Sailing ABBAS

Also this year we went to Vltava on rafts and we found out again, that we have still our power. Our green-t-shirt team managed this challenge well!

In the end of June, now as the 6th year and again with our families, children, and friends, we went to the river. Our previous plans to go to Otava were canceled because of low level of water in this river. So we had the possibility to conquer Vltava at the second time. And the missing water in Otava felt down as the rain in Vltava surroundings.

Our meeting was on Thursday evening in the camp Vltava, about 10 km from Český Krumlov. Bad weather wasn’t maybe encouraging for some people, because we met only as 28 heavy-duty paddlers. We built our tents, took our staff from luggage and went with some sweeties and drinks to the fire, where we drank, ate sweets and could persuade the whole camp that guys and girls from Abbas are not only good businessmen, but also very promising singers.

Not everyone wanted to leave on Friday after 9 a.m. his sleeping bag, but finally we mobilized all our staff and on 10 o’clock we went together by bus to the start of our rafting, to Vyšší Brod. The weather discouraged us a little, because 23 km on the raft by raining isn’t really comfortable. But fortunately the raining stopped during the way by bus. At the start everyone chose his vessel, ship or raft, and then one of most important procedure followed – tying our bottles behind the vessel. I had a chance to taste more different mixtures during the way, but the biggest representation had favorite coke with sailing boat. Time didn’t press us, we finished in the camp, where our tents were built, and I think, that all paddlers were glad as me, that we are going Vltava again, because we don’t toil so much.

I was on this water-trip as each year with my boyfriend on the canoe and it looks like we are getting better each year. This year we even made a deal, where is left and right.

We rather came along the first weir in Vyšší Brod and we stopped for a late breakfast, where I enjoyed beer and bread with fat and onion. After about 3km we finished our sailing to another weir Herbertov, which we conquered as professional paddlers. Then the lunch in Rožmberk followed and later the last weir of this day, which we weren’t afraid of. And then suddenly the sun started shining. About 1km from our finish we made a stop in famous camp U Fíka to have even more famous Fíkovice, which I didn’t rather taste and stayed at my beer. Those, who spurned Fíkovice, were really very little number. In front of the camp, not far away from the stone, where the Nymph sits, we finally bathed properly. I didn’t stay awake long after this hard day and a while after coming I better laid down to sleep. The fun was taking part again in the same rhythm and again till morning hours.

We woke up to the rainy Saturday morning and the rain wasn’t stopped almost the whole day. My conviction, that on Friday I didn’t work too hard, was disproved by my totally run-down body. Neither the cold weather was for us something, what would hurry us up to the vessels. Finally we setup our raincoats and started on the water to Český Krumlov.

I was looking forward to go to Krumlov, the city of weirs, however in this weather it wasn’t really according to my idea. After a while of shipping we stopped to have one beer and to gather our strength in the camp U Vikinga and we continued to the weir in Větřní, which we managed again as the best paddlers. After a while there was next weir Spolí. It was a long trying to persuade me to manage it. Each second canoe was under the water in that place and I really didn’t want to bath my numb body in cold water. Finally we managed it, but we got into the ship so much water, that my raincoat stopped fulfill his task and it doesn’t matter for me, if we will or won’t go under the water. Then we had a stop for food and we went to another weir Na Rechlích. We didn’t go to sail him – almost everyone finished under the water. And immediately after next one kilometer there was next weir, which we managed with imagination, that in a short moment we will be in the finish and change our clothes for dry ones.

The last redoubtable weir Jelení lávka was in front of us. Here we didn’t think even for a short time and took our ship from the water. Then we hurried to the finish, which was not far away from brewery Eggenberg. After returning of the ship and taking dry clothes we went to the brewery. At the waiting for the bus I tasted two specials, heated myself with the garlic soup and I was fine again. After coming into the camp it still rained. We ate and drank in the camp’s restaurant. Coldness and tiredness was really visible on us, so before midnight almost everyone slept in his tent.

On Sunday morning after nine o’clock we left one after another the camp. It was fine, weather wasn’t really on our side, but we persuaded ourselves again, that we’re not from sugar.

I felt myself best on Sunday evening, when I, after washing clothes, cleaning the tent and washing myself, laid down at the couch and opened for a change a battle of beer.

Next year it is before us again, another river, new experiences, I am looking forward to it just now. I hope, that the weather will play more for us next year, an even if not, so I know, that we are decisive and some cloud will not discourage us.