Siberian exploit

Brothers on the Bashkaus

Laurence Washington, Special to the News

Friday, May 4, 2007

• Nonfiction. By Eugene Buchanan. Fulcrum, $15.95.Grade: A

Plot in a nutshell: After receiving the first W.L. Gore Shipton/Tilman Grant offered to paddlers, this editor in chief of Paddling Life magazine, and three colleagues embark on a 26-day whitewater trip down Siberia's treacherous Bashkaus River. The pitch: To witness wildlife in an undisturbed environment - a unique opportunity for outdoor educators. True mission: Because it was there, vast, wild and unknown to Westerners. And because Siberia was obscure enough to have a chance of getting a grant.

After a series of mishaps, such as setting off a motion sensor alarm at JFK airport and being stood up by their Russian point-person at the Moscow airport, Buchanan and his crew's adventure begins when they meet Boris, a Latvian paddler who invites the Americans to join his team Konkas led by Valerij Ramitch.

Outfitted with some of the best commercial outdoor gear, Buchanan and company soon find themselves stripped down to the bare necessities to survive. At first, the Americans feel as though they've been kidnapped by strangers who barely speak English, but they all become brothers as the Latvians protect them from outraged train conductors, bus drivers who would overcharge them, and marauding horsemen. The adventure down the Bashkaus solidifies their bond. "River not know or care if you are Russian, Latvian, or American," Ramitch tells the group. "All she knows is you must be strong to run her."

Best tidbit: "Soup, of course, is a misnomer," Buchanan writes. "Especially when, like today's, it involves fish. Like a scene from the Flintstones, each day's catch is simply dropped into a pot of boiling water, head bones, tail, eyeballs, and all. This makes hot fish water - not to be confused with hot fish soup. But it's calories, and that's what matters.

" 'You luck,' " Van says, glancing into my bowl. 'You got the eyeball.' "

Pros: Buchanan introduces American paddlers to the resourceful former Soviet Union way of rafting: living off the land, everything from paddles to pontoons handmade from scratch.

Cons: Buchanan gets a little heavy-handed on Russian history. Although he uses it to advance the adventure and add ambience, sometimes it's best to cut to the chase.

Final word: Thoughtfully filled with pictures, this should be required reading for all whitewater paddlers.

Laurence Washington