Corsica Spring Mission 2009

Corsica 2009

Start of april, a team of three Swiss paddlers from Interlaken, consisting of Marc Gacond, Phil Hausammann and myself, set off to explore the whitewaters of the legendary island Corsica. After a warm up on the Verzasca, we had a short stopover at the airport in Bergamo to pick up Canadas Tyler Curtis, to complete the team of this mission. Marc, Tyler and I had already sucessfully been on expeditions in Tibet, Patagonia and above the Arctic Circle, and so we were quite positive to collect a few „airmiles“ early in the season. With the VW Multivan fully loaded we fired up the engine and set off to the ferryport.

Marc Gacond launching at the Travo

Beside Freeriding different rivers, our goal was to shoot the next chapter of a movieseries for the biggest international Whitewater Magazine. And so we’ve been taking cameras, mounting tripods and playing with all sorts of innovative capturing technics. The schedule was tight and challenging, due of the good teamplaying defenatly manageable

„KayakSession Magazine“ organised at the same time the „Corsica Whitewater Festival“ and the regularly at Eastern by kayakers flooded island turned into a whitewater ressort for paddlers from all directions and corners of this globe.

Ron Fischer with the perfect line, captured by Marc Gacond

The first days we spent with Ron Fischer, Arnd Schäftlein and many other well known kayakers and already a couple of hours after our arrival on the island we had the first splashs of corsican whitewater in our faces.

And so we road- and rivertripped around the island, running stunning Whitewater and getting to know to island once more in a unique and very special way.

After a long, very rich winter with lots and lots of pow pow, at was the right moment to start of with spring. Putting up camp somewhere in nowhere and to feel again as individual yet very insignificant part of our nature.

Phil Hausammann boofing very nicely..

Stay away of these cute little creepers: very beautfiful yet very dangerous and poisioning.

Marc Gacond with the camera mounted on the back of his boat.

Ron Fischer at the start of his „Quest of the lost carkey on Corsica“, Phil trying to help. As a note: His van was loaded up on a truck and driven back to Switzerland…

Myself on the first Rizzanese drop.

Marc and phil givin’er!

Second Rizzanese-drop

Phil Hausammann seat belt fastened and ready for landing!

Tyler Curtis waiting for his turn!

Marc Gacond on the Asco

Visiting one of the worlds greatest Whitewater destinations doesnt mean you got to close your eyes from the rest of its treasures and beautiful places… The little town of Bonifacio is not only vey rich on history (Napoleons birthplace), its also breathtakingly beautiful!

Hmmm… One day, i will be back without a vanload full of boys!

A feast for all senses!

Phil Hausammann in action

Canadas Tyler Curtis with the perfect line on theLiamone

Important things for a succesful Corsica trip:

-    Ellbowguards
-    Full Face Helmet
-    Tar- Band
-    Duct-tape

Nice campspot for a night

Typical corsican mountainvillage.

And so we returned after 14 paddlingdays and 13 explored rivers (some we paddled twice), numerous shot videotapes, unforgetable moments and impressions of breathtaking nature back to the mainland. Without any real injuries or problems we discovered most of the islands whitewater gems. And altough temperatures have been lower as expected  with more raindays than Switerland, we will keep this place in memory with a warm heart!

Off to the next adventure… on a mission
Simon

Here is the first trailer of the Kayak Session Video Guide from Corsica:

Kayak Session Video Guide Series #2 – Rivers of Corsica – TEASER #1 from Kayak TV on Vimeo.