Russian River Cruise - Day 9 - May 20

Yesterday we sailed from Kizhi Island at 8:00 p.m. We arrive at the village of Mandrogi at 11:00 a.m. where everyone goes ashore for a picnic and walk or shopping. Pat says the lunch was delicious. I am still ill, and stay on board. We sail from the village at 2:00 p.m. This evening there is the Captain's farewell dinner.
Information from the Uniworld pamphlet of the day:
Svir River: stretches for 215 Kilometers through northern forests below Karelia, connecting Europe's two largest lakes, Onega and Ladoga. The Svir landscape, rugged and majestic, cannot help but entrance the shipboard observer. At times, the banks take on the form of reddish, forested precipices, while at others, they slope smothly into green marshes. Ever since the first settlements appeared along the river over 5000 years ago, the region has been considered severe and wild. The river depth reaches 5 meters in autumn and closer to 10 meters in Spring. The river usually freezes from December to April, but under warm conditions may not totally solidify. From the water, local fishermen reel in salmon and trout.
Lake Ladoga: One of the most beautiful and picturesque places in the Northern part of Russia is the area of Lake Ladoga. It occupies the territory of 7000 sq. miles. There are more than 650 islands. The deepest spot is about 670 feet. Its water is famous for its clarity and freshness. 32 Rivers drain their waters into Lake Ladoga and only one - the Neva river flows out. The lake is rich in fish. There are 58 different kinds of fish here. The most numerous are: trout, Baltic sturgeon and Baltic salmon.
Neva River: The voyage by river ship between St. Petersburg and Lake Ladoga is quite scenic, as Neva boasts some dramatically high banks (between 6 and 9 meters) and a width varying from 250 to 1,300 meters. Within 25 kilometers of the St. Petersburg city limit the river landscape comprises suburbs and villages.