Messages

1

Off-topic / Re: Trip to Finland

« on: July 24, 2019, 10:44:55 PM »

Hi,
surprise, I'm back and... I'm going to Finland! Yeah! Once again thank you all for support, it was VERY helpful.

After almost a year of brainstorm, trip plan changed a little bit:
1. I'm going alone. Mainly because we can't leave our child for so long and my wife is a little affraid:)
2. Destination: lake Saimaa, start from Lappeenranta. Why? Because I have quite good, cheap connection(direct flight from Berlin). I leave more unaccesible and distant regions like Hossa for future. Maybe next year we will plan longer trip and travel there by our old trusty volvo.
3. I rent a kayak suitable for water area THIS size. This time I was a little affraid that my funny rubber kayak will not stand waves of Saimaa. I even tried to buy kayak on Tori site but this is another story... 
- rental service(very kind anh helpful people) https://drakkarsport.com
- kayak model https://tahe-marine.taheoutdoors.com/tm_en/oceanspirit-pe.html
4. I'm going there for 10 days, 9 in kayak. I will be very very happy to see Savonlinna but I realy don't know how much km/day I can paddle so I don't make any asumptions right now. The trip starts on 16th August, ends on 26th.
5. Camping: mainly in deserted areas, islands. Sleeping in good sleepingbag on hamock with tarp
6. Cooking: Trangia stove for liquid fuel/suitable fireplaces. Food supplies will be bought in S-market near kayak rental area. I will also bring fishing rod. But it's unlikely that I catch something because I never hold fishing rod in my hands before and I even don't have one yet Maybe I will use fish trap mentioned by Erkka.
7. I will try to shoot some pictures on my trip and of course I will write word or two when I come back.

Wish me luck and take care!

2

Off-topic / Re: Other roguelikes

« on: January 03, 2019, 07:23:40 PM »

just drop it here:

https://www.atthegatesgame.com/game-info/
https://store.steampowered.com/app/241000/Jon_Shafers_At_the_Gates/

3

Off-topic / Re: Trip to Finland

« on: September 10, 2018, 12:04:46 PM »

Hi guys,

Sorry for late reply but now a lot is going in my life, a lot of mini projects like building sauna(yeah! ). Thank you all for answers, like I said before every information, every link is priceless. The idea of the trip is still alive, I almost gathered money for pneumatic kayak so progress is better than I could imagine. Detailed plan for the trip will arise later but for now I think that Lapland and Hossa would be too much so I'm dropping it down on the list. Probably we will end in southern/central parts of Finland. Erkka, Ametsala, we will try to vist you guys in that time, for now it's too soon for such detailed plan.

The_Hobo: The Olympic Peninsula looks great and i'ts close to Vancouver(always want to visit this city), pacific ocean and of course Roslyn where they film my beloved "Northern Exposure" - I envy you!
But sadly droughts all around the world are very disturbing Here in Poland we also have huge problems with that. Even in Sweden there were big forest fires in this summer. Shocking. I also don't remember the 'real' winter in our area with tons of snow and freezing cold, ech

Take care and play Urw!
Simon

4

Off-topic / Re: Trip to Finland

« on: July 01, 2018, 04:37:43 PM »

Thank you guys for informations, your help is priceless!

What about renting kayaks or a canoe? The disadvantage to that is that you have to return to the starting point to return them.
I know nothing about rental services in Finland, though, and they'd reasonably be located at places where they get customers...

Yes, I considered it of course but this option has major cons:
- rental price (almost equal to cost for new pneumatic kayak for rivers scale III)
- lack of mobility (pneumatic can be packed very quickly and weights 'only' 17-20kg)
- 1 time event (with some luck pneumatic one will survive more than 2 weeks and we could use it for the next trip:) ) 

Hi, and Welcome.

My first suggestion is for your map site, just in case you don't know, to use green markers (laavu=lean-to) or red (kota=kota, duh!) for sleeping, orange are places you can make fire at but not necessarily for sleeping. Blue markers labeled autiotupa are small cottages free to sleep in, päivätupa are intended for short stops, not sleeping and varaustupa need to be rented. Grey markers are either sights or bird watching locations. Sorry for rambling if you already knew this.

I'm already aware of it but thanks

Second, this map might be usefull for planning your trip if you want to find more "natural" places.

This is just great, man! Great site, very useful.
 

Cheers, and remember not to drink and paddle.

Just a little

I think 'where to go' depends on timing and your choice of equipment. Like, would you prefer river routes with rapids, or would you prefer criss-crossing the lake networks? If you have a canoe which is better suited for lakes, then shooting rapids isn't necessarily a wise option. And if you don't have a lot of earlier experience, going out to the sea might not be the safest option. In any case, the the options are plenty.

Timing: I would say - the most warmer month, so july probably -/+ 1 month. Equipment: 90% pneumatic kayak, tent, cooking pot, wife, fishing rod and strong back.   
Unfortunately, we have no experience on sea level but I read that pneumatic kayaks are much more suitable on sea than PU ones. We will sea... see Nevertheless our priority goes to inland waters. For now.
In past we both were on rivers class III but I'm not 100% sure about pneumatic kayaks hardeness so let's play it safe - criss-crossing lake networks with no hardcore rapids would be just fine.

Using a fish trap would require paying the national-level fishing license (they sell for 15€ / week. If you pay that, it would also allow you to drag a lure while you paddle around. Another nice way to possibly catch a pike while you go.) To be precise, a fish trap would also require a local-level license depening on the waters where you are. But my personal opinion is that if you are switching places every night, and you aren't highly experienced fisher then you catches are likely to stay so small that paying a local fee isn't that necessary.

Great, thank you Erkka! Fish trap is very good idea, especially because it's foldable and my skills are far below novice. I don't quite get this part about local fee... It depends on size of the catch?
Lately, I read about more primitive fishings methods and maybe I would go that way, but for now let's stay with commercial fishing rod and plastic fish trap.


So, for now (thanks to you!), I have 4 main target areas. Of course every comment on these and new proposal are very welcome:

1. Lapland - as whole but further north the better Something is calling me from out there but I have to be cautious with wife, she is excited but not as much as me Also, myself would like to see more 'civilized' side of Finland first, afterwards this more cold and harsh. I have 1 year to think about it and talk with my other side.

2. Kolovesi National Park and/or Linnansaari National Park - this look quite easy and pleasant. Main objection is how popular it is. Especially in June, July or September. If you could help in this matter I would be more than grateful.

3. Hossa National Park - very promising not well know place with beautiful sights and route to Oulu where I could try kayak on the sea. Great idea, thank you!

4. Visiting Erkka, Helvetinjärvi national park and other nice places around, Tampere - thank you for invitation Erkka. Even if it won't be our main destination we consider to stop by for a day or two or seven  

Once again thanks guys and take care
Szymon

EDIT: Just found fellow-countryman blog with pictures from trip Savonlinna-Kuopio in pneumatic kayak! It takes him 13 days. Look at those beautiful photos! - https://paragonzpodrozy.pl/15333/pojezierze-finskie-kajakiem-wyglada-najwieksza-kraina-jezior-swiecie/

5

Off-topic / Re: Trip to Finland

« on: June 24, 2018, 08:00:23 AM »

Hi,

I think this topic seems to be adequate so...
Next summer me and my wife plann a trip to Finland for about 10-14 day depending how our babysitters(moms  )would agree and I would like to ask you for some help in planning this adventure . We like nature and kayaks A LOT so we are going to spend A LOT time in both. Basic concept for this trip is to buy something like this ->https://e.allegroimg.com/s512/01c6b0/9f21bd3b4fe0a9e80ee699c21f2e<- here in Poland, backpack it(only 17kg), take a flight to Helsininki and spend every single day in beautiful finnish scenery, camping somewhere in the woods with help from this site ->https://www.tulikartta.fi/index.php?type=Kaikki&lataus=1<- and our trusty tent. Every night in different campsite.
These are main assumptions but I need help with details:
1. Where to go? Depending on our canoing concept, please post your suggestions in this matter. Preferably not so common places, standing aside from main courses - beautiful and wild. Of course visiting URW fans would also be great option!
2. Pneumatic kayak. Maybe this is not best solution, we always uses normal, inflexible ones. I also thought about buying kayak or canoe directly in our start area and leave it or sell in the end. Maybe you could help -  is it expensive? Is there some internet sites where I could contact with potential seller?
3. I plan to fish but I am totally green - maybe you, more experience forumers have some advice for a novice? Basic equipment, tips and tricks... I also heard that you could fish with the rod in Finland without license, is that true?
4. Buying food (and of course alcohol;) ) . Let's suppose that I won't catch a single fish - Some advices regarding supplying?
5. Traveling in Finland. Quickest, cheapest way of traveling - by bus, train or maybe car sharing? Again I would be very grateful with help in this matter

For now this all that come to my mind, probably I would have more questions later. Once again thank you in advance for every single advice! I hope that with your help it would be amazing journey in country that I always wish to visit and get know better:)

Best regards,
Szymon