PADDLER 20
“ All night, we had torrential rain and sheet lightning. It felt like we were going to be washed away.”
PADDLER 20
AMBITIOUS
The plan was ambitious: nine days paddling 270 km along five rivers, starting in the basalt canyons of the Somon Gol, flowing into the Chuluut, then joining the Ider, merging into the Delgermörön, and finally forming the mighty Selenge. This would be the first recorded SUP descent of the Chuluut Valley. We contacted Canoe Mongolia, who were able to supply us with a canoe, some old soviet maps and a driver. Getting to Mongolia was an expedition in itself. From New Zealand, we took three flights and were stopped at every security checkpoint for extra bag checks. We had our powder vitamin mix for our drinks checked, power banks inspected, a first aid kit looked at, and the filter in my water bottle looked suspicious.
My SUP bag also went on its own trip, but it turned up in the right place after I had been called to confirm it was my bag. Eventually, we arrived in the Mongolian capital of Ulaanbaatar. The evening we landed, we stocked up on supplies, including fruit, oats, bread, a slab of bacon, half a wheel of cheese, and snacks, as well as the all-important Mongolian Vodka and Chinggis beer.
The following day, we met our driver and set off on an 18-hour journey across the country through spectacular steppe landscapes. We stopped at the site of the old capital, Karakorum, for a quick visit to the ruins. Then it was back into the car to our starting point on the Somon Gol River. We pitched our tents in the last of the light and the last of the dry weather for the night. All night, we had torrential rain and sheet lightning. It felt like we were going to be washed away. I clipped my kit bags together and pegged them into the ground.
DAY 1
The day began with bright, clear weather and a change of plan. Our driver confirmed our pick-up point and time. He collected us from the river and drove us to a train station to catch the Trans- Siberian Railway back to Ulaanbaatar. The problem was that he was coming a day earlier than we had planned. We had spent over 18 hours with the man, but we had a significant language barrier. He gave us our train tickets, which we had purchased through Canoe Mongolia, and they were for a day earlier, so we were stuck with a quick change of plan.
The first three days were expected to be the most challenging, with steeper gradients, large rapids, and tricky rock gardens. The basalt canyon was stunning, with sheer cliffs surrounding us. The rain the night before had created powerful currents and plenty of
“ All night, we had torrential rain and sheet lightning. It felt like we were going to be washed away.”