Exploring Wild Rivers and Creeks in Poland - Logjam or Rivercross Paddling?

Thu - January 18, 2007

Exploring Wild Rivers and Creeks in Poland - Logjam or Rivercross Paddling?

A month ago, I presented a 2007 paddling calendar from a Polish kayaking group KiM (Kazik i My). They are enjoying and promoting different forms of kayaking from whitewater to river trips to paddling the Baltic Sea. However, their specialty is exploration of small wild rivers and creeks including paddling through logjams and other obstacles in whitewater kayaks. They have developed different techniques to deal with natural and man made obstacles working individually or as a team.

The KiM web site is mostly in Polish, but they post a lot of good paddling pictures and video clips, so it is worth to visit. I will be posting links to their trip reports and instructional articles.

There is a good and popular name in Polish for this style of kayaking. Translated directly to English it is something like "logjam paddling". Perhaps, a better name for this paddling activity would be "rivercross" like "motocross"? Other suggestions along that line: "paddlecross" or "kayakcross." What do you think?

Obviously, there is no winter in Poland this year. So, here we have a first river report from KiM this year. It is a small river or rather creek, not so far away from Warsaw: Promnik 2007. Many fallen trees, numerous primitive foot bridges, several drops, 13 km (8.1 miles) and 4.5 hours of paddling. Warm, rainy and very windy weather. Many good pictures!

You can also check the earlier trip report from the same river: Promnik 2005.