Second home: Soča valley

On Saturday we take a very needed rest day. No kayaking, just taking it slow, chilling by the river and hiking a bit along Koritnica, in hope of checking out the section we paddeld in the past week. Though we can only really see the small canyon that we had already scouted before, we still enjoy the gorgeous landscapes.
On Sunday, we start with a relaxing coffee at Mare's property. Mare is a friend from Log Pod Mangartom, just a short drive from Bovec. We had visited his property already a few years ago, but the house was then still under construction. Now everything is ready and he has completely moved in. The house sits amidst a fairytale forest with views at the Jerebica peak, the walls of Mangart and the sound of Koritnica river in the background. Mare and his father built everything themselves, from the foundation to the furniture.
We can't stay long: a friend has offered to take us to Otona, a section of the Soča that we haven't paddeld before and that is more demanding than the sections we have done here so far. As my own boat is not ideal on pushy water, I rent a different one and we decide to paddle two known sections (Srepenica & Trnovo, WW II-III) first, such that I can get used to the new boat. After a short shuttle in between, we then carry the boats down to the entry point of the main section - a steep 10 minute hike, that leaves us entirely out of breath with today's heat and in all our gear. At that point, I might have given up on the idea of paddling Otona, had I had a different alternative than carrying the boat back up. But all of that turns out to be absolutely worth it. The section is just perfect, beautiful and exciting. We end up completely high on adrenaline and can't wait to go again.Read more