THE LOG RAFTERS OF LAKE AEGERI
Today, this centuries-old tradition is unique in Central Europe: log rafting on Lake Aegeri in Switzerland. Tree trunks are tied together to make a large raft and pushed across the lake with the help of motor boats.
In the Swiss canton of Zug, a centuries-old craft is cultivated: log rafting. In a mountain forest on the shores of Lake Aegeri, trees are felled every four to five years and then transported across the water. The chainsaws can be heard well beyond Lake Aegeri – a loud crack signals the felling of a tree. The trunks thunder down the steep slope and plunge into the water. Foresters round up the logs with a motorboat, transferring them to sheltered bays where they are kept temporarily. For transportation, the logs are tied together in the shape of a large raft. First, the foresters form a triangular frame out of the largest trunks, then they fill it in with the remaining logs. Everything is held together with wire cable, chains and hooks. The foresters skilfully balance on the slippery, moving logs with their raft hooks, pushing the logs into the required position. The weather has to be calm for the raft to cross the lake. But this year, a foehn wind prevents the planned crossing. The rare raft spectacle takes place only every four to five years but it has long become an attraction for locals and tourists.