International water tourism festival Neman Spring 2018

The international festival Neman Spring has been held for over 40 years already. Neman Spring 2018 opened this year’s tourism season in the Augustow Canal area on 15-16 April. Extreme sport competitions were the key event as about 300 athletes from Belarus, Russia, Ukraine, and Poland showed their applied tourism skills. Within two days they used kayaks and catamarans to cross record-long distances – 12km was the longest one – along the turbulent Ostashanka River not far from the famous Nemnovo sluice.

The organizers believe that the popularity of water sports grows higher every year: professionals are given an excellent opportunity to test their skills before future expeditions while newbies and tourists have a fun time getting familiar with places of interest in the Augustow Canal area. A test drive of kayaks was arranged for the sake of polishing one’s skills: anyone could try to learn how to manage this means of transportation under the tutelage of experienced coaches and embark upon their first journey afterwards.

Apart from that, visitors could appreciate picturesque views of the canal by going on a short cruise on board of a pleasure motor ship. According to the organizers, such cruises are popular with foreign tourists, who can freely travel along one of Europe’s most beautiful waterways in Poland and Belarus after Belarus introduced a visa-free travel regime in 2016. By the way, yachtsmen try to keep up: about 90 private vessels passed through the canal in 2017.

Extreme kayaking competitions, a test drive of unusual vessels, the unveiling of a she-beaver sculpture, and many other things in our photo report!