Return to Khatgal On the West Side of Khuvsgul Lake
June 24 Sunday day 10 on the water:
Usual time we are crawling out of the tent. Fog, fog and more fog. Everything stays damp, wet an it is a damp cold especially when there is a wind or even a slight breeze.
I had spent some more time late in the afternoon, despite being so tired, to once again repack everything, consolidate and basically start getting ready for putting on the Eg River. I am going to be load with food, I don’t want to have to stop and deal with any villages for weeks if I can get by with it.
My goal was to get to Turt, get the groceries on my list I had been making and get back in the kayak and paddle out of town a way and call it a day. The fog really settled in and there were times I couldn’t even see the front of the kayak. Very stressful. Even with the in Reach I struggled for hours trying to keep a straight line. The in Reach has a lag time so for awhile I would be going north, then east and then west. Finally, I just gave up because I was trying to cut my paddling down my crossing some open water and headed to the bank. That was a task in itself just to keep going straight.
After about 6 hours I finally was approaching Turt but couldn’t even see the bank and I was 50 feet off of the bank. Now and then I would see an outline of a building. As I could see in the in Reach we were just about periductular with the village, the fog lifted and it was like it never was there. Very surreal.
And low and behold I was right in front a very nice Ger camp with cabins also, I wasn’t 50 feet off the bank.
One guy came out and helped me with the kayak. He was from Irkusku and was a Priest in the Russian Orthodox Church. So were the two friends they were with. He spoke some English and helped me talk to the owner and I decided to get out of the kayak, spend the night, get cleaned up and have the kayak packed so all we had to do was put a few things away and take off.
Once again, I took everything out, went to town and bought what I could find on my on my list and repacked everything. I had them cook me some dinner, washed up and shaved and was asleep by 9. Late for us.
I had decided if the weather was good for a lake crossing, I was going to head straight across about 8 to 12 miles and not do what there was left of the lake.
June 25 Monday day 11 on the water:
I stuck my head out of the Ger about 5 and could see the weather was going to be good for the lake crossing.
It took us almost 6 hours to get across. That is close to 12 miles, nonstop. If I haven’t mentioned it, they surmise that a kayaker takes about 20,000 to 25,000 paddles per day. Do the math on 2,000 miles plus or minus 90 days plus or minus. That is a very long time for anybody to be in a kayak, let alone a 72-year-old guy and his dog. The fog rolled in on top of the water from down the lake, but it wasn’t very high, so I could see the tops of the hills I was shooting for.
Once I got close to the shore, I could see it was going to have some nice camp spots, so I decided to just call it a day and that is what we did. Great camp spot again. Got things set up and took Stormy for a good walk, which she just loves.
Overall, I think my back is adjusting. My thumbs/wrists are taking a little longer but over all I feel great and that is more than I can ask for.
At this time I expect it to take 3 ½ days to get back to the Ger camp. We shall see.
No question this dog knows how to relax.
Lots of beautiful wildflowers.
June 26 Tuesday day 12 on the water:
Up and at them this morning and on the water by 6:30. After paddling so hard yesterday to get across this bay with the wind blowing, I went to bed very early. I built a fire and heated up a flat rock and put it on my back and it really did wonders. So far that was the worst decision I had made. All I had to do was just sit tight, rest a couple of hours and the wind changed directions and it would of just blew us across the bay.
The bay we crossed. It looked a long way and it was.
No question I was 3 weeks early.
Another good camp site, but I was so tired I didn’t cook anything for dinner. We had stopped and heated up what was left of last nights dinner, a stew I had made and some rice for it to go on.
Meadow after meadow of wildflowers.
June 27 Wednesday day 13 on the water:
Not quite as early this morning but we were still up and on the water at 7. The wind blew out of the north all night long, no rain, one of the 1st days/nights it hasn’t rained. I wised up quick and I am always prepared, including pulling the kayak up on the bank.
One certainly can’t say the views aren’t majestic.
I tried to sail, but the wind just kept coming from all four directions. I have never seen wind swirl around as much as it is on the west side of the lake. It must have something to do with the mountains that are along the entire length of the lake on the west side.
After giving up on the sailing, we made great time with the wind to our back. Every time we came up on a bay that had a meadow in it and a canyon up in the mountains the wind just howled from the canyon and it was a lot of work to get around and across those meadows. But once we did, we covered a lot of water.
2:00 was approaching and I decided to stop at one of these meadows and found a good spot up in the trees, even though the wind has been blowing nonstop. It had been blowing out of the north, now out on the lake it looks like it is blowing out of the south, with the wind coming out of the canyon from the west. But we are in a good spot.
Stormy is waiting patiently for us to go on a walk, but I am so tired of the wind I am hoping it blows itself out. If not, I will take her for a while. I saw 2 deer across a little inland pond, the 2nd time I have seen the deer. They are very small. We saw a couple on the horseback ride.
One of the few days I did not take a picture of the camp site.
A couple more observations. I felt good this morning. I am getting in shape and even at my age, I can feel myself getting stronger. Once I get on the Eg, it will be a completely different type of paddling. I will have the current, shouldn’t have to deal with the wind as much and certainly no open water. However, until I can feel confident, I understand the river, I will be very careful every time I come around a bend, staying in the slack water to the inside and out of the current going out and around the bend. That is where the root balls, or the trees will pile up, not on the inside where the slack water is.
June 27 Thursday day 14 on the water:
Not the best of weather today, a lot of wind blowing in all different directions. We were up the usual time and still made good time. I had a bay to cross the 1st thing and when the wind/breeze is in your face, it just makes for tough paddling.
We made good miles and I decided to stop a little early, around 2:00 because I was tired and even at that time it is an 8-hour day on the water.
Stormy is always ready to stop, get out, roll on the grass and get some exercise. She is so good about being in the kayak.
June 28 Friday day 15 on the water:
This camp site for the night before the last day on the lake, was probably the worst one of all. It was close to several Ger camps. Lots of people. Lots of noise. Ground was damp. They like their basketball here in Mongolia, so some kids not far away played way into the night. The Mongolians don’t go to bed early and they don’t get up early.
Camping with the Yaks.
A man who must watch the property came over to me and told me there was a $5,000 Mongolian dollar charge for the camp spot. That is about maybe $2.00.
It had been a very long day, one of the longest. The weather was perfect all day long for a kayaker and I tried to take an advantage of it. I think we were on the water close to 10 hours with few stops. Pretty sure we did close to 20 miles and it could have been miles more.
I thought we were headed to a good spot for a camp spot, but it is hard to see the lay of the land when the water is smooth as glass. Unfortunately, I misread, and we had to paddle for another good 2 hours to find the bad camp site, but it could have been on the rocks and we would have to take it, I was done for the day.
I estimated from my inReach map we had around 16 miles left to go, that is a full 8 hours of paddling and hoped the weather would cooperate.
June 29 Saturday day 16 on the water:
Up again early. I am feeling great when I get up and get going. I noticed on the 14th night that I could turn over in bed. Before that it was almost an impossibility I was so sore and my back hurt so bad No more. I am also noticing I am not as tired once I get the camp site set up. That is a good thing obviously. However, there is some downside. Right now, everything is dead. There hasn’t been any sun to charge things up with the solar charger. So not much to do. Which is not good when you have a lot of time on the bank.
We hit the water at 6. Once again, the 2nd day in a tow, great paddling weather and we just kept at it. I paddled for a good 5 hours straight and finally stopped and had some bread and sliced meat.
Mongolia is not only known for the Gers, but tipi’s also. The difference is the put an entrance on to the front/the door of the tipi and that is the 1st time I have seen it done that way. Next tipi I do, and I have one more in me I will have it done that way.
Nicest boat on the lake.
Once we got into the channel that leads into Khatgal, we were able to sail right to the boat ramp. I walked up and 20 minutes later, the gear is in the Ger, the kayak is sitting out along the side of the Ger and I am getting things squared away, separated and ready to start packing for the Ger.
Just before hitting the boat ramp where I ended the lake trip.
I plan on being on the Eg Tuesday morning at 10:00. He will drive me down about 20 Kilometers before the outlet of the river from the lake. The lake is low, so there is no way, the way I am going to be loaded that I want to fight the low level of the river/outlet because I am going to be loaded.
Once I gave Stormy a bath in the shower, which she enjoyed, took a shower and shaved, I went into the community Ger and had some tea and a piece of that cake I like. Had dinner about 7 and did a few more things with the gear and was ready for bed.
Unfortunately, the folks from UNESCO here, some of them with their kids and they stayed up and played and laughed until 11:00. So, I got up and did some more piddling with the gear.
June 30 Sunday day 17 at the Ger camp:
Up early, 4:30 AM. To early really, but it has turned cold and is raining so I built a fire. Feels good.
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