Portage to Viljandi

Next morning we woke early and went together with Jaan to see what the river looks like on the small footbridge near Vana-Võidu. Sight was encouraging, it might be passable. But we still reached a sad conclusion - even if we make it to the lake by 1700, we will be muddy, ugly and tired and that would be definite no-no for Viljandi ceremony. Next time.

Now we went back to our boats and everybody was trying to guess whether there will be enough helpers to carry one or more boats 7 km to Viljandi. Just in case it was decided that only one boat will be carried and the rest will come on the trailer of Jaan. Only now we recognized that the only boat that was designed to be fire-carrier was brand-new, not fully dried and therefore the heaviest of all. Bad luck. Jaan had cut some healthy stakes from the forest, we put those under the boat and then we went. Rest of the gang, old, young, women, men came behind, big torch went in front of us. On the other side of Ärma river valley (boy, was that an ascent!) a sponsor had brought a pile of round sticks, these were for another test. Namely, of old, in such situations boats were dragged on rollers. Would it work now?

It did. Just great. Soon a conveyor belt formed - on the right side walked people carrying rollers to the front of the boat, on the roadside they came back hunting for the first available roller. In the middle of this walked Jaan, dragging the boat by a rope, Mati was on the back, keeping it straight. This new method meant that everyone could help and there were small kids running with rollers, as well as old ladies.

We made a longer break by Viiralti oak. In our enthusiasm we even carried the boat 100 metres across the meadow to the oak, where local tourist farm provided home-made bread, butter and mead.

All in all we passed this 7 kilometres in a brisk walking speed and finished quite fresh and in time. After a lunch on a high bank of the lake, with a gorgeous view on the town below we brought other other boats. There is virtually no place where one could rive near the lake with trailer, so we actually went to water in Viljandi and paddled back to the place where we had left the fire-carrier.

We were actually lucky - even though we had plenty of time we dragged fireboat to the lake and soon we heard Jaan swearing in the reeds. One peg in the bottom of the boat was lost with the portage and he had a little fountain in the boat. Simple boat - simple solution. Five minutes of knifework and were were seaworthy again.

Viljandi rowing club boys and girls were gathering on the lake. We proceeded to marina, escorted by an armada of sport boats, including one big eight. While we did hard work paddling, they were barely touching water with oars. Also with us was rowing Viljandi boatman (legendary song figure). Here we also met Aivar - man who started all this dugout revival thing in Estonia, Ain, his father and their companions who would join us from now on. They also brought some plastic canoes to accommodate all the excited paddlers.

After the usual ceremony we had still one more task left. The one boat which Jaan had used for his breakthrough attempt was still in Vana-Võidu, somewhere by the river and had to be brought to Viljandi. We drove off, others went down the steep track to the river valley, but I still needed to change my paddling shoes. I did this, ran after the others... And then I was down on the road in pain. Ankle. Again. Right before two possibly hardest days with lots of fallen trees in the river. I limped back to the car, next hour or so I spent with leg in the cool lake water, thinking about my options. Conclusion was quite simple. I would paddle or swim or walk on my ears, but I will get to Pärnu.

Evening was beautiful and lake was like a mirror when we paddled again towards Sammuli hotel on the other end of the lake. I decided that as long as I can stay in the boat I will manage. Still, I needed a good support bandage and certain medications, so I had to skip the morning leg next day and go shopping to Viljandi. Someone had to drive the trailer of Jaan to our next stop in Tohvri so I could be useful while doing it. Viktor would pick me up from there and take me to Puiatu for lunch so I would be back on the river after that. There would be plenty of those who want my seat for half a day. Just that when other had a beer, went to sauna and then learned some kind of an Irish dance, all I could do was to sit with Aivar and Ain and look at the fun. Dammit.