Madamax

Simon Osborne and Sylvain Lelong just arrived from their last paddling/driving trip which ended up in Majunga.

For Simon, it was in a way, completing its malagasy venture started in 2007 and finishing up where it started, was something he really wanted to complete.

Miles wide overflown river

He didn’t paddled round the country as originally planned but that was a serious attempt with close to 2/3 of the distance paddled over 2 seasons.

Incidentally he managed to rack the first Zomandao kayak descent and although he didn’t found Majunga changed in any way, he, himself felt totally different as traveling through all those remote places had given him an other vision of the surrounding world.

Check his blog for indepth feelings and details on seakayakingcornwall.com

Sylvain had a different goal in mind and also a strong motivation. He is now the very first visitor to have paddled a local river, from head to spill.

Near Maevatanana, narrower than elsewhere

After his expedition with Brad, Rush and friends on the upper betsiboka, he has, now, completed the descent. Congratulations.

Along Ankarafantsika National Park forests

Leaving Tana was hectic, caught a full day at the bus station, only to get out of bus at 2 am in Sleeping and rainy Maevatanana. That meant a night in the rain, again!!!

The shuttle cart to Betsiboka, …

The river was largely spread all around.

Most land was covered for miles around the villages and finding the actual river bed was one of the challenge of this 240 kms stretch.

Camp on an isolated family dryland!!!

Current was strong and they averaged over 100 kms on the first and second days, with relatively little effort.

Muddy take off at low tide. Just pray you don’t step on one of those huge crabs, …

They landed in Majunga on day three having paddled the whole length in a record time close to 20 hours on the river, …

The highlights of the descent was floating down along Ankarafantsika National Park and overall, the rescue of a chameleon swimming miles away from land, …

Flamingoes  flight over a cuckoo paddler

More original than a mermaid, a chameleon at prow, …

Although they do swim quite well, this one was really far away from anywhere.

Unusual water movements and waves maintained the necessary pressure to paddle in scorching 41°C

2 things are going on these days.

Ready to enter the Mozambique channel in Tulear

1st, the solo circumnavigation of Riaan Manser. This basket case left Tamatave on the east coast in August aiming northern tip and now somewhere south of Majunga.

Check his stupefying blog aventure.

africa365

I doubt that he can bag it in 10 months as planned but this dude has more guts than anybody I ever met on the water. The challenge is immense. He got jailed, sick, robben, attacked by sharks, got foot worms, fevers, and still going strong. Worst certainly lies ahead and with 3000 kms to go, all we can do is wish him good luck.

Simon on the white sandy beaches of the south west coast

2nd, you may remember those 2 brits paddlers who started circumnavigating Mada over 2 seasons.

Last year they did half of it from Majunga to Mananjary round the northern tip.

Well, one of them, Simon arrived alone on Jan 2nd.

I drove him down to Mananjary and he picked up the trip with one of my river guide, Joe.

Simon and Joe on Mananjary beach, still smiling!

They paddle and struggled 4 days to get to Manakara, had head winds, strong surf.

Boat preparation in Mananjary

It was Joe’s very first time on the sea! He’s a river guide from Tana and never had the chance of floating on the sea, ever! That was also his first time on a sea kayak. He eventually freaked out and/or got bored on this boring and difficult section and wanted to give up. An other guide would have picked up the tour with Simon.

Simon and Joe on D1 of the trip heading for foul weather.

Anyway, Simon gave up the challenge, feeling that pace and conditions would not allow to complete the trip in the remaining time.

First paddle strokes on a small beach surf in Mananjary

However he decided to keep paddling sections at a more leisurely pace and I sent them with Edmond (you remember the beat up smiling face from last year?) and Sylvain, the french river guide from Lyon on the best lagoons in Mada, from Tulear to Morombe.

Heading back to some beach bungalows

They eventually spent 6 days to reach Morombe, having paddled through Fanele, the cyclone who hit badly the west coast.

Edmond,Not a man, a machine (dixit Simon)

Trip was great fun and they had numerous stop over small villages for coffee and local donuts.

Paddling through a cyclone, somehow fun!

Roads were kind of submerged and they had to sail a dhow 4 days to get back to Tulear.

Vezo kid north of Tulear

I think next will be paddling 250 kms of flat Betsiboka river, from Maevatanana to Majunga.

Simon said, PADDLE!!!!!!!!!!

You’ll know, …

A great week spent up north on the archepelago of Nosy Hara.

I was there to landscape some land as I have with Mathieu a small climber’s and paddlers camp on one of the islands.

We already received long haul paddlers and all enjoyed the area despite rough sea and strong winds.

Check some pics on our site at http://www.newsearoc.com

We now have 3 Prijon Kodiak and 2 small river kayaks for playing around this newly established national park!

That was also the occasion to slip in some climbing shoes and enjoy wonderful climbing above sparkling white sand and great coral reefs.

Low tide allowed us to play around and cross some marine caves nearby; great fun!