Video of a quick hike'n'paddle down Vantaanjoki with Marko, through three rapids: Pitkäkoski), Niskalankoski and Ruutinkoski. For the future reference, discharge was as follows (from Ympäristökeskus):

• Myllymäki 7.5 m³/s (water level 23.5 MAMSL)

After a disappointing winter, it’s great to see the spring coming, and especially waters opening up for packrafting - though lakes and even the sea is still partially covered with ice, temperatures dropping few degrees celcius below zero during the nights.

To kick off the season (traditionally even), I had a quick after-work paddle last week in my backyard river, Espoonjoki, which has enough water only during the spring and autumn floods for rewarding paddling. Espoonjoki (starting from Espoon tuomiokirkko) is mostly uneventful, but with decent discharge it’s a comfy paddle with a short rapid in Kauklahti to spice things up a bit. This time I continued from Kauklahti all the way to the sea, by then mostly thawed, and finished near home in Saunalahti.

Back in Ostrobothnia) (my roots) over a long weekend, due to autumn break at school (and with an opportunity to work remotely, visiting friends and family back there), a plan was fixed to try and paddle down the Orismalanjoki, which starts from lake Kotilammi and runs past my in-laws house in Orismala, finishing in Kyrönjoki.