The plan for the weekend was straightforward: shake the dust off - or rather blow the dust out of - our inflatable Gumotex, which had been somewhat neglected ever since our switch to rigid hardshell kayaks. The choice of route was unanimous and quick: the Piaśnica River, an easy and scenic drift from Lake Żarnowieckie straight to the river mouth at the Baltic Sea.
To seasoned paddlers hunting for adrenaline or whitewater, the river might seem tame due to its gentle current and clear waterway free of natural obstacles. But I love it for its pristine water clarity and remarkably dynamic scenery: drifting from towering tunnels walled in by meters-high reeds, through vibrant autumn forests that look like a fairytale this time of year, straight to the cherry on top - the river spilling out onto the open Baltic beach.
Because the current is mild and the distance manageable, it’s well worth paddling the route round-trip against the stream on the way back. Pouring hot coffee from a thermos right on the sand marks the exact halfway point of the expedition.
As always on our microadventures, we gathered a few clips into a short video recap. This time around, there’s quite a bit more talking and laughing on camera - mostly because Monika remembered the golden rule of tandem kayaking: you don’t actually have to paddle for the boat to keep moving forward. Strangely enough, my arms felt unusually sore the next day…