🛶 The Canoe Trip — Group Guide

📌 Good to know before we go

• Bring your own long lighter — the operator says it's not included.
• The included Trangia stove burns spirit (alcohol) — relevant during fire bans (see below).
• Aim for ~20 kg max per person — everything has to fit in the canoe.

🗺️ How far do we go? (let's decide together)

The operator has several routes, all starting/ending at basecamp, and they're flexible — we can extend or shorten on the water. They range from a relaxed ~58 km up to a sporty ~131 km (to the Norway border), with options in between.

Roughly, 131 km ≈ 16–18 km/day with wind and a few portages (canoe wheels included), while a shorter route leaves more time to swim, fish and laze around camp.

🔋 Power & phones

The operator is clear: there's no electricity during the trip — bring a good power bank.

• One solid ~25,000 mAh power bank per person easily covers 8 days if you keep your phone in airplane / battery-saver mode.
• There's mobile coverage across almost the whole area — phones mostly needed for the offline map, photos, and emergencies.
• No need to fully switch your phone off — airplane mode + the Travelbase app's offline map is enough.

🏕️ Camping & campfire rules

Sweden's Right of Public Access (allemansrätten) lets us camp almost anywhere in nature — so we can wild-camp on a quiet shore or island when we feel like it. There are also 100+ DANO shelters along the way (our included Nature Conservation Card covers them), each with a fire site and a dry toilet. We can mix and match: a bit of wild camping, a shelter when it suits.

Camping

• Pitch out of sight/earshot of houses; 1–2 nights per spot (natural on a moving route).
• Our 3 tents are within the rules — the limit is "2–3 tents" without landowner permission, so 3 is our ceiling (don't add a 4th).
• Heads-up: one lake on the route only allows overnight stays at DANO shelters (no wild camping there) — the app shows which.

Campfires — yes 🔥

• Use the shelters' dedicated fire sites wherever possible.
• If building elsewhere: on gravel/sand or an existing ring — never on or next to bare rock (heat cracks it permanently) or on moss/peat.
• Douse it fully with water, stir, check there's no smoke. Keep water at hand.

🚨 Fire bans (eldningsförbud) — check this daily

Swedish summers routinely get fire bans during dry spells. This is the one rule that can actually disrupt our cooking, so we should check it before and during the trip:

• Install the "Brandrisk Ute" app (the standard Swedish tool).
• Check the national map at krisinformation.se.
• Check the county boards: Länsstyrelsen Värmland and Västra Götaland.

🎒 Packing list

Canoe gear, life jackets, barrel, dry bag, stove and map are provided — don't bring those. Below is what you bring. Keep it light: ~20 kg max per person.

👕 Clothing

Swedish weather changes fast — be ready for sun and cold/rain.

• Hiking boots
• Water shoes / sandals (wet landings, portages)
• Socks + underwear
• Warm sweater / fleece (cold evenings)
• Waterproof / rain jacket
• Waterproof zip-off trousers (sun + bug cover too)
• Swimwear
• Pyjama
• Sunglasses + cap / hat
• Paddle gloves (prevents blisters!)
• Light long-sleeve layer
• Warm hat + light gloves (cold mornings)

⭐ Special / canoe-specific items

The stuff that isn't in a normal camping kit — don't forget these:

• Dry bags for clothes/sleeping bag (barrel won't fit everything)
• A tarp — over luggage in the canoe + camp shelter ("a must-have")
• Mosquito head-net
• Insect repellent (DEET / picaridin)
• Tick remover / tick pliers
• Water purification tablets and/or filter
• Biodegradable soap / shampoo + toothpaste
• Sunscreen + after-sun + SPF lip balm
• Big power bank
• Sleep mask + earplugs (it barely gets dark!)
• Camera / GoPro
• Roll-top duffel or backpack + rain cover

✅ Provided — don't bring

• 2-person canoe + paddles
• Life jackets
• Canoe wheels (for portages)
• 55 L waterproof barrel + 40 L dry bag
• Trangia stove set + fuel + eco-soap & sponge
• Waterproof map + route description
• Travelbase navigation app
• Nature Conservation Card (shelters + fire sites)
• All lock passages
• Ranger support
• Food (our foodpack is booked ✓)

📎 Extra sections (mostly for Isaak)

The bits below — drone and fishing — are extra prep that mainly concerns whoever's flying a drone or fishing. Here for reference so everyone knows what's going on.

🚁 Drone (DJI Mini 5 Pro)

Verdict: bring it — flying over the lakes and forest is generally legal in Sweden, with a few real exceptions to respect.

Do these before leaving home (required)

• Register as a drone operator. Even though it's "sub-250 g," the camera makes operator registration mandatory in the EU. Register once with your home country's authority (Belgium: drones.mobilit.fgov.be) — it's valid EU-wide, including Sweden. Write the operator ID on the drone.
• No pilot test needed (it's class C0) — just read the manual.

The real risks on the water (priority order)

• Nature reserves & protected areas. Parts of the route are protected (e.g. Svärdlång is a "well-protected nature area"). National parks ban drones outright; reserves often ban take-off/landing and "disturbing wildlife." Check each launch spot at skyddadnatur.naturvardsverket.se and airspace at dronechart.lfv.se.
• Nesting birds (April–August). Disturbing them is a criminal offence even in the wild — keep well clear, don't chase wildlife.
• Max 120 m altitude, keep it in sight, don't fly over groups of people.

🎣 Fishing

License — required

• These inland lakes need a local fishing card. There's a single route-wide "Kanotfiskekort" (Canoe Fishing License) covering ~11 waters along the whole route.
• Where: online at dalslandnordmarken.se or the iFiske app (delivered to your phone) — or easiest, buy it at basecamp on arrival for 300 SEK / €30.
• Personal — each person fishing needs their own card (kids under 12 free). Max 2 rods per person. No card = no fishing.

What's in the water

A strong pike (gädda) and perch (abborre) fishery — Foxen/Stora Le is a genuine trophy-pike water. Also zander, roach, bream, and trout/char in the deep clear Silen lakes. Best eating: perch (and zander). Release big pike — Foxen has an 80 cm max (release pike over 80 cm; max 2/day).

Buy your tackle BEFORE the trip (no shops on the water)

• Lures: Abu Garcia Toby spoons (18–28 g); Mepps spinners (#1–2 perch, #4–5 pike); a Rapala X-Rap or two; soft-plastic shads; a few drop-shot worms.
• Essential pike kit: steel/wire leaders (~30 cm — pike teeth cut through line; bring 6+ spares); 20–30 lb braid; jigheads (5–35 g); spare trebles + split rings.
• Tools: long forceps/pliers, wire cutters, a rubber landing net, a sharp fillet knife, and a small priest/baton to dispatch fish humanely.
• Lure-only — worm/bait fishing with a spinning rod isn't permitted under Swedish rules.