Report about rafting trip 2 difficulty category (participation)
The question with a choice of
a route of rafting trip in 1999, unfortunately did not stand.
On this, tragic for a tourist club "Uralmash", river
in the spring of 1997 Michael Orlov was died. Our debt was -
to put a monument on a place of his death. In the past, 1998,
by weather reason, we could not raft on shallow Lemeza and have
left to the south, on Sakmara river. To a huge regret, it was
already the second tragedy for our tourist club on Lemeza. In
1985, on the same calamitous riffle "Karamantash"
Marina Kotegova was died.
I did not take part in that tragic
rafting on Lemeza in 1997 because in 1996 has already passed
river. And it was not so interesting for me to raft two years
running on the same river.
Arrival.
This time it was very simple. We rented the bus �Ikarus� in
Ekaterinburg and after 12-14 hours arrived to village Lemeza.
This variant of arrival is much better for many reason (money,
convenience and speed), than to reach with four or five changes
of vehicles (train, bus, lorry etc.), with all belongings as
it was in 1996.
The
rafting begins in 3 km downstream Lemeza village. There
is a bridge through the river. Near to the bridge there
is a monument to died tourists, near to it the big glade
for assembly of rafts and catamarans. In headstream
a channel is not wide, narrowings up to 5 meters. Velocity
downstream approximately 10 km/h. (in Spring). Depth
of river 1-1,5 meters (depends on quantity of a snow).
Hanging trees and bushes are dangerous. In 1996 I was
hooked for one such tree and have taken off from a catamaran.
The strong pressure of
water and rucksack with a video camera inside, a life
jacket and bad diving suit prevented me to get on a
tree. I was forced to unhook and swam to the nearest
bank. Unfortunately my diving suit was very bad and
ice water under him is instantly filled in, so the pleasure
is lower than average.
map of river Lemeza
On spring the best boat
for rafting is a catamaran. In 1999 Andrew and I were floating
by a rubber boat "Tourist - 3". Certainly adrenaline
on it has more, than on a catamaran, but it is very cold. Once
we overset, on my fault, but have come up lost-free.
There
are two shops and post office in Iskushta village. Places
for parking - behind village. There is riffle Kamantash
("the Red stone") in 5 km downstream from
Iskushta. It is small riffle with wave of 0,5-0,7 metre
on the center. Passes - along the bank. Though, we by
a rubber boat have passed on the center. Lengths of
our boat suffice to not turn over on a wave, but on
a limit. I.e. when the boat got up on a wave and stood
about 45-50 degrees, I thought that, a little more,
and we shall overturn, but fortune was with us.
Entrance to the riffle Kamantash
("the Red stone")
Wave on the riffle Kamantash ("the
Red stone")
Entrance to the maelstrom, a few second
before overturn
After passed riffle
Kamantash, just around the right turn beginning the next small
riffle and after it beginning riffle Karamantash ("Black
river"). Riffle and small riffle can be passed without
mooring. Investigation you can make along the road on the left
bank. Passage: Cling
closely the left bank before you reach the left turn. After
turn clings the right bank for avoidance dash into the flooded
bushes of the left bank. It is possible to pass on the middle,
but in this case you pass through the maelstrom, and it is possible
to turn over, as guys
from Magnitogorsk on a videoclip.
There is valley
of the river Kasyk with the deserted settlement after
9 kilometers from riffle Karamantash ("Black river").
12 kilometers downstream after Kasyk there is waterfall
Atysh. In 1996 we have slipped this waterfall because
have passed directly on river, and it was necessary
to turn the right channel. The waterfall worthy to look
him. Furthermore it is possible to climb inside the
waterfall.
After the waterfall
Lemeza becomes very quiet and not so beautiful. On bank of There
is oak grove along the banks and from it the river looks black.
Banks are marshy, and you get problems with parking. The basic
obstacles of the bottom part of river - blockages, narrow channels
with clips.
