Gangapur dam is located in Nashik on the way to Trimbakeshwar. I have been here numerous times, the accessibility and a great camping spot makes it the nearest place to have a great Saturday in Nashik. No other introduction summarizes the feeling.
When I am in Nashik on a weekend and if there are no specific plans, spending an evening at Gangapur dam is my favourite thing to do. We at Wildtents had bought a brand new Kayak, this one was made of fiber compared to the inflatable ones we had. The main differentiator other than price is the speed and stability.
At Least that’s what our inhouse Kayak expert Sanket and Prathamesh had to say.
I decided to head to Nashik on the weekend of 25th January to test the new equipment. I was accompanying Sanket and Prathmesh from Pune. We reached Nashik by 8:30am. When we leave this early, our intention is to reach by the time our favorite Missal Pav hotel opens, Sudarshan Misal
Sudarshan Misal is located in Makhmalabad and run by a family. The mother handles the cooking and cash register with the father and son taking orders and serving. We have been eating here for over a decade and the taste has been nothing but consistent.
It’s not a restaurant per se, they have put a few tables in their home and if you can’t find a place, they allow you to sit on a mat inside the home. It does not get more homely than this, in taste and hospitality.
Misal pav: ₹70
Papad: ₹10
Buttermilk: ₹25
Extra pav: ₹5
Additional bowl of mixed sprouts (Ussal): ₹25
Total damage done: ₹460
After having our tummy full, we went to Sanket’s house. While Prathamesh went home, I slept at Sanket’s house. It was going to be a long day, so I needed the rest and also I like sleeping.
At around 3PM, I woke up and found the entire gear loaded into Sanket’s car. Ah, the vacation feeling. After having a cup of coffee, we headed to our friend Dushyant’s home, where the Kayak was kept. I got the first glimpse of the Kayak and as a kid staring at a new toy I just couldn’t wait to put this in water and start Kayaking.
So how do you transport a Kayak that is 2.7 meter long? Simple, you use a Kayak wagon aka Sanket’s car.
It took a total of 10 minutes to mount the Kayak. Yes, that’s how easy it is. Kayak mounted, it was time to meet the remaining gang. The remaining friends met us at Jehan Circle, it’s a junction from where Trimbak road starts which takes you to Gangapur dam.
We also picked up some snacks on route to make sure we had sufficient food to eat if we got hungry.
Once we reached, I wasted no time putting the Kayak into water. Fastned the lifejacket and boarded the Kayak.
I was overjoyed! The fiber design makes it easier to paddle away without much effort, you can attain a good speed in no time. The stability on this Kayak was extremely great. I paddled away to a distance almost in the middle of the dam, I stopped only when the people on the banks became a speck in the horizon. I was enjoying the calm water with only passing birds creating any noise. It’s difficult to put this simple feeling in words, the only way is to experience it. After spending an hour Kayaking and exhausted, I returned back. I came out of the water raving about the ease and speed of the Kayak. By the time I looked back, the Kayak was commandeered by our in house Kayal expert Prathamesh.
It was time to enjoy the sunset and beautiful sunset at Gangapur dam accompanied by friends, food and long conversations.
I never get bored of Gangapur dam and this feeling. I pulled in a chair near the water and chilled till the sun went down. We didn’t plan to camp today, so packed up everything and went back to Sanket’s place to play some board games and conversations.
