July 29, Friday, is another one of those days when we have this spur-of-the-moment decision to hit the road again. Another wanderlust attack. Our main target was Happaranda, the last city in the last county of northern Sweden, Norrbotten. And then we had to cross over to a city in Finland.
Storforsen, the rapid that lies in the municipality of Älvsbyn, was not a part of our itinerary, but some force prodded us to go and take a look at that place. Being lovers of the wild outdoors, we gave in to that force and veered to that direction in the northwest instead of burning the coastal highway straight to our urban destinations.
We checked in to the Storforsen Camping, a well-frequented camping site by nature-trippers. This area has a big hotel, a number of "stugor" or cabins, a little church and a good view of the Pite River and its rapids.
Since we would only stay here for a night, we just hired a little cabin instead of setting up our tent. Like all the other popular camping sites in this country, this one was also full of vacationers, many of whom came from other countries.
Being more north than where we live, this place had brighter nights that time. And so we took advantage of the evening brightness to wend our way through the nature trail leading to the rapids. The trail along the rapids consists mainly of boardwalks with some sections serving as bridges.
Along the way, I kept taking lots of photos from every angle.
Once we got to the heart of the rapids, I was stunned by its immensity and the force of the churning waters whose thunderous sounds palpitated in my chest.
The rapids stretch out over a distance of 5 km in which the riverbed is lowered by 82 meters. The flow of the river is on average 162 cubic meters of water per second, and the highest flow measured in the lower reaches of the river is 1,040 cubic meters per second.
The rocks surrounding the rapids are barred in order to prevent accidents. Visitors can view the whole rapids from the ramps that have been mounted.
Previously, the rapids were used to transport logs, but now, its surroundings have become a part of a nature park visited by about 150,000 people each year. Strolling along the two-kilometer walkway is pleasurable, adventurous and educational.
There's so much to see and learn here, like information about the river, about human existence by the river and about plants and animals, which can be read at twelve spots along the trail.
Since there's plenty of water and nourishment in this area, vegetation is rich and lush.
When the river was developed into a floatway, part of the river channel was drained, but the dead ponds are still teeming with life. This part was named "Döda Fallet" or The Dead Falls.
Here, visitors can find fantastic bathing spots with warm water among the rocks on sunny summer days.
Several potholes can also be found at the drained area of the Dead Falls, some of which are so deep that one can creep right into them. This heart-shaped one caught my eyes.
Wow, there's just so much to see and admire in this nature trail but alas!, the night wore on and our body told us to take a rest after the day's long journey. So we started back to our little cabin through the same boardwalks that we took, the rumble of the rapids slowly fading behind us. The night was still bright and I glanced back one more time before turning in for the night.
This wonderful day concluded with this beautiful sunset wishing us all to have a restful sleep. Once again, my heart brimmed with gratitude to our Creator who beautified our home planet with such marvelous things that speak volumes about his love and power.
And the distant murmur of the rapids lulled me to a sweet sleep.
The following day awaited us with a promise of a new journey filled with exciting adventures.
The following day awaited us with a promise of a new journey filled with exciting adventures.
