Don
This river system looks like most other inland waterways that connect
different lake and seas. First comes an artificial part with locks, a
reservoir which raises the water level with a connection to the natural
river. The reservoir in Don is called Semlansky reservoir and has a very
good water quality deliberately done in order to raise fish.
First lock in Don
One favorite fish is Zander
Anjela visiting a yacht that has been i the USA
After the reservoir and before the next chain of locks we stopped for
the night close to the city of Volgadonsk. We stopped at a small yacht
club and met nice people. We stayed there for two days and among other
things we visited a 15 m long mahogany yacht which they have been sailing
to America one year before.
Our next goal was Rostov Na Don, the last city before the Azov Sea and open water. In Rostov we took a pause and stayed there for a week as I wanted to check out the motor and do some maintenance. When we resupplied food and fuel, we said goodbye to our friend from Moscow and sailed the last kilometres to Taganrog.
My father in law Vladimir who joined us a piece of the route.
Taganrog
Taganrog is the last outpost in Russia and it is situated up in the corner
of Azov Sea. Taganrog works as a "port of entry" Like most of
cities there were a small yacht club with sailing enthusiast. It was autumn
sailing cup and all local sailing boats had been gathered. Anjela and
my father in law met some sailing friends from the national team. Taganrog
celebrated the 295 years of foundation or something in that way and the
mayor and sailing teams had a big banquet in the yacht pavilion, where
we to were invited.
yacht club in Taganrog
Time to escape
After a weekend of celebration it was to part. As we reached the customs
we met the chief who was very upset.
-A Swedish boat in the yachtclub and no one tells me??"
At first he believed that we had come from the Black Sea and thought that
we wanted to enter the country and the canals, and his job was to deny
anyone trying to enter. When we explained that we wanted to leave the
became even more upset.
-Who let you into the canals?
-The embassy" Angelica answered.
-Really?" he asked in an uncertain tone.
We had papers that were in order and without any way to check the laws
(most places in Russia were open to foreigners) he decided that getting
rid of us as quick as possible was the best decision before other authorities
got involved.
The 14th of september, the day before my visa's expired, we finally left
Russia.
Epilogue
When we have passed this huge country Russia we got all the questions
we had before we started this trip answered.
-Total distance 3.700km
-Whole trip took us 67 days, which calculates 55km/day. Everything takes
time in Russia, to find food, to fuel, do some repairing and to spend
time with friends and nice people that we met on the way.
-We passed 34 locks, every lock is about 10 meters high and 150 meters
long. The costs for the locks about 20 US $. We paid only the locks in
Svir.
-We had to buy charts in three different places. Totally it became 7 books,
called "Atlas". Total cost 30 US $
-We could use our sail half of the distance, thanks to many reservoirs.
-In every large city there where small yacht club. We visited 10 clubs.
-Free height clearance is 14 meters except in St:Petersburg. In St:Petersburg
it ´s necessary to go in night time or take down the mast.
-In the cities we met many curious people and friendly meetings. In the
countryside we moored in the nature. It worked perfectly except once when
we met two amateur fishermen.
Russia is in big changes and many of these points are going hopefully to the better. I hope the regulations for visiting the canal will be simpler and easier as this is a memory for life.
Christer E