Day Four. Harkan River Sweden

0800hrs. Awake. We had both enjoyed a good night’s sleep. As soon as I slid into the old green slug last night I was immediately warm. Of course Tim’s cooking helps a lot. Good calorific fuel inside you.  

0815hrs. Up and striking bivvy. We had been told last night that there was no specific rush in the morning but we were not here to lie abed.

Breakfast anyone? Never mind that whose nicked the canoes?

Whilst Jackie started on striking the bivvy Mike wandered across to the fire to get a mug of T for us to share. “Where’s the three boats that were there last night?” he asked Dave. “Good question”. Dave replied. “They drifted off in the middle of the night”. Thinking this to be a wind up Mike looked around but could see only a couple of canoes. Our canoe was also missing. How could that be? We had pulled our canoe well up onto the small shingle beach last night. True we had not tied it off. We at least had a painter of sorts in the bow. I carry, attached to my bergan within the frame area, various lengths and thicknesses of para cord and had attached 5 metres of paracord to the bow. I had not thought to use it to tie up.  It seems that Jay and Johan had taken our canoe and paddled off in search of the errant boats. How could they float away?

With this Tim appears and jumps off the bank and into the water to wash out some pots for breakfast. ‘That’s funny’, I thought, ‘I remember more ‘beach’ there last night surely’. “Don’t call me surely”. It seems that the upper dam had opened the sluice gates last night to feed more water into the hydro system for what we assumed was a greater demand for ‘leccy’. Hence the water levels were up. How many billions of gallons they must have dumped down river I do not know but to raise the level that much it must have been colossal. There was nothing we could do right now. A shuffty down river showed no sign of Jay or Johan or more importantly any boats. Tim, now back on dry land is asking if porridge is Ok this morning. The camp seems empty of members and so those of us assembled say “Sure”. Whilst Tim starts to prep this Mike, Dave and Les set about scouring the woods for timber to feed the fire. Soon we are joined by Ben and his ever present axe. Firewood is being processed as fast as we can drag it into the clearing. There is still a breeze blowing South from the North and the smoke is as much a problem this am as it was last night.

0930hrs. Jay and Johan return with a string of canoes in tow. I wonder is ‘string’ the correct collective noun for canoes? Certainly if it was mustangs I was describing I would feel happier but then again not as happy as when Jay told me it was our boat they had taken to collect the others. I felt somewhat vindicated. Here, however was a salutary lesson for all. Whatever the circumstances, tie off your boat. Every time after this when we pulled ashore for the night we would ensure this happened.

0950hrs. Mike is looking around for Lewis. I had assumed he had gone searching for the ‘lost canoes’ but no, he was still in the bivvy behind the wind-hut pushing up ‘zeds’. The remainder of the morning was taken at a slightly more leisurely pace. The rumour of a ‘long drop loo’ bore some investigating, it making a change from ‘Cool Hand Luke’s option. “We shaking it here boss”.

Jay had recently received notification that he had been shortlisted for the role of the new James Bond. (Your man Craig was still chuntering about being typecast in the roll. I should worry about that as I bank untold ‘wonga’ into my Post Office Savings Account each week!) As such Jay felt the need to recreate one of cinema’s most iconic screen shots. Not since Ursula Andress emerged from the sea in Dr No in 1962 has a body looked so hot! Strewth! only four days in the ‘ulu’ and I’m getting desperate!

 

Fact: Ursula’s voice was dubbed. Her strong European Swiss accent was thought unworkable by Harry Saltzman the director. The only other thing fake about her was the suntan. It was applied by the make-up department just prior to shooting the scene. Andress as ‘Honey Ryder’ was in fact the first ‘Bond Girl’. Dr No being the first Bond Film. “Not a lot of people know that”!

1200hrsWe launch. This was by far the latest we had left a camp but it was understandable given the situation with the canoes. Both Jay and Johan were still beating themselves up about the lack of painters and tying off. However as I said, we were all to blame, we all knew the correct procedure and chose to ignore it. Thus we were all at fault. However a lesson sorely learnt that morning was….. always tie up your canoe no matter how far up the beach you drag it. We were not paddling long, for some thirty-five minutes later we had reached a dam. This provided as did all the dams on this river hydro power for the grid. The take out was pretty obvious with no obvious danger of a sluice to drag the un-weary in. It was only a short uphill pull up the grassy bank to the road and then a long if steep descent into the meadow and what would have been last night’s camp site if things hadn’t gone as awry as they did yesterday. One needed to hang on to the rear of the canoe as we descended downhill to the water. This was a nice long meadow. Good wind shelter and a long drop.

Timber? You would need to walk a little distance to gather, as this being a popular rest up spot a lot had been ‘harvested’. There were a party of some eight or so Germans camped here. They were making the downstream journey in kayaks. Slim and sleek, moulded in numerous bright colours. We by comparison, in our predominantly olive green Canadians looked more like a military river patrol. My mind jumps around a lot. Nothing to do with canoes but what about those guys on The Sirus Dog Patrol.  More Scandinavians at work. Check ‘em out.

1330hrs. Portage finished we re-launch.

1440hrs. Somebody asked for a ‘natural break’ and many of us took advantage of this to ‘stretch’ our legs. One could at any time go ashore but surprisingly few of us needed this consideration.

1615hrs. We were now approaching a long set of rapids which the map suggested we take more than usual care about. Johan directed us to pull into the bank and wait whilst he recce’d ahead. Some fifteen minutes or so later he returned, fighting against the current and announced in his opinion, ie ‘there will be no argument about my decision’ the river was not only running too fast at this point but seeing as the river, despite the recent rains was running a little on the low side and there was danger from rocks, quite big ones, barely concealed beneath the surface. It was here last year than a Canadian canoe was wrapped around such a boulder and the canoe was smashed, depositing crew and contents into the river. Getting late in the day, no-one I suspect fancied an impromptu swim. We pulled all the boats ashore and Tim immediately set up lunch at the windbreak on the West side of the river at Edsforsen GR 4543. Here we have access to a recognized 800m portage which we could trolley the canoes down. Time was marching on.

 
Lunch, most welcome was simple food. Disc cutters, cheese, salami, pickled herring some ham off the bone, some delicious apples and fruit cordial. Some members had the foresight or deep desire for a hot drink mid-morning or with lunch and so they would after breakfast fill a flask with T or coffee. Similarly those who could not do without a brew in their bug bag first thing in the morning took a flask to bed with them at night. It was now slightly sunny and all were stripped down to T shirts etc for the haul down the tarmac road. As this was a well-recognized fishing area on this part of the river a few pickups drew up, parked and guys would jump out grab all sorts of fishing bags, rods and waders and walk out into the river for some fly fishing.

Also along the road to the put in below the rapids we spotted a couple or three campervans and caravans in grassed area pull ins. At one such spot, a huge Jamthund, an all-black moose hunting dog took exception to me and ensured that all and sundry nearby new about it. His aggressive display ensured all were made aware that he was the alpha male and in charge. Even my ‘Mick Dundee’ act seemed not to quiet him.

1, 2. 3. Heave!

 


Ready for the portage.

 

Re-launching. below the last portage.

 

Under way!

1945hrs. Landfall. Masselstrommen at GR4747. Jay and Lewis, having spotted a wind-hut on the bank, set above the river had pulled ashore into a small man made ‘lagoon’ on the bend for a quick recce. Someone shouted. It could have been a quote from Brigham Young, “This is the place” or at least it was the spot we were to bivvy at this evening.

Having just negotiated Class 1 rapids, the current was running strong here and as the word was given to make for the shore we Stopportons were almost past. We turned the canoe into the current headed back upstream and leant to our paddles. Digging hard we managed to make it ashore. Another potentially embarrassing moment avoided! Here we could relax and watch the others make for our position.

 

Casper overseeing operations.

A working party was immediately organized by Casper with a chain of handlers to move bags, barrels and bergans up the two metre high bank on to the forest floor and directly in front of the wind-hut. A previous fire and stone ring dictated we build the fire here tonight.

This duty task rested upon Les and Mel’s shoulders. We Stopportons had found a couple of convenient trees between which we could hang our poncho and set out our sleeping bags. The evening looked promising. By the time we had our bivvy up, the fire, barely 15 metres away was roaring away and the kettle was on the boil. Top marks to the ‘Dixon fire lighting Crew’. Whilst Jackie and I sat having a brew Tim appeared and announced tonight would be spaghetti and reindeer goulash. Volunteers set about prepping the vegetables, slicing and dicing, whilst Tim retrieved the fresh/frozen reindeer meat and the various spices and herbs he would need to add. Sat inside the wind hut Jackie, Rick and Mel each with a wicked hunting knife in hand, head-torch on head set about the food prepping like the opening scene from Macbeth. All that was needed was someone to say “Hubble bubble toil and trouble” and we were away.

 

 

Dave Spoon Whittling.

 

Les sitting in the Red Light District window.

Tim meanwhile had returned into the forest to continue constructing his hammock with tarp over. It was at this juncture that someone took their role as chef assistant(vegetable preps) and decided to elevate it to that of Commis Chef. Into the pot went all the veg and reindeer meat. This was an attempt to both speed up the cooking time and reduce the waiting time before we could eat. In itself commendable, however it was not the way Tim worked. Like most professional chefs, Tim had the recipe in his head. He knew what to cook, when and for how long. Remember we, or rather Tim is cooking over an open fire, not gas mark 7 on a ‘range’!

From out of the darkness Tim reappears and is concerned about progress made with the reindeer goulash. Someone had acted outside their pay grade and Tim was concerned that the meat had not been ‘browned off’ sufficiently. He did not exhibit any prima donna tantrum. That was not his way, he merely said thank you to those who had assisted thus far and set about rectifying the situation to his satisfaction. To me it spoke well of the man, that despite the location and time he was sufficiently caring of his skills and indeed reputation that he ensured the matter was rectified.

In this he was able assisted by Ric for the remainder of the evening.

It was colder this evening and whilst the journey of the last few days took hold of some of the travellers who retired ‘early’, those of us who remained, salivating at the aromas of the gently bubbling reindeer goulash now drew closer around the fire. On the bank sat Maisie whittling a new spoon from some pine she had cut earlier. Despite having a very high degree of skill in this endeavour she was happy to seek Johan’s advice. He had a few nights ago made tongs and ladles for the cook pots. Ben, was at times demonstrating his ‘fire plunger’ and the thing could be heard popping away into the night. In the wind-hut, Dave, seeing the magnificent progress Maisie was making with her spoon decided on knocking one out as well. The enthusiasm for spoon making caught and soon Les was working away with an axe on a log to split a plank from which he could draw an outline of a spoon with some charcoal from the fire and begin carving.

 

Be honest now………

If this isn’t a scene straight out of Deliverance I do not know what is!

Dave with his mug of moonshine and Ric looking towards a recently ‘harvested’ hand cooking slowly above the fire!

Jay appeared with a rather pleasant bottle of Whisky, a present received for his recent birthday and offered those remaining a hit. This was most acceptable and brought back many memories of me wintering in Telemark. It was here in a snow-hole I was introduced to the ‘Devils Brew’.

0015hrs. The reindeer goulash and spaghetti is served. Truffle oil, fresh nutmeg and parmesan were on offer to accompany the goulash and vegetables. Despite the late hour this repast was most heartily received. Top marks to Tim.