From cyclone at sea to cyclone inland!

Author: madamax  |  Category: whitewater kayak

Madagascar is going through a great rain season.

Cyclons hits alternatively west and east coast while politicians raised hell in the cities as well.

Rainbow over an insane looking slide, at the put-in

Simon is still around and after hidding through the city riots of last weeks in my mountain retreat and reforestation camp (www.woodenstock.org).

Their last ray of sun on the portage to put-in

As we drove down there with sylvain the french paddler and potential son in law, they both left for a 2 day river trip.

We had rafted the section with many portages and at low waters back in 95 or 96; the profile was impressive.

Last year Sylvain and friends treked along the Zomandao and he was terribly appealed by this first descent.

One of the very many slide of the section.

Well, they left the same day as a cyclone flushed down the east coast.

Simon hadn’t been on white water for many years, a bit dubious about what he had seen so forth, …

Waters went overnight way over reasonnable levels and the rapids were sometimes too powerful for them.

Sylvain showing off before a crowd of young locals quite impressed!

That’s a potential future Young Guns mission next rain season, …

Just a nice view of a central section they paddled.

Waters were so high that crocs weren’t an issue. those sharp lads are too busy not being flushed down the drain to hunt seriously.

Simon, all excited to be back on white waters and part of a first kayak descent!!!

We then returned to Tana and they left yesterday to paddle the lower Betsiboka, 250 kms of the largest malagasy river.

Bridge over troubled Zomandao waters

it’s supposed to be totally flat, but waters, already high, keep rising.

issues might be to find dry ground to sleep!!!

It has been raining constant since they left and they should definitely move on pretty fast till estuary

keep posted, ..

“Rain’s season” season!

Author: madamax  |  Category: whitewater kayak

Rain season definitely started out here and most rivers are runnable, despite access and pull out issues.

A classic sighting in this season, kayakers in Cameleon Land

Philippe Giors and Sylvain Lelong had a good session in Itasy area, just after their Betsileo trip and truly enjoyed both Lilly and Mazy rivers.

A clean shower to dust off from muddy Mazy

When the highest falls are portaged, those runs becomes very reasonnable goals in the class IV-V range.

One of the Mazy steep and high falls

Weather is rather gentle in this area apart from afternoon showers and storms. bearable when rains are as warm as the lake waters; …

Check out the small video from Mazy

Malagasy-Franco-German Betsileo river mini trip

Author: madamax  |  Category: whitewater kayak

Sly and Pilou two french kayakists + a german tourist named Gust went with Edmond (you remember the beat up guy from last year!) for a 4 day descent on the upper Mania.

They launched boats in Sandrandahy, north east of Ambositra.

They ended up breaking one of the boat on day 3 of the Mania and switched on to Manandona, a bit further north, for a cool ride on the cata raft and an exploration of the gorges

The gorges received a lapidary comment of Sylvain who fears that some could try it!…