Pisa - from Masuria to Narew

The most important direct tributary is the Turośl Canal, other tributaries are: Rybnica, Rudna, Pisza Woda, Wincenta and Skroda. Pisa is a navigable route throughout its length of almost 87 km (the often given length of 80 km is incorrect!), so in addition to kayaks, you can often meet sailboats on the route. The width of the river is about 20 meters at the outlet from Lake Roś to over 30 m at the mouth to the Narew. Pisa meanders strongly throughout its length and is quite deep and clean. It is the only river in this part of Europe that flows from start to finish in a southerly direction. Due to the fact that the river is relatively short and is directly connected to the Great Masurian Lakes, the water level fluctuations during the year are small. There are many beautiful places for camping on the route, so it is easy to divide the kayak route into any sections. In our opinion, the Pisa kayak trip is best spread over 4-5 days.

0.0 km – the best place to start the kayak trip is from the Pisz campsite by Lake Roś. The campsite belonging to the local government (MOSiR) is open to everyone and is a good place to put kayaks into the water.

0.6 km - the beginning of Pisa. As you approach, you pass several marinas and a hotel Roś with a restaurant by the lake, located on a nicely fortified and developed shore.

1.7 km - a railway bridge with a steel, lattice structure on the route Szczytno – Ełk. The beginning of Pisa is canalized, the banks are fortified and heavily built up. As you paddle, you pass several restaurants, but getting out of the kayak is not easy due to the high, concrete embankment.

2.0 km - a large road bridge on route 63 between Łomża and Węgorzewo.

2.2 km - a pedestrian bridge connecting the two sides of the city. On the right side, you can see the Pisz hotel. The banks of Pisa are always fortified, but you can find a place to get out and do some shopping in the numerous nearby shops.

2.6 km - a large road bridge on the Pisz bypass. 50 meters further, the river is crossed by a heating pipe. We are approaching the plywood factory on the right bank. Large wood storage facilities sprinkled with water emit a characteristic, unpleasant smell. About 300 meters behind the factory, the fortified embankments end and the landscape of Pisa takes on a natural character. The riverbanks are overgrown with reeds, and you pass several small fishing jetties.

4.8 km - the end of the reeds, the left bank becomes accessible, allowing you to moor kayaks and take a break, or possibly set up a camp. About 50 meters from the bank, there is a birch-pine forest. You can also drive here and possibly start the trip from this place. At the height of this place, Pisa turns right, and then immediately to the left, and the banks are again overgrown with reeds. Behind the river bend to the left, you can see a collector draining sewage from the treatment plant. Further on, a forest approaches the river on both sides, but the banks are not very accessible and heavily overgrown, mainly with reeds. Sandy shallows often occur, which are characteristic of Pisa throughout its length. Depending on the water level, they can be of different sizes, and you can even camp on them.

8.2 km - a small left tributary Szparka, about 1 meter wide. In the distance, on the left, you can see route 63.

9.4 km - a pumping station on the left bank.

14.0 km - a left tributary of the regulated Pisa river - Pisza Woda. 16.1 km - a very good place for a camp on the right, quite high bank. The place is located on a sharp bend of the river to the left, and you can see a high wooden educational footbridge with a viewing platform over the riverbank. About 150 meters long, the footbridge passing 2.5 meters above the ground in the protected forest "Szast" illustrates the damage caused by the 2002 hurricane in the Piska Forest. There is a lot of space for tents, and you can also drive here via a forest road. Getting out of the kayak is not very convenient, but it's worth stopping here.

18.9 km - a possible place for a camp on the left bank of Pisa. Rather an inconvenient place to get out of the kayak. About 300 meters earlier, the river flows near a pine forest on a high sandy slope, but getting out of the kayak is even more difficult. 19.4 km - a nice place for a camp on the left bank near a concrete pole marking a forest division. Getting out onto land is a bit better. There is a birch-pine forest nearby.

20.4 km - a good place for a camp on the right bank of Pisa on a sharp bend to the left. Easy to get out of the kayaks and a small meadow for tents. In the immediate vicinity, there is a narrow local road, but the nearest buildings are a few kilometers away. 20.6 km - a high, arched road bridge. On the left, steep bank, you can see cultivated meadows.

23.7 km - an excellent place for a camp on the right bank on a sharp bend of Pisa to the left. The bank is overgrown with birches and not ideal for getting out, but it's worth stopping here. On the way, there are very many sandy shallows, on which you can stop to rest or swim. 24.1 km - another place for a camp on the right bank on a bend of the river to the left. In general, there are more and more places for camping, but getting out of the kayaks is usually inconvenient. Pisa is 20-25 meters wide, and both banks are forested.

25.1 km - a long, open right bank with high alders. A lot of space for tents and easily accessible wood for a campfire. The place stretches for about 200 meters to a sharp bend to the left, and the best point to stop kayaks is right on this bend. The forest is a bit denser, and the bank is much gentler.

25.8 km - on a bend of the river to the left, a fairly high, sandy bank, which in some places decreases, allowing you to get out of the kayak. A lot of space for tents and easily accessible wood for a campfire.

26.2 km - another good place for a camp on the right bank on a sharp bend of Pisa to the left. The bank is easy to get out of the kayak in several places. You can see a small shelter with a table, a lot of space for tents, and wood for a campfire. 26.7 km - an excellent place for a camp on the left, high, sandy bank with a pine forest. Getting out is not ideal, but the view compensates for all the inconvenience. 200 meters further, there is a birch forest and a more accessible bank.

27.5 km - the next excellent place for camping. A gentle meadow on the left bank, overgrown with alders. The place is exactly on the bend of the river to the right. Behind the bend, both banks are very picturesque and easily accessible for camping. 29.7 km - a road bridge near the village of Jeże, located on the left bank. Near the bridge, you can stop and get out 300 meters to the village for shopping, as well as to a low-budget bar, where you can eat something warm. 500 meters behind the bridge, you paddle along open meadows overgrown with alders. You can possibly set up a camp here, but it's not a particularly attractive place.

33.5 km - a small ferry on a rope near the village of Wincenta, whose buildings are already visible earlier. The ferry serves to transport machines and farm animals to the other bank, large areas are agriculturally used, and forests give way to an open landscape. There is a grocery store in the village. 100 meters further, a small left tributary of Pisa - the Wincenta river.

33.9 km - a road bridge. 38.2 km - an excellent place for an overnight stay, a lot of space for tents, and easily accessible wood. On a gentle bend of the river to the left, a relatively high, sandy right bank with a pine forest. It's best to stop the kayaks 40 meters behind this escarpment, the bank is much gentler. In the distance, you can see the building of a recreation center.

39.3 km - a large road bridge near the village of Kozioł. Before the bridge, you paddle along the left-bank buildings of the village of Kruki, and behind the bridge, Bazydły. At the beginning of the village of Kruki, you can see the houses of a recreation center. For possible shopping, it's best to stop behind the bridge on the right bank.

44.3 km - a small right tributary of the Rybnica river.

46.3 km - on the left bank, on a sharp bend of the river to the right, a large place for camping and the possibility of making a campfire. A gentle, sandy bank is convenient for mooring kayaks. A good place for swimming.

47.3 km - a road bridge near the left-bank village of Ptaki on the route Kolno - Myszyniec. 50 meters before the bridge, on the left, there is a small bay, convenient for mooring kayaks and getting out to a nearby shop for shopping. There are benches and tables for rest.

47.6 km - a place for camping on the left bank in the village of Ptaki. It is a communal area, easy to moor kayaks to a gentle bank, and there is also a pier that facilitates access to the bank.

51.3 km - a right, canalized tributary of the Turośl Canal.

57.6 km - an excellent place for camping on the right bank of Pisa on a bend of the river to the left. A fairly high escarpment with a pine forest. Easily accessible wood for a campfire and a lot of space for tents.

58.6 km - another good place for camping on the right bank.

59.6 km - a road bridge, near the bridge, both banks are easily accessible for kayaks.

63.1 km - on a sharp bend of the river to the left, on the right bank, a sandy shallows and a convenient place to stop kayaks and set up a camp. Nearby, there is a forest and easily accessible wood for a campfire. A few kilometers further, you paddle near the summer houses on the left bank.

74.7 km - a road bridge near the village of Dobry Las. Warning about a stone reef!

77.3 km - a significant left tributary of Pisa - the Skroda river. At its mouth, it has a width of 4-5 meters. Pisa is already wider and in some places has over 30 meters.

79.9 km - a very good place for camping. A pine forest approaches the water on the right bank. A gentle bank for getting out of kayaks and camping. Easily accessible wood for a campfire.

80.4 km - an excellent place for camping near a high, sandy escarpment overgrown with a birch-pine forest; probably the most beautiful on the entire route. 300 meters earlier, there is an equally good place, but it's easier to moor kayaks here.

86.0 km - a road bridge near the village of Morgowniki. On the right bank, before the bridge, there is a good place to stop kayaks. Earlier, you paddle along a fortified left bank with recreational buildings. At the end of the fortified section, there is a small shop located very close to the water.

86.6 km - the mouth of Pisa into the Narew, exactly opposite the Kurpiowskie Open-Air Museum in Nowogród.

87.3 km - a large road bridge over the Narew in Nowogród.

87.4 km - the end of the trip. A very good place to pull out kayaks on the left bank, easy access to the water. Nearby, there is a bunker from World War II.