The year has come around again and after several months of sourcing kit and equipment we are nearly ready for the off. The weather up North, after a very cold winter, is warming up; although we get reports from the river it is not until we see the situation for ourselves can we really judge conditions. Our Russian friends say everything is 'normal' - an expression often delivered with a shrug and used to mean pretty much anything!
The advance party will leave UK on 8th May and will travel overland from Finland to Varzuga. Not the easiest way in, but for seven of us with masses of kit a bus overland has proved to be the most practical. All being well we will be in camp by the evening of 9th May.
In the office Lynsey Mair (below) has been putting the final touches to visas and last minute travel arrangements. It is never easy this time of year, Russia has three Bank Holidays in the first ten days of May and getting things done at the Embassy in London takes time.
We are excited about this Blog – hopefully our new communications set up will allow us to post a blog each day from the river. The aim is to keep the many ‘Varzuga Watchers’ updated with the latest news, fishing conditions and photos of the river, people and salmon. More to follow shortly, hopefully on 10 May once we are established in camp and have dug our way through the snow into ‘the office’.
Christopher Robinson