Expedition kayaker Mark Kalch has just completed a 71-day, 2300 mile source to sea descent of the Volga River in Russia, the longest in Europe. The journey began 400 miles north-west of Moscow and traversed the entire country to finish on the Caspian Sea. Throughout the paddle Mark gathered and published stories and images about the river and the people connected to it. The aim was to highlight the importance of the world’s largest rivers to our existence.
Mark’s descent continues his 7 rivers 7 continents project to paddle from source to sea the longest river on each continent. A combined distance of more than 22 000 miles. He has also continued breaking records. Mark is the only person to have ever paddled the longest rivers in North America, South America and Europe from source to sea. (2008 Amazon River 153 days, 4150 miles 2012 Missouri-Mississippi River 117 days, 3780 miles 2014 Volga River 71 days, 2300 miles). His Volga River journey was also the first complete solo kayaking descent.
The 2.5 month journey down the Volga River was one of 14 hour paddling days on a pristine river, violent storms, giant open water crossings, huge portages around hydroelectric dams, 40 degree C temperatures and an immersion into Russian culture like no other.
The river itself was unbelievably beautiful, in stark contrast to images of the Volga as heavily industrialised and polluted. Tiny Soviet-era ramshackle wooden villages dotted it’s course punctuated by enormous luxury holiday homes and cities populated by millions. The use of the waterway for recreation by locals and visitors was massive; camping, fishing, hunting, boating, swimming and more. The hospitality and generosity offered to Mark destroyed any preconceived notions of Russian stereotypes.
Mark says, “The Volga was ridiculously epic – the river, the people (especially the people!), the paddling, the experiences, the vodka, sunburn, windburn, big cities, small ramshackle villages, the vodka, big ships, amazing camps, a little bit more vodka, mozzies, heat stroke, storms, rain, wind, big portages, massive open water crossings – it had everything! I guess that is what made it just so emotionally and physically full on. Just so much in this massive force coming at you.
I hope, particularly in light of the current geo-political climate, that my wonderful journey and experience in Russia helps in some small way to keep separate the beauty of the country and it’s people from any conflict”.
Mark Kalch is a world-class expedition paddler. Previous expeditions include multiple on foot journeys throughout Ethiopia’s Omo Valley, a 4150 mile source to sea paddling descent of the Amazon River. a 3780 mile source to sea paddling descent of the Missouri-Mississippi River and walking alone across the entire Islamic Republic of Iran. Mark’s 7 rivers 7 continents project sees him making source to sea paddling descents of the longest river on each continent. A combined distance of more than 22 000 miles. Mark has been invited to speak on several occasions for the Royal Geographical Society, National Geographic Society and Russian Geographical Society. He is sponsored by Kokatat, Seal Line, MSR, Therm-a-rest, P & H and Pyranha kayaks, Lowe Alpine, Snap Dragon Designs, H2O Performance Paddles, Garmin, Olympus, Rab, Kari-Tek and Paddlers First.
For further information and high resolution images please contact Mark Kalch via email at mark.kalch@gmail.com or visitwww.7rivers7continents.com.