Expedition Report: Mustakoski Canoe Journey

Written on 06.09.2025

Overview

Between 5–6 September 2025, I completed a documented canoe expedition in Mustakoski. The trip was divided into two consecutive days, with an overnight camp in between. Data was logged via Polar Flow and exported as TCX files, providing verified distance, duration, and calorie analysis.

• Total Distance: 26.5 km

• Total Paddling Time: 5 h 20 min

• Total Energy Expenditure: ~1,653 kcal

• Camp: Overnight stay in Mustakoski with ~5 hours of sleep

Day 1 — Friday, 5 September 2025

• Start: 15:05

• Distance: 7.9 km

• Duration: 1 h 57 min

• Calories Burned: 587 kcal

The first stage began in the afternoon. Conditions were calm, and I focused on steady paddling with controlled technique. This session served as a warm-up for the more demanding effort on the following day.

Overnight Camp

Between Friday night and Saturday morning, I camped at Mustakoski. Sleep was limited to ~5 hours, but the environment provided essential recovery. The camp experience highlighted resilience and adaptability under expedition-style conditions.

Day 2 — Saturday, 6 September 2025

• Start: 09:36 (first session)

• Distance: 11.4 km

• Duration: 2 h 18 min

• Calories Burned: 750 kcal

• Start: 13:13 (second session)

• Distance: 7.2 km

• Duration: 1 h 06 min

• Calories Burned: 316 kcal

The second day was split into two sessions. The morning paddle was the longest and most demanding, covering over 11 km with a consistent rhythm. After a short recovery period, I returned to the water for a final 7 km sprint-like session, testing endurance under accumulated fatigue.

Key Findings

• Endurance: Completing more than 5 hours of paddling within a 24-hour window demonstrates strong aerobic capacity.

• Recovery under stress: Limited sleep and camp conditions challenged recovery, yet performance remained steady.

• Energy expenditure: 1,653 kcal burned highlights the intensity of the combined paddling and camp effort.

• Expedition conditions: Split sessions combined with outdoor overnight stay simulate real multi-day endurance expeditions.

Conclusion

The Mustakoski canoe journey represents a verified endurance expedition combining physical performance, environmental adaptation, and data-driven evidence. Covering 26.5 km across two days with an overnight camp, it demonstrates resilience both physically and logistically. Together with my cycling expeditions, this strengthens a multidisciplinary endurance profile.