Ryabaga: Description
On arrival you will be shown to your tent. Outside the tent is a wooden deck, a bench for taking on and off waders, some hooks for your waders and wading jacket, a rod rack, and a brush for your shoes before entering. As you walk into the tent to one side is a cabinet with sink, shelving and a mirror, with running cold water for brushing one's teeth and hand-soap. To the other side is a stove with a wood rack and freshly cut kindling and paper. The tents have pine floorboards with a carpet between the beds. There are two 6 ½-foot (2 metre) beds built by our mechanic team around a modern mattress. We have some longer beds for our taller guests: please let us know if you need one or would like the beds made up as a double for couples. Mattresses are covered with an under sheet and then our finest quality sleeping bags with blue flannel inner sheet and a red fleece Ponoi blanket for extra warmth if it is cold. Finally, there are two large down pillows, which we sourced through our Helsinki hotel, the Kamp. On arrival you will find two towels on each bed -- one huge bath sheet and one medium towel large enough for ladies' hair. Between the beds is a dresser with shelves, which holds bedside cups with a jug of water, tissues, matches for the stove and our welcome letter telling you more about the camp and a typical day. Each tent has a continual supply of fine chocolate.
At the end of the beds is a set of shelves for clothes; most empty duffle bags (we encourage soft bags not suitcases) slide easily under the beds. There are two stable canvas folding chairs which can be put away easily for more space or taken around to another tent if a drinks party is in swing! There is hanging space beyond the shelves with wooden hangers. Here you will find your blue Ponoi towelling robe to keep you warm when going to the shower building or in your tent. Each tent has a 220-volt power socket and lights for when it gets dark later in the season.
At the heart of the camp is the "Big Tent" which is the centre for all meals and social aspects of life at Ryabaga. Much of the Big Tent is taken up with dining tables and chairs, but at one end is the bar, sofas, a small library and fully supplied fly-tying benchand at the other the coffee table and machines, toasters etc. There is both 110 and 220-volt power. At the main entrance end is the notice board with pictures of the staff and guests, the fishing rotation schedule, literature on the Ponoi scientific project etc. There is also the famous “ring game”, which is enjoyed by guests and staff alike.
Several other buildings are in the central area on "Fish Street": the kitchen, which is a hive of activity for staff but guests are always welcome to look in, our storehouses, and further on, the banya (sauna) and the shower building. We have Co-Ed (mixed) showers and a ladies’ shower with 24-hour hot water and stoves to keep the buildings warm. The showers each have shampoo, bottled and bars of soap, Q-tips, cotton balls, extra razors and shaving cream. The shower building is often the scene of lively fishing discussions in the morning and evenings. The banya is open every night except Saturdays, but we do have ladies' nights on Monday and Wednesday if privacy is required. It also has a changing room and a washroom.
Some other important areas of camp are the two conveniently placed flush-toilet buildings, each with four stalls of flush toilets, all with wooden seats and heating. We have a drying tent where the stove is lit whenever it has been raining or for an unlucky fisherman! The last key location is the medical room, which doubles as the massage room, located at one end of the camp; it is clearly marked with a red cross and Massage sign.
Our regular guests continually tell us that we should never alter the basic structure of the camp because of the special atmosphere that prevails. With such a high repeat profile and such appreciation for the camp, its comfort and how it works, we do not intend to make dramatic changes. We do however always look hard at the camp each year to see how subtle improvements can be made to maintain the atmosphere yet allow our guests a little extra comfort.
