Solina: kayaking on the Bieszczady sea
Solina is the largest reservoir in the Bieszczady - more than 22 km² of water wedged between wooded hills. Large, deep and capricious water: here you paddle close to the shore, with an eye on the weather and the boat traffic.
Solina: the largest reservoir in the Bieszczady
Lake Solińskie, known simply as Solina, is the largest artificial reservoir in the Bieszczady, and at the same time the one with the largest capacity in all of Poland. It covers about 22 square kilometres and holds nearly half a billion cubic metres of water. The surface cuts in here in long, winding arms between wooded mountain ridges, which is why it is sometimes called the Bieszczady sea. For a paddler it is large, deep and capricious water, on which most depends on the weather.
Where Solina lies and where it came from
Solina was formed by damming the valley of the San; the reservoir was brought into use in 1968, and with it the tallest dam in Poland, which is 81.8 metres high and 664 metres long. It lies in Lesko county, in the heart of the Bieszczady, among places such as Polańczyk, Solina, Wołkowyja and Zawóz. It is deep: by the dam it reaches about 60 metres, on average about 25. Its shoreline, ragged with bays, runs to about 166 kilometres at an average water level, though it varies, because the water level can swing considerably.
Can you paddle a kayak on Solina?
Yes, and with no formal obstacle. A quiet zone applies across the whole reservoir, but it concerns vessels with combustion engines - those you may not run on Solina, apart from the services and rescue teams. The ban does not cover a kayak, a rowing boat or electric propulsion. The exception to the quiet is the passenger boats, which have permission for combustion engines for a few more years, so you have to reckon with their presence and the wash they leave behind.
Safety on Solina: wind and big water
The greatest danger on Solina is the weather. This is a mountain reservoir on which conditions change in a flash - a sudden, gusting wind can build a wave in a short time and capsize even a larger boat; there have been accidents here in which the wind overturned sailing boats with their whole crew. Put your buoyancy aid on and adjust it while you are still ashore. Paddle close to the shore and do not head out into the middle when wind or storms are forecast. The water is deep and cold, and the further you paddle from land, the more dangerous a capsize becomes. Before you set off, check the forecast and watch the sky. There is more on preparing for big water in the guide to safety on the water.
The dam and the power station at Solina
The dam at Solina is the most recognisable spot in the area and the tallest structure of its kind in Poland. Next to it works a pumped-storage power station, which at the hours of peak demand for electricity releases water through its turbines, and outside the peak pumps it back into the reservoir. For a paddler one thing follows from this: this kind of operation means the water level changes, and you should not paddle up to the dam itself. The view of its crest is better kept for a safe distance.
Where to kayak: the quieter bays
Solina is not equally busy everywhere. By the dam and in the western part, near Polańczyk, the most excursion boats and motorboats are milling about. The further east and deeper into the arms, the quieter it gets - the eastern arms of the reservoir and the southern bays around Wołkowyja and Zawóz are calmer and less frequented. It is exactly there that a kayak works best: you can paddle along the wooded shores, away from the main traffic, tucking into one bay after another.
Where to put in and rent a kayak
The most harbours, beaches and rentals are in Polańczyk, on the western shore - the most convenient base. You can hire a kayak right by the lake. Before you set out onto such large water, it is worth matching your route and timing to the weather - how to do that, I explain in the guide on how to choose a paddling route.
- Polańczyk (base and put-in) – The largest resort on Solina, on the western shore - harbours, beaches and kayak rentals; the most convenient place to put in and a base to head out from.
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The dam at Solina
The tallest dam in Poland (81.8 m) with a pumped-storage power station - the most recognisable spot in the area. You should not paddle up to the structure itself; its crest is viewed from a safe distance.
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The southern bays (Wołkowyja, Zawóz)
The quieter, southern part of the reservoir with wooded bays around Wołkowyja and Zawóz - away from the main boat traffic, good for a kayak.
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The eastern arms (the Teleśnica area)
The eastern arms of the reservoir, quiet and less frequented - the further from the dam, the fewer boats; here you can paddle along the wooded shores, tucking into the bays.
How do you paddle a kayak on Solina? This is a large, deep mountain reservoir - kayaks are allowed, because the quiet zone bans only combustion engines, but safety is decided by the weather. The wind gets up suddenly here and quickly builds a wave. Keep to the shore, paddle in a buoyancy aid, check the forecast and do not head out into the middle in the wind. It is calmest away from the dam and the harbours - in the eastern arms and the southern bays.