The Vistula river photo expeditions
by Wojtek Baginski

In October and November, before the end of 2004 navigating season, my good fellows made two river expeditions with overnight camps. First they just intended to end the navigating season in the traditional manner practised in the club to which we belong, by baking potatos on the Wistula islands located about two hours of sailing upstream. I was very busy that time and couldn't go with them. However, impressive photos made by them during that trip, together with warm weather made them decide to sail to the islands once more. I was unlucky again being unable to sail with them because of my job. They had a good time there on the Wisla islands and took interesting shots the second time.

There were two boats in the squadron: Campjon, with Wojtek Holnicki (co- builder and co-owner) and Bogdan Zych onboard, and built of plywood and a little green motor sailer by Jacek Szelazek (our club fellow) from his own design. Jacek was the captain of these expeditions, because he has ventured onto the Vistula river for a couple of years and he knows those waterways well.

(click image for larger view)

A week or so ago I was lucky enough to find a nice aerial shot showing exactly the area where we navigated and took the pictures. The photo comes from the website of the Polish Hydro-Meteorological Institute and shows the Vistula river in shallow state (to be honest it’s her usual state). Please take a closer look at it. The river flows from to right left. There are three green islands on the right. These were the destination of both expeditions. The very narrow channel between two of them was exactly the location of overnight camps. A bit left from the islands you can see a dredger with a pipe transfering sand onto the shore. It shows how big and wide the Vistula is even at so shallow a state. Below the river there is a grey area. These are the ashes coming from Warsaw’s southern heat and power plant. All of these elements can be found on the ground shots made by expeditions members.

(click images for larger views)

Shots are different because they come from different cameras which different eyes were looking through. I can hardly add more words to these pictures. Perhaps except this: all these sands can disappear in a few hours when higher water floats down. This is why we like river boating more than other kinds: you never cruise the same water.

Best regards from the rivers of Poland.

Wojtek Baginski