We left as kayakers and came back as dissidents
Fed up with living in Communist Poland, Andrzej Pietowski, Jacek Bogucki and their friends set off to paddle one of the toughest rivers in the world. Their lives changed forever.
In the late 1970s, a bunch of fun-loving young Polish guys fed up with living under communism built themselves some kayaks and set off on an adventure. Despite their initial lack of experience, equipment or money, Andrzej Pietowski, Jacek Bogucki and their friends became the first to paddle one of the world's deepest river canyons - the Colca in southern Peru. They were about to return to Poland as heroes when the military imposed a crackdown on the burgeoning Solidarity movement, leaving the kayakers in a risky position. Andrzej and Jacek tell Jo Fidgen their extraordinary story, which was made in to a documentary called Godspeed, Los Polacos! This interview was first broadcast in August 2021.
Get in touch: outlook@bbc.com
Presenter: Jo Fidgen
(Image: The Polish kayaking group. Credit: CanoandesΒ Inc)
Last on
Broadcasts
- Wed 22 Feb 2023 12:06GMTΒι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service
- Wed 22 Feb 2023 18:06GMTΒι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service except East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa
- Wed 22 Feb 2023 23:06GMTΒι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa only
- Thu 23 Feb 2023 00:06GMTΒι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service South Asia
- Thu 23 Feb 2023 03:06GMTΒι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service except South Asia
Contact Outlook
Info on how we might use your contribution on air
Podcast: Lives Less Ordinary
Step into someone else’s life and expect the unexpected