TEMPUS Magazine redefines time, giving you a glimpse into all things sophisticated, compelling, vibrant, with its pages reflecting the style, luxury and beauty of the world in which we live. A quarterly publication for private aviation enthusiasts.
Issue link: http://tempus-magazine.epubxp.com/i/131305
T the Ponoi River RUSSIA THE HELICOPTER RIDE FROM MURMANSK to the Ryabaga camp on Russia's Ponoi River is a two-hour journey into isolation. Civilization ends not long after lift off, giving way to a tundra inhabited by bear, moose, caribou and eagles. Located above the Arctic Circle in the extreme northwest of Russia the Ponoi fows west to east across the Kola Peninsula to the Barents Sea. Until the fall of the Iron Curtain this area of Russia was off limits to the western world, mainly due to the large military installation in Murmansk. But in the late 1980s, fshing expeditions began to explore the promise of the untouched and unpolluted rivers of the peninsula. The Ryabaga camp, operated by the Ponoi River Company, opened in 1990 and has earned a reputation for phenomenal fshing on what has proven to be one of the healthiest, most reliable Atlantic salmon resources in the world. Although described as a wilderness tent camp, Ryabaga takes creature comforts seriously with running water in each tent and Finnish down pillows on every bed. The tents' pot belly stoves are magically lit before guests rise each morning and once again before they return from a day on the river. The camp's Russian and international staff numbers close to thirty and includes fve mechanics, three chefs, four housekeepers, a massage therapist and a doctor. Looking around the camp it's hard to believe you're so far from civilization. Even though every supply has to come in by 1. helicopter from Murmansk, the camp includes a fully stocked 2. tackle shop, dining room and bar, shower room with sauna and drying room. The camp's big tent is the social center of Ryabaga, where the days begin with bacon, eggs and anticipation and end with fve-course gourmet meals followed by 1. Ryabaga fishing camp 2. Luxury tents house guests vodka, poker and fsh tales. Despite the comforts of the camp, the river is the real star of the show. The Ponoi is statistically the most productive river in the world teeming with eager Atlantic salmon that can approach 30 pounds. The Ponoi is wide, too, up to 100 yards in many areas and relatively easy to wade, its medium fow attractive to beginners and experts alike. Ryabaga camp offers access to more than 40 miles of private water utilizing boats and a new state-of-the-art Russian designed hovercraft. The river is strictly catch and release with a 2012 season average of 35 fsh per rod. Guests average around eight hours of guided fshing per day not counting after hours fshing in the "Home Pool" which is located right in front of the camp and has produced as many as 200 salmon a week in after-hours fshing alone. For anglers looking for a "tent" upgrade, the six-room Ryabaga Guest House offers some of the most stunning views on the Kola Peninsula and features queen-sized beds and in suite showers. The eight-cabin Brevyeni Camp provides even more isolation and is ideal for small private groups, especially in early fall where the camp's lower river location provides its guests frst dibs on the fat, new fsh of the season.