way I run behind the car for about two kilometres. On the top of the dam I am putting the kayak back on water and accepting an offer to stay overnight in one of the yachts.

At Orlik I meet again Tac and Anna, who came to accompany me. I am quite tired after a few days long paddling from Prague. We agree that we pull up the sails and we try to go together for at least a little bit. Its a new experience for me. I have never tried to steer a yacht and to catch even the slightest wind into the sails. At the end of the day we managed to have got over more than 10km despite of light wind and very uneven shore. From the next day I am on my own again.

To Hluboka and Vltavou the stream is stronger and stronger. The weirs and dams are not possible to overcome on boats and so I onload, pull and load the kayak more often than paddling. The last 30km to Hluboka nad Vltavou prove to be really difficult. I am glad that some more friends are waiting for me there. My dad, brother and Darek with wheels under the kayak. I really appreciate that some people still keep their word. I am grateful, that I can make an agreement even weeks in advance for a day, hour and place, and everything is on.

Thank you everyone for your support and help on my journey.