Gallery: Rowing trip highlights Sooma's dugout boat culture
This Tuesday morning, behind the artificial lake in Türi, a camping team set out on a dugout canoe towards Pärnu.
Aivar Ruukel at the Green Riverland Partnership organized the 100-kilometer trip for the second year in a row.
The trip's purpose is to introduce the ancient culture of building dugout canoes from a single piece of wood that has survived in Soomaa for centuries.
"It is the only place in the European Union where men have constantly built the dugout canoes. Just like this phenomenon passed down from generation to generation, it is not found elsewhere. /…/ Every night at seven, we have lectures. Today, Tarmo Mikusaar will speak about nature, tomorrow Dmitri Sädus about water roads and old boats, and the day after, Aldur Vunk about the Stone Age settlement near the Pärnu River. The resting areas allow you to try the dugout canoes. The places are full on the hike," said the dugout boat builder and nature guide, Aivar Ruukel.
The boating culture was added to the UNESCO protection list in 2021.
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Editor: Merili Nael, Lotta Raidna
