CANOETRIP ON THE FERAG RIVER

Text: Vibeke C Strømmen

Photos: Vibeke C Strømmen & Martin Fossen

We are writing July 27, 2018. It is summer vacation and the weather is impeccable. It is twenty-some degrees Celsius and radiant sun. The place is Røros where we have a cabin in Rugldalen, 15 minutes north of the town. At the time of writing, we have had this cabin for 20 years. This place has given us many wonderful moments and experiences, winter as well as summer.

2018 is the year when the desire to paddle really took root. Earlier that summer we had had a 12-hour paddle trip on the Telemark Canal. (See previous posts.) This trip sparked the desire for more paddle trips. So where could we get a nice paddle trip to the Røros area? At home in Trondheim, we sat down and used the internet without getting any good hits, of course there were some but it was difficult to extract the necessary information from them. So we sat down with the app "Norgeskart" looking for a river without too many rapids or difficult strethces. Paddling on lakes can quickly become a bit boring plus you are not so protected from the weather and wind. Femunden, for example, is a large lake notorious for sudden weather changes. The choice fell on Feragselva, not far from the northern end of Femunden. We drew a line on the map of Norway that calculated the length for us. (4.4 km)

Red dotted line:The Ferag River.

Then we had to find canoe rentals. This was before we had invested in kayaks. We were also to bring my, Vibeke`s, parents plus Khaleesi. So two kayaks would not work anyway. Langen Gjestegård had canoe rentals and is located on the road to Synnervika, very close to the Feragen and Femunden.

Blue dot: Langen Farm.

Yellow dot: Synnervika.

Synnervika is also the starting point for Fæmund II which is a passenger boat that sails up and down Femunden, all the way from Synnervika in the north past Røa, Femundshytta, Haugen, Jonasvollen, Revlingen, Elgå and Buvika at the southern end.

Fæmund II

Blue dot: Synnervika in the north.

Yellow dot: Buvika in the south.

While we were in Trondheim we called Langen gård and booked 2 canoes for the date we had set out. Luckily the weather forecast was good so we went for it.

We got up to the cabin and had the plan ready for paddling the next day. Enough food and drink was packed . I think we were all very excited about how this would turn out. From the cabin in Rugldalen you drive into Røros, just follow the main road to a roundabout and turn off at exit number 2. An intersection a little further ahead tells you that you can continue to Os or turn left to Synnervika. Turn off to Synnervika. The road you drive on then is Femundveien.

There was also a logistics issue that had to be solved. We knew we could not paddle up the river again since there are a few rapids occasionally. So the place we had figured out we were going ashore had to have room to leave a car.

Blue dot: Parking of car 1.

With a trailer in tow, we were able to load up 2 canoes in Synnervika after visiting Langen Gjestegård for payment and delivery of ores. Then we drove to where we were going to put out the canoes. This is a road where you have to pay a small fee with VIPPS app.

Blue dot: Damveien.

Yellow dot: Parking and launchplace of the canoes.

Finally, we got out on the water and everybody was happy and excited.

After just a few strokes with the ores, we concluded that this would be a good experience. Everyone had a smile on their face the whole trip. This was just to enjoy.

Since it takes some time to organize such an excursion, we had not paddled long before we felt hungry. Around a bend we saw a nice place, a small sandbank where we wnt ashore. Here we had food and drink and enjoyed life. Due to the hot summer and little rain, the water flow was low so the sandbank we paddled on now was not there when we paddled the same river the following year.

Today`s lunchsite.

Now we were ready for further challenges and expected some small rapids. Martin, Arve and Khaleesi paddled first so that we ladies could see a how they maneuvered the canoe, and if it went well. I had never been a helmsman in a canoe before, so laying the paddle correctly to steer was unfamiliar. It was a steep learning curve. Fortunately, the rapids were not so long and large and there was very little water. So, eventually it went very well and we ladies were very proud and happy after managing a rapid. Now we knew how to tackle them and were prepared for the next one.

These rapids, although small, gave a great feeling of mastery. Words become poor but the feelings were shown by the huge grins on our faces. We paddled on and by the next rapids we were more prepared, we thought. Here we simply got stuck, due to the low water in the river. So then I stepped out (luckily the water was good and warm) and I dragged the canoe away from the rock. After another small rapid we paddled to another almost dry area in the river.

After this break, the river became calmer and deeper. And we just slid calmly down. No need to stress.

It is important to keep an eye out. There may be something on shore that needs to be taken care of, or hunted….

The trip ended too quick. We left at 11.10 and were ashore at 13.25, but we were all very happy. This trip has been in our memory for the almost two years that have passed and was a great thing to look back at when I, a few weeks later, want to surgery for a torn ligament in the ankle. Living on this adventure through many months of training was good.

See you again, Feragselva.