Saturday, June 7th 2003. TEAMadara's trip to Aoos is a fact.

08.00h. Team's paddlers Dimitris Konstantinidis, Giannis Bourlekas, Alfredos Zinis, Spiros Ziakas and Nikos Mavris, are by the river bank at Vovousa, preparing boats and gear. Supporting team, Stavros Georgopoulos and Giorgos Balgouranidis, will drive through Laista, Eliochori and Vrisochori to our final take out for the day, the bridge to Palioseli. They will also try to reach an emergency take out, 6km upstream, following a difficult dirt road, down the village of Armata.

We manage to start paddling at 9.00, in less than favourable flow (32cm at Vovousa bridge gaugemeter), hoping that the incoming streams will soon rise the waterlevel. We ran the first couple of kms, pushing and abusing our equipment, disappointed to see the side streams almost dry. After 5km of easy, WW I and II, the river walls started to rise around, leading us into the first gorge.
At the 9th km, we reach the first rapid, a tight chute (IV-), followed after 50m, by a sequence of small ledges (III+). A perfect introduction to what the river has to offer next.(see photo)

An easy stretch into the canyon to come to the 2nd rapid, a multi level step ending in a pool (III), followed after 100m from a 2m drop in a power hole (III+). Some bracing and we leave it behind us, paddling through a super tight mini gorge. We named this stretch "Frog sex" as we witnessed the "crime"
A picturesque water sluice on the left wall, let us relax and loose our mind for a little, taking some shots, but we need to go on.
The third rapid, has an inoccent, welcoming entrance, but as Giannis soon realised, you must always respect an horizon line! As all the previous rapids, scouting is possible by river left.

Water, divided at the start by a rock, drops down a deep tight channel, with another submerged rock mixing the lines, creating a pile in the middle of the chute. Pointing slightly left could be the right line. Alfredos and Spiros wouldn't care to prove my theory. On river right there is a nice path around the drop. No problemo!
Spiros, while portaging over the 4m canyon, assured me that water was indeed deap, as he jumbed in, chasing the boat that dropped from his hands, seconds before. Sorry Spiro, cameraman Bourlekas was on duty...and he is ruthless.
Pointing left theory, proved correct and the rest of us came through dry. It looked more difficult than it really was (IV)

The gorge starts opening after 14km, where Distratiotis river (or Koukoumaneris, or Mpreaziotiko) flows in from the right. We gain some speed and we cover the next 4km (WW II to III), up to the advanced RV point, in 30min. I 'm sure Konidis didn't like the view of his muddy jeep, parked right on the the river bank. As we've been there before, we knew that it would be difficult to get the car back up the steep gravel road.

We rested for a few minutes, describing the river highlights to Stavros, who had only run the lower section, last year and back into the boats. The Freelander finally succeded to leave the gravel bank and slowly, managed its way up the difficalt track. Stavros contacted 10min later in the radio, that they passed the difficult part.
For the next 2.5kms, the river was friendly, allowing us to keep our speed, until we reached a right ravine, puting in. The water was grey-blur, a shine that the thunders we 've heard before, were not so far away after all.
The ravine has brought down sharp, grey, limestone rocks, forming a quite tricky boulder garden (III+), for almost 100m. An inspection for the best way through, is mandatory. Portage is also possible on the left.

Somewhere in this complicated stretch, Giannis who was leading at the time, realised that after a roll, he wasn't in his boat anymore. That's a new way to say eject? Nooo...just a NEW MOVE! Fortunately, boat and paddler rejoined at the end of this continuous staccato. A good lesson for Giannis I think.

After 1.5 km, a steep and strong tributary, brakes in from the right. It's called Mikro Potami (Little river) and it originates from the small village of Pades. It's contribution to the flow, is vital, so the next stretch is strong. Inspection on the right. For 200m the river slaloms through small and medium boulders, drops some 1m ledges and squeezes through tight slots. Attention for logs! At this flow, the stretch is a technical WW IV, but it should be harder in faster water.

A yellow Prijon Fly, pinned just after this class IV rapid, joined us, up to the next rapid, where it decided to pin again.
We keep paddling some WW III and then II stretches, covering the last 2km to our take out. The river moskitos and other bugs, we had met in the put in, must have informed their relatives at the take out, so they all came to greet us.

Just in time, the concrete bridge of Palioseli appears, the cars are waiting at the left bank.
9 hours of paddling, but we finally made it. Tonight we'll rest at Palioseli and tomorrow we'll challenge the Famous lower Aoos gorge...