{"id":27290,"date":"2022-08-11T14:00:12","date_gmt":"2022-08-11T21:00:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/community.nrs.com\/?p=27290"},"modified":"2022-08-09T15:29:20","modified_gmt":"2022-08-09T22:29:20","slug":"river-warriors-miljko-gigo-bulajic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/community.nrs.com\/duct-tape\/2022\/08\/11\/river-warriors-miljko-gigo-bulajic\/","title":{"rendered":"River Warriors: Miljko \u2018Gigo\u2019 Bulaji\u0107"},"content":{"rendered":"

There\u2019s a river that runs south to northwest through the small country of Montenegro. Her azure blue water cuts a canyon so deep, only the Grand Canyon beats it. Springs feed her flow, and sparkling cascades tumble into her. Old growth beech trees lean over the clear water and sharp pines frame the graphite gray canyon rim which towers some 1300 meters above. Sandy beaches, pebble gravel bars, and vertical walls blend with the rumble of whitewater.<\/p>\n

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Photo: Balkan River Defence<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Tara River is woven into Montenegrin culture and folk songs. Dusted with snow, scorched by the sun, or swollen with snowmelt, she has many moods. In every season and every mood, there\u2019s a Montenegrin man who can be found near the Tara River: Miljko Bulaji\u0107. He has interlaced his life with the river since her beauty and power first seduced him as a high school student. Known as \u2018Gigo\u2019 to friends, he\u2019s one of a handful of whitewater kayakers from Montenegro. For him, the Tara is both his sanctuary and his school.<\/p>\n

The Tara lured Gigo out of the city and taught him about the natural riches of his home. And now, he\u2019s giving back to his beloved Tara and the incredibly rich and healthy ecosystems of Montenegro, by protecting them, but also helping locals and visitors experience the nature of his home.<\/p>\n