The Vada expedition trade their tents for Soviet style hotels as they continue their journey onto Lake Baikal.

Thanks to expedition members and Kokatat for the update and pictures on this expedition.

“We have followed every bend and curve of the Selenga, swiftly carrying us through Mongolia and into Russia’s Siberia. En route we pulled into the city of Ulan-Ude. Home to 360 thousand people it is situated on the confluence of the Selenga and the Uda rivers.

We exchanged our tent for a Soviet style hotel, and stored our canoes in the main lobby. We took to the town and enjoyed the various cafes, good food and a night at the local disco.

Once we had purchased the necessary food and supplies we left the city behind to spend our last few days on the Selenga.

In three days we reached the massive delta; at over 30 km wide it is a labyrinth of swamps and small twisting rivers. We kept to the left, and watched the river dwindle in size as it branched, the current slowed, forest was replaced by swamp vegetation, and lilies clung to our paddles.

We came around a last bend, and there she was, stretching out to an endless horizon. A shot of vodka and a plunge into the world’s deepest lake celebrated our arrival at Baikal.

Days later we nibbled on smoked omul that an aged fisherman in his rowboat was kind enough to share with us. His skin wrinkled from a life in the sun, yet his eyes were clear as centuries. Earlier he had been a comical character, but as we readied to depart he looked us in the eye, and with an air of seriousness warned us that Baikal was not to be taken lightly, storms emerge suddenly, and we should never stray too far from shore.

Inevitably he was right; nestled in southern Siberia, Lake Baikal is 636km long and 60km wide, big enough to be considered a fresh water ocean. Waves can build to several meters in height in the center of the lake. When the winds eventually blew, the waves rapidly grew and we were forced to wait out the weather. Baikal’s vastness makes us feel rather small in our little red canoes.” – Sarah McNair-Landry, www.expeditionvada.com