2011 season starts!! Hyyyypa!!

We were waiting for and yeah it comes, THE RAIN!!!
Southern wind always brings rain in the Cévennes Region (center southern France).
So we had to take our kayaks out and go boating in that beautiful region!!!

The program of that 1st creeking weekend of 2011 was my 1st solo descent of the Dourbie river and the Sources of the Tarn river.

Little stop at my Grand Parents place in Sainte Enimie, true heart of the Gorges du Tarn, for the lunch: sausage on sarment barbecue and rissole potatoes!! Hell yeah!!

Saturday 20th, I decided to do a solo descent of the Dourbie river.
A 1st time for me, I never did solo descent before...
Since the beginning of the descent, it wasn't as usual, my kayak didn't hit rock.
It looked like there was a bigger water level or I paddled worse...
When I arrived at the first steep section, I was under the water every where in the holes and boofs... WTF?? It wasn't the same as usual!!!

I stoped in a massive rock in the middle of the river... And i understand the why of the how...
There is way more water than usual... It's gonna be tight!!


The water scale probably moved in Le Mazet village, and the 1m of 2010 switchs in 1m30 or more...


Yep, it goes fat but for a solo descent I had to take out and walk back up to the car at midway of the river...
I'll try again that solo descent soon

In the evening, I had some mails, texts, and calls from other kayakers and we decided to go on the Sources of the Tarn river, which is my favourite river section with the Dourbie!!
Well, on this Sunday 21st, massive blue sky, no wind and around 10 warm degres Celsius... AWESOME!!!


Back on the roads!!


Pont de Montvert village under sunshine, enough rare to talk about!!
Perfect water level for the Sources section!!


Rapid from left to right, view from road:
"the seamstress", "the gorilla" and "the ladies".


The incredible put in at the Pont du Tarn (Bridge of the Tarn river), the oldest bridge of the region!!


Right downstream the Pont du Tarn, look at that massive sun!!


Happy frenchy back at the Sources of the Tarn river to begin 2011 season!!! :-D


The awesome kilometer of flatwater on the causse (=local plateau) before serious stuffs!!
Definitely the best put in ever I had the chance to do, and I did a lot believe me!!


Here we are, "The Norwegian" is right downstream!!
MAGIC to see that flatwater, the sky in the background and trees diving down the valley!!!


Pascal in little rapids at mid-section.


Clément in "The ox tongue".


Pascal exits "The ox tongue".


Stéphane in "the seamstress".


Pascal in the "the seamstress", isn't it beautiful?!!


Clément in "The Gorilla".


Myself at the entry of "The Gorilla".
photo: Marc


Me in "Le Gorille".
photo: Marc


Incredible view of the Upper Tarn valley from the Montmirat, on the way back home.

An awesome 1st weekend for 2011, this season couldn't start better than it!!
It promises some goods for next!!!
The really good news is than I'm a freaking great shape, I'm so happy to paddle and be on the river, and yeah, I'm sooooo motivated for the coming adventures!!!
Rrrrrrr!!

All the photos of the Sources of the Tarn river, here:

Sources of the Tarn river

Seeya asap on the water!!