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This article was published Written by:
INFO BACKPACK Karvianjoki
Bifurcation  |
There are two lakes of different sizes and no less than three rivers which run to the sea all which add colour to the water systems within the watershed areas around the River Karviajoki in Northern Satakunta. The sights vary from cultivated countryside landscapes to stages of wilderness-like swampy spruce forests. Along those water routes of Karvianjoki the canoer meets, in addition to cultural landscapes, a fairly untouched nature. While paddling on in the landscape, sometimes extended zones of inhabited as well as cultivated regions, other times hiking stages in forests, even in almost uninhabited swampy spruce forests, will be seen. The rivers, almost without an exception, flow in deep riverbeds, and the sloped riverbanks cover far traces of culture, however close they are passed by now at certain locations. By canoe, one will more easily escape from the sounds produced by human activities, than by hiking, since the noise of nearby highways is not carried down to the river valley. Only a concert by the birds singing in trees on the bank fills the air. Human kind has also left unerasable traces in the waterways of Karvianjoki, the water levels of which are regulated. In both riverbeds departing from bifurcation lakes (see the separate info box) there is a dam in the estuary, which guarantees sufficient water supply in all seasons of the year. Only Salmusoja, which descends from Isojärvi to Poosjärvi, may at its upper bed sections run dry in low precipitation times of the year. In addition to dams, there are a few small power plants and industrial facilities which will have to be passed by on the land by touring canoers. These by-pass walks are rather short, and the marvellous industrial milieus bring neat variation along. A Waterway Track of Multiple Options In this fairly small and easily accessible region, there is a huge amount of canoable waterways of over 200 kilometres. Merely alone the river route from Karvia down to Pori's Ahlainen is 145 kilometres long. Along the route, there are several places where you can sail off or land, to be found, all within easy access by car. The water route is just full of one- and two-day canoeing stages, a great number of them. A canoer's Karviajoki starts at Karvia. From Karvianjärvi to Inhottujärvi the total distance will amount to about a hundred kilometres. There is enough water in the river all summer long, several times you will have to land and carry the canoe over an obstacle for ten or twenty metres, anyhow. At Inhottujärvi, the canoe tourist will have to weigh two optional route alternatives. Oravajoki, which starts in a south western direction will first become Noormarkunjoki, and then Eteläjoki just to descend to the sea at Ahlainen. The other descending bed which is of the river called Pomarkunjoki starting from Inhottujärvi runs to south east, and descends into another bifurcation lake of this same region, to Isojärvi. From Isojärvi, there starts the wilderness-like Poosjoki-Pohjajoki-Lampinjoki water route that descends to the sea via Salmusoja and Poosjärvi. From that lake, Isojärvi, there descends Merikarviajoki, too, popular among canoers who also do hobby fishing. A River Landscape for All People The 35-kilometre long stage between the water regulation dam at Harjakoski on Kynäsjoki and the dam at Makkarakoski in the church village of Noormarkku offers the best opportunities for relaxed tourist canoeing in fine landscapes. Along this route there occur several fast flowing rapids which are, however, easy to shoot. Lainekoski is the longest one of them, and its whitewater riding route is indeed worth to check from the bank before actually sailing off above to shoot the rapids. Difficulty levels of the rapids vary significantly according to altering water levels. In the most usual holiday period of the summer the sparkling whitewaters are mostly easy to ride, and hence the routes are appropriate also for amateurs. For canoeing along the stage between Harjakoski and Makkarakoski it is worth to allocate one and a half or two days time depending on your speed and on available equipment. Several of the well-managed and tidy pause places as well as camping places where you can sleep over are situated at beautiful locations. In the open sheds you can sleep over, and you can fix your favourite tourist food specialities on campfire. Bird watchers appreciate the, even internationally acknowledged, valuable diversity of bird species which nest at Inhottujärvi. There is a real rush at the bird watch towers on the shore as well as on the lake in springtime when the migrating bird species appear. A Demanding River: Poosjoki Salmusoja, which starts from Isojärvi, descends to another fine bird water of this region, to Poosjärvi. When times of little precipitation, you will have to carry your canoe to the drying bed of Salmusoja. The only road that takes you to the lake ends at the yards of privately owned summer cottages, and tourists must not drive to the shore of the lake by car without permission. Finding your way through these waters almost blocked by vegetation is certainly quite a task. Once having located Luusua, the adventurer will arrive at Poosjoki, along which only a few have canoed. The river streams along within a forest landscape where there are hardly any roads. It is just not easy to believe that you are this far in south within Finland. Those few forest roads for cars, which penetrate this area, are all closed from public traffic, and here and there the atmosphere really resembles the wilderness of Northern Finland. Peaceful Kivijärvi and Lampinjärvi are especially fine places. The frequent rapids of Poosjoki are all fast flowing ones, and when there is little water in the bed, they form an extremely rocky track. This water route offers its best in spring and autumn, when deep enough whitewater sparkles in the riverbed. Abundant summer rains may, for a while, raise waters to levels appropriate for canoers. When the dam of Salmusoja at Luusua of Isojärvi is open, canoers can enjoy the fascination of speed. Passing by the rapids on the land along Poosjoki is especially hard because of the terrible terrain. In case accidents occur, distance to the closest road may amount up to several kilometres. Ample earlier experience in canoeing is a prerequisite demanded for canoeing down along Poosjoki, and no one shall sail off on these waters alone. Those few who have in fact made it by canoe all the way down Poosjoki do univocally praise this fast flowing river and its wilderness-like nature. Ahti Lets His Riches Spare time fishers have taken over Merikarvianjoki. With one single fishing permit purchased, you can fool the fish from the sea up to Lankoski. This 24-kilometre long stage includes rapids totalling over five kilometres. Most of them appropriately offer challenges both for canoers and fishers. The best opportunities offered by Lankoski to speedily shoot the rapids are available right at the start of the canoeing route. The sparkling whitewater stage is worthwhile to check first by watching from the banks, and it is just nice to explore the fine grove on the bank, anyway. A fisher will best govern the river by canoe. Even though several of the rapids of Merikarvianjoki are rehabilitated as to facilitate appropriate fish management, it still is possible to canoe down to the sea from Isojärvi. The only exception is at Lankoski, where you will have to pass by the power plant on the land. Fishers on the bank follow with envy, how your bait lure fed in from the canoe just finds its way and reaches behind almost each stone in the flowing stream. The Strong-Toothed Moved in, Again Along the waterways of Karvianjoki it is recommended to check thoroughly even the small rapids from the bank before starting riding them. A sad surprise may await the unprepared canoer tourist round the curve: a beaver could have felled a tree which would now rest straight across in the streaming river. By its strong chisel-like teeth this rodent is capable of felling even a 70 cm thick tree. The marks of work done by beavers can be seen everywhere along the waterways of the Karvianjoki Region. Work by these loggers will most likely surprise a canoer somewhere either along Hanhijoki, which descends from Inhottujärvi, or along Poosjoki starting out from Poosjärvi. This flat-tailed creature needs the felled trees for building dams, by which it regulates water levels as it likes. When autumn nears, it also fells trees for winter nourishment. Most delicious for it are the aspens and birches, in the crown and on the branches, of which there is a lot to eat. As to pile up winter food, this chisel-tooth may fell up to 50 cubic metres of broad-leaved trees. The original European Beaver stock of Finland was hunted till extinction in the 1800s. In the 1930s beavers were reintroduced from Norway and Canada. In those days little was known about the fact that there are two different species. European Beaver was reintroduced in Northern Satakunta, in the waters of Karviajoki, from where it just did not spread elsewhere. In addition to the region of Karvianjoki, European Beaver occurs only in small areas in Kuru and along Kokemäenjoki. Canadian Beaver, however, has propagated from the original areas of introduction to the surrounding areas. (See the article about beavers in Retki no 4/2003.) The lucky adventurer touring along Karvianjoki may catch a glimpse of the chisel-tooth. At best it will be possible at dusk, even though the canoer in most cases only manages to hear when the beaver loudly slaps the water surface by its tail. By doing so, this rodent warns its fellow members of the species about the upcoming danger. By the time the adventurer turns towards the sound, the beaver will have had enough time to disappear beneath the surface.
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