Madamax

Julien was about to leave madagascar and I seized the opportunity to send him on a small river we paddled occasionally south of Antananarivo.

With low waters, it’s rather gentle.

Well, that wasn’t exactly low tide!

Julien, Joe and Liva boarded near Behenjy for what was supposed to be a cool day and an half with a few amusing rapids.

They encountered furious lines of challenging rapids for most of the section they paddled and were quite impressed by its potential with high waters.

You can see that the rapids look quite nice for thrill seekers and they left a few lines to be opened by strong groups of dedicated paddlers, …

We caught them at the pull out the next day all excited by this great descent and decided to return there again, …

Julien took the loaded Pyranha through really nice lines all along those two days.

Everybody convinced that Liva was to take the plunge!

Waoow, that was a fun one. Those Ark boats (Made in South Africa) behave very well in this kind of rapids.

Joe and Liva, proud of their performances, and raging Andromba overflowing in the background.

Local shuttle buddy, a seemingly constant of malagasy white waters, …

A cool good bye trip to Imerina rivers for Julien. He had the opportunity of exploring quite a lot of them during those few months spent with us.

Despite a moderate rain season, we keep on looking and opening new rivers to paddlers.

Local polishituation has killed the tourism trade and although we’re surviving, in urgent needs of travelers!
Mada is safe! Well, as safe as you decide!!!

Even through the worst periods of riots and protests, we managed to move around the countryside without any concerns about local troubles.

It’s even a perfect period to travel out here as everything can be bargained and hotels very empty.

Julien Pernot, Joe and Arthur were sent on a reco trip, northwest of Tana.

I dropped them right in Ankazobe, 100 kms on the road to Majunga.

What was supposed to be a reasonnable goal offered lines of challenging rapids and falls.

The boys stated bluntly that it was a river for the Young Guns, not themselves.

They left one Piranha kayak and one Ark inflatable canoe and I was supposed to pick them up on the fourth day.

Well, they maintained the schedule, but they had to work hard through rocky canyons, steep falls and remote backcountry.

It is now awaiting for bold yakers to open all the lines and drops.

There were quite a few portages and lining boats as well.

Being only 2 crafts on the river didn’t encourage Julien to dare too much.

Occasional croco sighting also tempered their boldness and interfered with decision process, …

Drive back is only 50 kms on an almost decent track during dry season. Not so advisable in case of rain.

A fun week end on the Ikopa river, south of Antananarivo.

Typical male dominant attitude and usual maried couple set-up!

Good flow, very average weather with a last gust of winter trade winds plus a light rain.

Saturday night camp under grey sky!!!

Ikopa actually flowing through Tana is a cool weekenders favorite spot.

A fun loving group celebrating a 40th birthday.

Typical Ikopa's riverside scene.

Being that close from city and that isolated is sheer luxury.

Super crew to handle the logistics and crates of beer, …

Heads feels heavy as lead.

Sunny sunday morning to heal hangovers from a very late lasting bonefire and Three Horses Beer (the local brew) carnage!

Crisis in the boat industry

2009 political troubles led to a change in Madamax boat renewal policy, …

We even took the time and the energy to do a bit of reforestation. With the beginning of rain season, it’s time to start planting.

Locals planting new trees

Fruit trees are our favorites for this kind of pico action.

And that’s what we do with our guests. Every day out during wet season is an occasion to put in a few more trees to develop agroforestry ideas and help locals (more info on our actions on woodenstock.org , In french only, sorry!)

Outsiders do their share!

Visitors always enjoy the chance to do their little bit of work towards a not so gloomy future.

I love those hours spent in peaceful Imerina countryside, away from city noises and troubles, 45′ away from downtown!!!

Boat's garage

Playful day on Ikopa's beach

Will be back on it with 100 paddlers in two weeks, stay posted, …

Despite the desesperatingly gloomy touristic scene in these troubled days, we managed to launch a mini expedition in the Isalo canyons at the southern tip of central highlands.

Pioneer expeditions had sent a couple of Brit girls for a 10 day expedition down Benahy, Imaloto and Onilahy from Isalo range to Tulear.

titi, my daughter!

I talked a few friends in it and we all threw in handfuls of kids to end up with a large group of 16, 8 adults and 8 kids.

muddy waters

Rowdy crowd down this calm river.

the river guard

Low waters of the dry season ends up in a lot of walking, towing canoes through sandbars and maze of dams erected by local saphire diggers.

camp 2

This stretch of wilderness remains an exceptionnal trip, taking passengers to spectacular canyons and sceneries.

Floating at last

We parted with the Pioneer people at the end of the canyon and let them row for survival on definitely more serious Onilahy rapids.

kakou the crazy pirat

The locals pulled out after 5 days deep down Gondwanaland, eyes sparkling with high walls and blue skies.

Saphire search

Can’t wait for the next buddies trip,

Geoffroy n'est plus à la barre.

I got to love them too much, …

I love those canyons and hope to be back there as often as possible.

Nady, our local river guide

One of my very favorite playground around the island.

Great sunday out here in Madagascar

While Tananarive is on fire with riots and protests we decided to celebrate our planting season and invited my sponsors for a day out , not in the fields, but on the waters!!!

Asanaty, my wife carrying a young plant to its final destination.

The Katsaoka is a rather gentle river flowing west of the capital, a best of week end specials, …

As we do paddle and take a lot of people on this short descent (7-8 kms) I decided to replant the banks both for decorative and anti erosive reasons.

We planted mainly fruit trees along with some deco (jacaranda’s, flamboyants, …). A bit less than 300 plants were loaded on our inflatable canoes and we set off for a fun constructive day.

Badria, my daughter (one of them) with laetitia a sexy commercial director paddling for trees

Sun was out after a week of cyclonic turmoil and it was great to get out of the stinky Tana’s mess.

Executives from BEAL company (french rope maker), Camusat (telecommunications antenna riggers) and Club 41 (a worldwide social club) as well as kids, girl friends, wives and else boarded along.

Philippe (manager of BEAL factory) and Alain (Club 41 malagasy) learning river tricks!

The day was spent drifting not always smoothly as the levels were above normal (told you cyclonic weather) and paired with total unexperience from most apprentice boaters sent us on a really fun action packed ecological time.

The full planter’s gang on rest

This was definitely a symbolic day as the association has planted 180.000 trees this year and it was just an occasion tio accomplish a gest together and learn to know better each other.

Badria and Laetitia drifting sideways through the day

I and the rest of the crew, just loved it and we promised that next year we would all be back on the stream.

I want 100 paddlers on the river in 2010 and if you visit at the same season, make sure to send me a message.

Note the trees at the back of the canoe

Paddlers from other remote part of the world, living in countries having deforestation problems should consider organising this type of symbolic action. Fun and very gratifying.

A great group for a great day.

People on the banks just loved the idea of having nut cases planting avocados, mangos, apples and other very useful and profitable trees. That will hopefully make us more popular on riversides, …

Love you all,

Wood En Stock for ever!

Definitely, one of my greatest night, so far! A solo night ride on the lower Mangoky, last saturday night was certainly a nerving experience. it all started with a classic line of taking geologists out there for research.

Riding up the river with an engine was a challenge, with insidious sand bars and dead channels to get lost but that’s the kind of stuff we manage and there was nothing that special.

An indecent rigging job to motor up the flow!

For some reason, I ended up 30kms from pull out at night time although I had to be there by 6 am the next morning in order to drive to the airport and fly out to Tananarive.

So, here I am loading my ARK inflatable Croc boat at 7 pm on a moonlessnight and a good 4 hours of paddling laying ahead.

needless to say that I was moderetaly enthousiastic to leave by myself and leave my gun behind in camp!…

I had always thought that finally there wasn’t that many crocs on the Mangoky and I know the river well enough to handle this ghostly night ride.

How wrong I was to be, ……..

Less than 100 meters from camp two splashes and waves sharply remembered me that we were not in winter and females were laying eggs on the banks!

The rest of the trip was a thrilling and terrifying experience. i had to repeat myself the malagasy saying “crocs don’t attack dug outs” at least a thousand times every hour. I tried to avoid flashing the light to see how close those very inquisitive animals were as I needed to keep the little night vision a brilliant starry sky gave me . I spoke out loud and sang silly songs. I even (shame on me) spilled some gas on the boat to deter them. I peed on it!

An early evening visitor, …

More were to come!!!

Nothing did it I couldn’t appreciate the beauty and the grandeur of the scene. I had a few sections of great happiness when floating away from the shores I forgot for instants the presence, so massive, of predators to be respected, but the paranoia was hitting back at every occasion. Chasing crocs from sand banks on which I drifted inadvertly on too many occasions, having to drag the boats between reeds islands, lost on a mile wide river. I even rowed upstream for at least 15 minutes before realizing I hadn’t moved a meter!

Around 10.30 pm a young female, kind of “flew” over the stern, chased from a higher river bank by my noisy passage and that’s when my nerves decided to take a break. I aimed at a sand bar and tried to find a spot without too many close tracks, gathered dried wigs and reeds, built a wall with my bags and even my shoes, again, peed everywhere, spilled more gas, and finally crashed out in an uncertain sleep.

Back to life with the sun burning the last bits of morning fog.

I woke up after a night of refueling fast burning reeds, listening to splashes and crocos noises in a rather good mood.

They were all gone when the temp dropped late in the night.

The 2 remaining hours were really cool with all the beasts sleeping in their holes and the river for myself.

Arrival at pull out was certainly noticed and locals still wonder if I’m totally stupid or a real nerd!…

I do too, ………..